Stem Cell Therapy for Arthritis

Today, stem cell therapy is used to cure many health disorders and conditions including arthritis. Stem cell therapy is a new speciality that uses a medication known as regenerative medicine. It focuses on helping the body to replace the dead and injured tissues naturally using the body’s cells.

Arthritis is a health condition that affects billions of people worldwide. Arthritis is an inflammatory or degenerative condition that affects the joints. This involves damaging the cartilage that supports the bones in the joints. Arthritis starts when the cartilage lining in the joints starts to swell limiting the functioning of these parts thus causing pain.

There are different types of arthritis such as hip arthritis, knee arthritis among others but the most common form of arthritis that affects millions of people is osteoarthritis. Arthritis has been ranked as a major cause of disability in the world especially among the old people, although it affects young people too. Stem cell therapy is marketed and is standing out as the best medication for arthritis. The most encouraging fact about it is that it uses natural body’s healing mechanism and help in relieving pain, facilitate the growth of new cartilage to replace the damaged ones and fully restore the functionality of joints.

Stem cells used in treating Arthritis

There is a lot of research that is still being conducted on the effectiveness of stem cells in treating arthritis by helping regrow the cartilage. The stem cell that is used to treat arthritis is the allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood Wharton Jelly. Stem cells can travel to the inflamed parts or injured place when injected to the body and release different regenerative factors to promote growth. The factors include fibroblast growth factor (FGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and plates derived growth factor (PDGF). These factors enhance cartilage growth and support the growth of tissues hence improving tissue repair. Also, they help to reduce and manage other arthritis symptoms such as inflammation and hyperactive immune response.

Why use stem cell therapy for Arthritis treatment

Stem cell therapy uses natural stem cells that have anti-inflammatory effects. We use the mesenchymal stem cells that oppose the actions of the inflammatory molecules and enhance the use of TNF-a stimulated gene/protein 6 (TSG-6). This protein has several anti-inflammatory functions that include reducing the macrophage inflammatory signalling. Also, when the mesenchymal stem cells are exposed to inflammatory molecules released by damaged tissue like the TNF-a, lipopolysaccharide or nitric oxide, they respond by releasing prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) that causes shifting of macrophage phenotype.

When stem cells are cultured with cartilage cells, they have better growth and build a stable extracellular matrix by secretion around themselves that are similar to the ones found in the cartilage. Mesenchymal stem cells from the umbilical cord Wharton Jelly have been associated with great improvement in patients’ conditions especially for people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.

Stem cell therapy is a very safe, tolerant and effective method of treating arthritis because it uses the natural body mechanism to repair the damaged cells. The process is non-surgical and delivers results after a short period. After the patient has made the appointment, we take a maximum of 14 days to prepare the cells before injecting them into the patient’s body. In most cases,  stem cells are injected directly into the arthritis joints.

Our professionals use tools such as medical imaging or ultrasound to ensure that they inject the cells on the right side of the cartilage damage. What makes this procedure very effective is the ability of the stem cell to multiply and turn into any type of stem required by the body. The new stem cells also can attract other cells to the affected site, therefore, speeding up the healing process.

Where we get our stems cells

The most common stem cells used to treat arthritis are the mesenchymal stem cells. We harvest and cultivate cells from the umbilical cord Wharton Jelly.

Who is the right candidate for stem cell therapy for Arthritis?

There are no specific medical guidelines that have been put aside of who can and who cannot receive stem cell therapy for arthritis. Most of the stem cell therapy decisions are made by the doctors after carefully investigating each specific case. With that being said, there is some evidence pointing out that people suffering from severe arthritis can be the best candidates because of the benefits of the procedure. Depending on the specifics of the case, we also consider young people with cartilage damage or mild osteoarthritis as candidates.

Where to get the best stem cell therapy for Arthritis

As mentioned earlier, arthritis is affecting people of all ages worldwide and it is among the top-ranked condition that causes disability. Treating arthritis using stem cell therapy requires a trusted and experienced partner. This is because stem cell therapy is still new so you need specialists who have conducted their research and obtained a decent amount of experience. At StemFinityCord, we have qualified personnel that understands exactly how stem cell works for every condition. We educate our patients and assist them in deciding before and after the treatment. Our qualified personnel are always here to help you whenever you are in need. Contact us for more information and let’s get started and get you back to your feet again.

References
  • Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs): role as guardians of inflammation. Prockop D. J., Oh J. Y. Molecular Therapy 2012 Jan;20(1):14-20. DOI: 10.1038/mt.2011.211. Retrieved April 13, 2020.

  • The pros and cons of mesenchymal stem cell-based therapies. Aleksandra Musiał-Wysocka, Marta Kot, and Marcin Majka. Cell Transplant. 2019 Jul; 28(7): 801–812. DOI: 10.1177/0963689719837897. Retrieved April 13, 2020.