by Stemedix | Oct 16, 2023 | Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson’s disease is a complex neurological disorder. It can affect many aspects of your life and wear down your mental health. Fortunately, there are now modern treatment options that help you manage your Parkinson’s symptoms.
If you’ve just received a Parkinson’s diagnosis, don’t give up hope. Learn more about your treatment options so you can live your life to the fullest, regardless of your diagnosis.
How Parkinson’s Symptoms Affect Daily Living
You’ve probably heard of the most common symptoms of Parkinson’s. They can make daily tasks feel more challenging and inaccessible. As Parkinson’s disease progresses, if there is no medical intervention, symptoms tend to worsen.
Motor Symptoms: Trouble with Normal Movements
Parkinson’s disease is related to the amount of dopamine in your brain. When your brain cells stop producing the correct amount of dopamine, your movements change. You no longer have smooth, controlled movements. You may experience shaking, tremors, and slowed motor skills.
Someone with Parkinson’s may have trouble lifting, bending, twisting, or even walking. In the later stages of this disease, Parkinson’s can cause complete immobility, necessitating wheelchair assistance.
If you can’t move around properly, you can’t carry out many normal daily tasks. Cooking, cleaning, and self-care have become nearly impossible.
Digestive Health and Gastrointestinal Problems
Changes in your brain from Parkinson’s disease can lead to problems with digestion. You may experience constipation, bloating and indigestion, and urinary incontinence. Gastrointestinal changes can make eating a less positive experience for Parkinson’s patients.
Mood and Personality Changes
As with any neurodegenerative disorder, Parkinson’s disease can cause mood changes. You may not recognize what’s happening to your mental state. Unfortunately, this is an expected symptom of this neurodegenerative disease.
Parkinson’s patients may experience increased irritability, suspicion, confusion, and depression. These mood changes make it harder to get along with other people. You may start to feel like a different person altogether.
Personality changes can impact your social relationships, which are essential for human health and connection. With the rise in stem cell therapy treatments for Parkinson’s, however, there is hope for getting back to your former self.
Why Early Treatment Is So Important
Getting Parkinson’s disease treated early is essential to slowing the progression of this disorder. The earlier you catch Parkinson’s, the better your outcome will be. Since this is a neurodegenerative disorder, time spent untreated can worsen your symptoms.
If you have just received a diagnosis, now is the time to start looking into your treatment options. What’s out there for you? Is there hope? The answer is yes.
What Are Your Treatment Options?
Modern science and research have allowed medical providers to help slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease. Treatment options include various therapies to help you regain your speech and motor skills. Other innovative treatments, like regenerative medicine, help manage the condition by repairing tissues to improve your health.
Changing Your Lifestyle
Lifestyle changes can have surprising effects on your overall health. Certain parts of your lifestyle may be contributing to worsening health. These can include smoking, under exercising, and overeating.
When you receive a Parkinson’s diagnosis, it’s important to take your health seriously. Getting plenty of sleep and nutrition will help you feel your best each day. You should also quit smoking and give up other harmful habits, like excessive snacking on junk food.
You can protect your health by including healthier habits in your daily routine. Lifestyle changes alone may not cure Parkinson’s, but they can improve your quality of life.
Occupational, Speech, and Motor Therapy
You can opt for speech, motor, or occupational therapy to improve your skills in daily life. These therapies are designed to restore daily functioning in ways that promote independence. If you struggle with your current tasks, this may be a good option for you.
Certified therapists will help you gain new skills that assist with movement, speech, and performing tasks. A Parkinson’s diagnosis doesn’t mean you’re doomed. With the right types of therapy in your life, you can achieve a higher level of function.
Regenerative Medicine with Regenerative Properties
Regenerative medicine, also known as stem cell therapy, utilizes mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). MSCs are multipotent stem cells that can be isolated from various tissues, such as bone marrow, adipose tissue, and umbilical cord, and they possess several beneficial properties.
MSCs hold promise as a potential therapeutic approach for Parkinson’s disease. This condition is characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the brain. MSCs have been studied for their ability to modulate inflammation, promote neuroprotection, and stimulate endogenous repair mechanisms in the brain.
MSCs have shown the potential to improve motor function, reduce neuroinflammation, and promote the survival and differentiation of existing neurons. Additionally, MSCs can secrete neurotrophic factors and anti-inflammatory molecules, which may contribute to their therapeutic effects.
When it comes to Parkinson’s disease treatment options, stem cell therapy may be one to explore as a potential therapy in conjunction to others. Some patients experience improvements in their speech, cognition, and motor skills after stem cell treatments.
What to Expect from Stem Cell Therapy for Parkinson’s
Scientists have not yet found a cure for Parkinson’s disease. However, with appropriate stem cell therapy, we may be able to slow the progression of this disorder. Here are some results you can expect from consistent stem cell treatments for Parkinson’s.
