Stem Cell Therapy for Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is often misunderstood and misdiagnosed. It’s estimated that up to 2% of adults in the United States suffer from the condition, with women affected almost twice as frequently as men. Here we will learn about Stem Cell Therapy for Fibromyalgia.

What Is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a medical condition where sufferers experience widespread pain throughout their bodies. In addition, they can also endure sleep disturbances, fatigue, and emotional and mental distress.

Patients with fibromyalgia may also be more sensitive to pain, a condition called abnormal pain perception processing. While the origin of fibromyalgia is unknown, experts believe a malfunctioning nervous system may be the cause. 

What Is Stem Cell Therapy?

Stem cell therapy is a form of regenerative medicine aimed at managing the root cause of pain and disease. Stem cells lie dormant throughout the body until they’re activated as part of a healing response. 

Mesenchymal stem cells are different from other cells found in the body, as stem cells are the only cells that can differentiate into specialized cells instead of solely producing more stem cells. 

When stem cells divide, they can create another stem cell and a specialized cell, like a blood cell or a muscle cell. The specialized cell can then heal or replace damaged cells. 

How Can Stem Cell Therapy Treat Fibromyalgia?

Current treatments for patients with fibromyalgia include prescription and over-the-counter medications, stress management techniques, cognitive behavioral therapy, and exercise. While these treatments are often effective, they don’t address the underlying cause of fibromyalgia. 

However, many studies examining stem cells for managing fibromyalgia offer promising results. In addition, stem cell therapy’s potential in managing autoimmune disorders may also provide the key to fibromyalgia treatments. 

Stem cells possess immunoregulatory properties that help to manage the body’s immune response and reduce inflammation. Patients with conditions aggravated by inflammation, especially those in the nervous system, may find relief as the inflammation subsides.

Specifically, stem cell therapy treatments targeting neuroinflammation in the brain may offer the potential to correct signals in the nervous system and reduce abnormal pain perception processing. 

Additionally, stem cells release growth factors or cytokines into their injection points. The growth factors serve as part of the process of replacing damaged cells. Researchers believe that patients with fibromyalgia may have a unique cytokine profile that increases inflammation. 

Explorations in stem cell therapies for fibromyalgia show that the new cytokines may repair and replace the pro-inflammatory cytokines aggravating the condition. 

Fibromyalgia Patients May Soon Find Relief

As studies and trials exploring the benefits of stem cell therapy in managing fibromyalgia continue, patients may soon have a new treatment option that targets the cause of the condition instead of simply managing symptoms. Patients are already beginning to see results in several preliminary treatments. If you would like to learn more about Stem Cell Therapy for Fibromyalgia, contact us today at Stemedix!