Stem cell treatments are the hot new thing in the world of anti-aging and a potential source of relief for those with chronic conditions.
What are stem cells, if they can do all this and more? They’re the master cell. The cells that can become other cells as needed to help heal, regenerate tissue, and even calm down inflammation. Stem cell treatments are being used today to help treat issues ranging from:
- Autoimmune diseases
- Gastrointestinal disorders
- Multiple sclerosis
- Osteoarthritis
- Spine and disc conditions
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- And more
The issue, however, is that stem cell treatments are very new. As such, FDA approval for use in most treatments isn’t yet. An injection transplants stem cells either throughout the body via an IV or directly into a targeted area with an injection. From there, it works to ramp up the healing process by becoming new cells as needed in your body.
The good news is that these autologous transplants have minimal side effects. The issue for the FDA is not about how safe they are but rather how effective. While there are many studies showing promising results, the long-term studies just aren’t finished yet.
That means, for now, you need to cover the stem cell therapy cost yourself. The only exception comes when treating diseases like leukemia or multiple myeloma, which is, to date, the only time you can get your treatment covered. With the cost being so high, it’s natural to wonder how many treatments you need. So, do you just need stem cell treatment once? It depends. Let’s get into it:
First Things First: There are Many Different Kinds of Stem Cell Therapy
The reason why it’s not an easy answer as to how many infusions you need is, first, because there are several kinds of stem cells and injection methods. You can look into what are stem cell injections, but here are just a few to help you understand the variety of options out there:
- Bone Marrow Transplants: Bone marrow is rich in stem cells, and it’s used to help replace both diseased bone marrow and also blood. To date, a bone marrow transplant is the only treatment you can get covered through insurance to treat blood cancers like multiple myeloma or bone marrow diseases.
- Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplants: This option requires a blood transfusion. You will have your blood taken to get the stem cells, at which time the stem cells are extracted. These peripheral blood stem cell transplants can become any type of blood cell your body needs.
- Umbilical Cord Stem Cell Transplants: These stem cells are extracted from donated umbilical cord blood or from the Wharton’s Jelly that surrounds it. We use umbilical cord donations to source our stem cells at Bioxcellerator, simply because this donated tissue can become a variety of different cells, with the added benefit that it lacks a protein that makes it easier for the body to accept after the transfusion.
Regardless of whether you get your stem cells from bone marrow or umbilical cord blood, however, it is ultimately your condition that will determine how many treatments you need, whether you need to stay in hospital during the treatment, and how significant the effects are.
Types of Injections
A key indicator of whether you will need just one treatment plan or will need to invest in ongoing stem cell treatments, is how the stem cells are administered. If an IV transplants stem cells into your body, for example, you likely have a chronic condition. Chronic conditions, especially degenerative ones, will naturally need more than one treatment in order for you to continue to feel the effects.
If you have an injury you want to help heal, on the other hand, you are more likely to need just one treatment plan.
Do You Just Need Stem Cell Treatment Once?
Whether you need stem cell treatment just once or more has nothing to do with whether the stem cells are from bone marrow or umbilical cord blood or Wharton’s Jelly. Yes, using umbilical cord-sourced stem cells helps improve the chances your body accepts the cells, but that’s just one consideration. Your condition, its severity, and also your overall base health will ultimately determine how many treatments you will need.
Conditions That May Need One Treatment
First things first, the definition of just one stem cell treatment isn’t necessarily one jab or one session but one treatment plan. This means you may need to undergo several autologous transplants over the course of a few days or weeks before you are done.
With that in mind, the answer to whether you might need stem cell treatment just once is, in a few cases, yes. For example, treating an injury or inflammation might just take one treatment or at least a single treatment plan.
Conditions that Need Multiple Treatments
Any permanent condition will likely need multiple treatments. This can range from injured or inflamed joints that have deteriorated due to age, all the way to multiple sclerosis or cancer. In the case of cancer, you will likely undergo several treatments in quick succession, as your immune system will already be suppressed due to chemotherapy, allowing for faster integration of the stem cells.
Get in Touch With One of Our Specialists
To learn just how many treatments you would need, including how many stem cells, you will need to get in touch for a consultation. It’s impossible to give an accurate answer without knowing the specifics of yourself, and your condition. To get in touch, just have a look at the locations we cover, and get in touch with your nearest clinic.
We’ll book you for a free consultation so that we can see you for ourselves, and then give you a full rundown on what to expect out of your treatment. Some may need just one session, and others may need several sessions over the course of a short period. Some may come back year after year as part of their overall health strategy.
