What is Regenerative Medicine?
Regenerative Medicine is the science of living cells being used to potentially regenerate or facilitate the repair of cells damaged by disease, genetics, injury or simple aging by stimulating the body’s own repair mechanisms. This is to restore function and homeostasis in the body. Regenerative Medicine also empowers scientists to grow tissues in the laboratory. Over the last few years, cord blood applications have expanded beyond transplant medicine into areas of Regenerative Medicine including autism and brain injuries.
What are stem cells?
Stem cells have the remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types in the body during early life and growth. In addition, in many tissues they serve as a sort of internal repair system, dividing essentially without limit to replenish other cells as long as the person or animal is still alive. When a stem cell divides, each new cell has the potential either to remain a stem cell or become another type of cell with a more specialized function, such as a muscle cell, a red blood cell, or a brain cell.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells are specialized cells that are able to receive signals from the other cells in your body. Stem cells then seek out inflammation and degeneration and go to that location to begin repairing tissue.
Stem cells have been shown to help repair muscle, bone, cartilage and tendons. Research has indicated that stem cells can benefit a wide variety of health complications and may assist in individuals living stronger, healthier lives.
Are stem cells safe?
Umbilical cord stem cells reside in the umbilical cords from healthy newborn babies and healthy mothers. Umbilical cord derived stem cells, like all post-natal cells, are categorized as “adult” stem cells. The umbilical cord tissue is donated by pre-screened healthy mothers and healthy babies in the United States. We abide by all of the most stringent FDA and medical guidelines. Your safety, results and comfort are our top concern. The cells are rigorously tested and screened under National Institutes of Health (NIH), FDA, American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) and American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) guidelines.
Why use umbilical cord derived stem cell therapy?
- Umbilical cord derived stem cells contain the most potent mesenchymal stem cells available and therefore garner the best regenerative results.
- It is the safest stem cell therapy option and does not require surgery.
- There are no negative side effects and the cells are undifferentiated, therefore the body does not reject them. In fact, umbilical cord derived stem cells have been used for over thirty-five years to help reduce the chance of organ transplant rejection.
How do our stem cells work?
Simply stated, umbilical cord derived stem cells have an innate intelligence and activate the body’s own self-healing mechanisms. They seek out inflammation and degenerations – They go where your body needs them to go and become what your body needs them to become. They are the building blocks of all of the tissue and organs in the human body. In other words, they give your body a boost of fresh, very young stem cells to help with regeneration. Our stem cells age with us and we lose a significant percentage over time. That’s why at about age 35, we can’t recover like we used to.
What do mesenchymal stem cells do?
- Seek out degeneration
They build, repair and grow new tissue - Anti-inflammatory
They are effective in reducing inflammation and pain - Immunomodulatory
They help modulate the body’s immune responses
Why do we use umbilical cord derived stem cells rather than autologous stem cells?
Studies have shown that these cells work better. Our cells in our bodies age as we age and younger cells can be more effective.
Is there any transfer of DNA from the stem cell product into the receiving patient?
No, a process called cell fusion would be required and this process is not observed in multi-potent mesenchymal stem cells.
Is donor and host tissue matching required?
No, stem cells from another person (allogenic) cells are naive and are not recognized by the host immune system as foreign.
Are there contraindications to regenerative cellular treatment?
Yes, patient should not have any active form of cancer.
How do stem cells know where to go and what to grow?
When our tissue is damaged it gives off things called Cytokines. Cytokines act like little beacons to attract the stem cells to that tissue. In fact, we have heard of numerous instances when a patient has a Stem Cell procedure done and another area of their body also heals.
What is the difference between Stem Cell Therapy and other treatments such as replacements, joint resurfacing, etc?
The biggest difference is that this treatment can be “curative” in nature. Every other type of drug or treatment is “masking” the symptoms. The most obvious difference is safety of this treatment versus anything else.
- You are not in a hospital subjected to “super germs”
- There is no risky surgery being done or anesthesia.
- There is no six weeks of bed rest or “light duty”.
- Our procedure takes less than a half hour and is done in our clinic.
Note: It is recommended that you take it easy for 2 days after the procedure.
How long do results last for?
As long as the root cause of your problem is addressed your healing should be long term. Because stem cell therapy is still a fairly new treatment, research shows that results can last up to and beyond five years. There are many variables that determine how long the results of a stem cell injection will last for. Results will also vary from person to person and depend on a variety of factors including, diet, exercise, lifestyle choices, etc…
At what point should a patient explore this option, and when is it too late?
The great news is that our research shows that is never too late. Most chronic pain conditions slowly get worse over time, not better. For this reason, we encourage patients not to continue to suffer and come and have their problem treated to get them out of the suffering and pain. We have treated patients from 18 -102 years old and had the same great outcomes. Age does not seem to matter when it comes to stem cell therapy.
How much does it cost and is it covered by health insurance?
Stem Cell Therapy is considered a “natural” treatment so, unfortunately, insurance does not cover Stem Cell Therapy at this time.