Stem cell therapy is the talk of the town, especially for those with chronic conditions that result in frequent and ongoing pain, or limited mobility. These conditions frequently cannot be cured, so the only option is to take pain medication.
Becoming dependent on pain medication, however, brings about its own set of complications.
That is why stem cell therapy is of such a big interest to so many. Stem cell treatments promise to help with conditions ranging from arthritis, to spinal disc issues, all the way to acute injuries including traumatic brain injuries.
To help you understand how they work, and just what happens to your body after a stem cell transplant, you first need to understand what are stem cells, and how they work.
What are Stem Cells?
Stem cells are master cells. As adult multipotent cells, they can differentiate into specialized cell types. For example, stem cells from bone marrow can become red or white blood cells as needed. These newly formed cells, known as progenitor cells, work within your system without damage or disease impacting their abilities.
Now, the reason we only use adult stem cells (also known as multipotent cells) is for ethical reasons, and also availability. There are also what is known as embryonic stem cells, but to get these an embryo ends up destroyed in the process. The only time those embryonic cells are used then are when the owners of fertilized eggs using an IVF clinic decide to donate their fertilized eggs to science.
In short, embryonic cells are solely used in medical research.
Adult stem cells, however, work just fine. What each cell type can become is more limited, yes, but that just means stem cells need to be sourced from different areas.
Where We Source Our Stem Cells
So, what are stem cell injections in our clinic? We solely use stem cells from Wharton’s Jelly, which is found around umbilical cords.
We screen through donated umbilical cords, select the healthiest ones, and then extract stem cells from the jelly. The cells are then screened, purified, and stored. This is a lengthy process, which is why the stem cell therapy cost is what it is, but in exchange, you can rest assured that
The reason why these cells are used over others is because, though they are adult stem cells, they are widely considered juvenile. This means they do not have the transcription factors other stem cells have, which is what immune systems frequently attack. Transcription factors like surface proteins are considered foreign bodies, after all, so if they are not on the stem cell your immune system should not have reason to call up arms.
Understanding what the immune system responds to has been instrumental to stem cell drug discovery over the past few years, and is why we here at Bioxcellerator exclusively use stem cells sourced from Wharton’s Jelly, since those stem cells we use are more likely to be accepted without a problem by your body.
What Happens to Your Body After a Stem Cell Transplant?
Now that you know more about what our stem cell treatments are made from, it is time to get into what happens after your therapy.
During the Procedure
In most cases, you will receive your stem cell transplant via an IV. This then works through your blood stream, working to provide all-body relief from symptoms (if your immune system accepts the cells, that is). With this option, no anesthesia is used, so you may feel a pinch or a bit of pain near the IV injection site.
Otherwise, the stem cells will be injected with a needle. Sometimes, for example, if the treatment targets a spinal issue, we may use an ultrasound to ensure that the injection goes exactly where it needs to be. We may use localized anesthesia with these injections, depending on what area is being injected.
After the Procedure
After the procedure, you may experience:
- Fatigue
- Flu-like symptoms
- Soreness near the injection site
We will let you know the full list of side effects you can expect after the injection, as well as tips on how to improve your post-recovery period through diet and exercise.
Long-Term Impacts on the Body
You will not start to feel any benefits for a while yet. This is because stem cells take time to be accepted and then put to work. For example, patients who experience positive results only started enjoying the benefits of their new progenitor cells a month to three months after the injection.
Positive impacts of stem cell therapy include:
- Pain reduction
- Increased mobility
- Decreased inflammation
- Faster wound healing
- Injury recovery
As for the negative side effects, there are few, and they are rare. For full disclosure, know that in very rare instances you may experience:
- Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD): this means the stem cells start attacking your host body. This usually only happens if you are undergoing drastic treatments like radiation or chemotherapy, so you would typically be excluded from getting stem cell therapy privately if you are currently undergoing these treatments.
- Donor diseases: If you go to a poor-quality clinic, then injecting donor cells may come with the risk of inheriting the diseases or conditions from your host. At clinics like ours, however, we vigorously screen cells to eliminate this risk.
- Other side effects: In rare instances you may experience chronic fatigue or hormone imbalances.
Most of the negative side effects can be completely avoided simply by going to a reputable clinic like ours, where we screen donors, cells, and then work to purify our stock further so you get the healthiest cells possible.
If you have any more questions, of course, then our team are more than happy to help. We can also arrange for a full consultation so we can tell you exactly what to expect based on your precise medical needs. All you need is to check the locations we cover, and get in touch with our nearest clinic to get started.