More Energy
Stem cell treatments have given our patients more energy and less fatigue. You want to enjoy your life to the fullest. Why not enjoy an extra energy boost from the regenerative powers of stem cell therapy?
Reduced Tremors and Shaking
Tremors are an inconvenient symptom of Parkinson’s disease. Certain stem cell treatments may reduce the frequency of your tremors and shaking. Arm and leg movements would then be easier and less stressful. You may find that your coordination also improves.
Better Cognition and Memory
Parkinson’s unfortunately affects the way you think and how much you can remember. Some patients have seen marked cognitive improvement after stem cell treatments. This is likely because stem cells have the power to regenerate damaged brain cells and improve overall mental functioning.
More Fluid Movements
Stiffness and inflexibility come with Parkinson’s disease. Through stem cell therapy, you may be able to achieve more fluid movements.
Managing Your Parkinson’s Diagnosis with Hope
With a Parkinson’s diagnosis, you do have options to explore. Through traditional and innovative treatments like stem cell therapy, science may be able to help you reverse or slow the progression of this disease. Patients can have the potential to manage their condition and possibly help improve their daily life and activities.
by Stemedix | Oct 11, 2023
WHAT IS Regenerative Medicine for Rheumatoid Arthritis For those seeking to potentially manage symptoms of this condition, Regenerative Medicine also know as Stem Cell Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis is a natural alternative option. Request Information Packet WHAT IS...
by admin | Oct 11, 2023 | Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Stem Cell Research, Stem Cell Therapy
Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have repeatedly demonstrated the capacity to limit injury and promote regeneration through signaling and secretion of trophic factors. Considering this, MSCs have been increasingly used as a treatment for a wide variety of injuries and immune-related, infectious, and degenerative diseases.
In this review, Jahromi et al. provide a brief overview of the fate and efficacy of intramuscular (IM) delivered MSCs and identify the gaps that require additional study before IM-delivered MSCs are adopted as a primary treatment of systemic diseases.
Specifically, a recent study has demonstrated significant advantages of using skeletal muscle for the delivery of MSC. While skeletal muscle has been used as a delivery route for myopathic, neurodegenerative, and vascular diseases, these studies have identified 3 main advantages of skeletal muscle MSC delivery.
These advantages include extended dwell time provided by dense muscle fibers that retain the MSCs in situ; high vascular density that provides a conduit for systemic release of MSC trophic factors; and an abundance of tissue that allows for multiple injection sites.
Research has identified two key factors that profoundly affect observed dwell-time variations of 72 hours to 8 months observed in MSCs transplanted in the skeletal muscle; these factors include immune rejection and the methods used for MSC detections. Considering this, the authors point out that allotransplantation provides an advantage since MSCs exhibit low immunogenicity and are expected to evade the immune system.
Although little information on the IM delivery of MSCs currently exists, previously conducted clinical trials demonstrated no therapeutic advantage of using higher doses of MSCs; other studies demonstrated medium doses of MSCs to be more effective than either a lower or higher dose.
While IM-delivery has been shown to be clinically safe and increases the longevity of the secretory activity of the delivered cells, the authors point out that it is important to further evaluate the fate of MSCs post-delivery in skeletal muscle.
Jahromi et al. conclude that the studies reviewed as part of this brief collectively support the notion of broadening the applicability of IM-delivery route from local therapy to the treatment of system disease with multiple studies demonstrating IM-delivered MSCs to be safe and to provide and extended dwell time while remaining secretorily active.
Source: “Concise Review: Skeletal Muscle as a Delivery Route for … – NCBI.” 5 Feb. 2019, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6477141/.
by Stemedix | Oct 9, 2023 | Stroke
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that more than 795,000 people in the United States suffer a stroke every year. A stroke happens when something blocks the supply of blood to a part of the brain or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts.
If you’ve had a stroke, knowing what to expect from the recovery process is vital. Learn about the potential recovery timeline.
Day 1: Beginning Your Recovery
The first step is always to confirm that you did have a stroke. This should happen as soon as possible because the treatment process is most effective when it begins right after the stroke.
When you arrive at the hospital, you’ll be taken to an imaging room for a CT scan, which will help identify the stroke. The type of stroke you had will determine the treatment you receive. Your team will go through the entire process with you and your loved ones to ensure you understand what it involves.
Week 1: The Next Steps
Most stroke patients can go home after about four to seven days. This will vary depending on your overall health, the severity of the stroke, and how the recovery is progressing.
This first week is when you and your team will put your recovery plan into action. You may need a number of therapies.
Physical therapy involves mobility training, motor-skill exercises, range-of-motion activities, and anything else that helps you regain motor skills.
Speech therapy focuses on helping you regain any lost speaking abilities, as well as helping you with swallowing.
Another type of therapy is occupational therapy, where an occupational therapist will help you with any issues with vision and cognitive skills.
Because stroke rehabilitation needs to focus on treating the whole patient and not just the symptoms, the treatment plan has to include cognitive and emotional activities with a mental health specialist. This type of therapy helps you express what you’ve been feeling after the stroke.
The Three Months After the Stroke
You will continue your rehabilitation either as home-based care, which involves the therapists coming to you at your home, or as outpatient therapy at a stroke rehabilitation center.
Some people can also benefit from specialized short-term or long-term care. One of these options is skilled nursing care. Many nursing facilities have experience helping people who have had strokes and need more intensive care. The average stay at these nursing facilities is about a month.
Inpatient stroke rehabilitation is another option. It usually involves spending two or three weeks at an inpatient facility for people who’ve had strokes. You will likely have therapy five days a week for at least three hours a day. This can be a good option if you need 24/7 medical care but can still handle intensive therapies.
Nursing home care is a long-term option. It is a good choice if you need non-medical care and help with things like bathing, eating, and mobility. You can still receive certain therapies, but for the most part, nursing home care focuses on helping you manage everyday life.
You can also combine these options, with some people moving from one option to the next as they start improving.
Some people experience a spontaneous recovery during the first three months after a stroke. This is when a skill or ability that you thought you had lost returns completely. Spontaneous recovery occurs because the brain finds new ways of performing a particular task.
Six Months After the Stroke
Within six months, most people who have had strokes have completed at least one rehabilitation program and may be continuing care at home.
Just because you’ve returned home doesn’t mean you don’t still need therapy, however. It’s crucial to focus on preventing another stroke as well, so you should establish relationships with specialty and primary doctors who will be there to provide ongoing care.
You should have a mental health professional helping you through this stage of recovery. Having a stroke is a major event in your life, and you may not have yet processed it emotionally. A mental health professional helps you find ways of dealing with depression, anxiety, or any other mental health concerns you’re struggling with.
Another important member of your team is the vascular neurologist. They specialize in strokes as well as other brain diseases. They’re the ones who can identify a stroke when you go to the hospital, and they also provide post-stroke care.
Your primary care doctor is another crucial team member. They help monitor your health and are even able to gauge your risks of having another stroke.
One Year After a Stroke
After a year, you will likely have completed one or more rehabilitation programs. You may still be struggling with limitations or may have experienced a full recovery. However, it’s important to know that stroke recovery is an ongoing process.
You also want to continue dealing with the emotional toll a stroke can take, so reaching out to support groups for people who’ve had strokes is a good option. This will allow you to speak with others who have gone through a similar process.
Understanding Setbacks
Setbacks can happen in the months after a stroke. Setbacks can include a second stroke, pneumonia, and other health issues. Although these events take a significant toll on your body, they often take a heavier one on your mental state. That’s why having a mental health professional helping you is vital.
Your care team will have to adjust your recovery timeline if these setbacks occur and prepare new therapies that can address any issues that may have arisen.
Outlook After a Stroke
A full recovery after a stroke is often possible. It’s also possible to experience lasting issues that affect your daily life and require long-term adjustments. Perhaps the most important thing, however, is to prevent another stroke.
By working closely with your recovery team and having medical professionals you trust helping you, you can pursue the various therapy options available.
One such option is regenerative medicine, also known as stem cell therapy, which uses your body’s natural healing abilities to work where you need them most. Stem cell therapy is a promising treatment to help people manage their condition and help the healing process after a stroke. Speak with your doctor about these options.
by admin | Oct 4, 2023 | Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Stem Cell Research, Stem Cell Therapy
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic and progressive inflammatory disease that primarily affects the sacroiliac joints and the spine; in rare cases, AS can also cause issues for the peripheral joints and extra-articular organs, including the skin, eyes, and cardiovascular system.
While there are a number of drugs prescribed to treat symptoms associated with AS, there is currently not a cure for AS nor is there a non-pharmaceutical method for treating the condition and its symptoms.
Considering the potent immune-modulated activity and their ability to inhibit B cell differentiation, T cell activation, and proliferation, researchers have increasingly been exploring the use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as a potential treatment option for a number of autoimmune diseases.
In this current study, Li et al. evaluated the therapeutic effects of umbilical cord MSC (uMSC) transplantation in patients with AS. This review summarizes the authors’ findings.
Specifically, Li et al.’s study evaluated 5 patients with AS after receiving intravenous transfusions of uMSCs.
After receiving an intravenous uMSC transfusion, the authors reported lower levels of inflammation, slowed progression of AS, and reduced levels of ESR, CRP, and other specific markers indicative of improved spinal functions and spinal movement in subjects with AS.
Considering these findings, the authors conclude that uMSC transplantation is feasible and safe and induces limited side effects.
The authors of this study also highlight a number of limitations, including the low number of patients, limited statistical analysis, and lack of a control group that did not receive an infusion.
In light of these results, Li et al. call for future studies using a larger cohort of patients with AS to enable the systematic evaluation of uMSC in treating symptoms of AS.
Source: “Infusion of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells alleviates … – NCBI.” 27 Jun. 2017, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5526206/.
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