Stem cell therapy for the elderly: Did you know that over 16% of the US population is considered elderly, or 65 years and older? As the Boomer generation enters into their elderly years, this percentage has increased making it a large chunk of the population. As we can all attest to, aging has various effects on our bodies, including a higher risk of disease, as well as injuries and inflammation.
Stem cell research has come a long way in the past few years and can be a great natural remedy to ailments like injuries and inflammation, and a great alternative to surgery, which can be riskier in older populations. We’re going to break down exactly what stem cell therapy is, what it entails, and how it can benefit the elderly.
What Are Stem Cells and How Does Stem Cell Therapy Work?
Stem cells are the most amazing cells in the human body. These are the cells from which all other specialized cells are generated. They can also divide to form more cells called daughter cells. These can become new stem cells, or become specialized cells as well. No other cell in our bodies has the natural ability to generate new cell types, which makes stem cells so special.
The stem cell therapy treatments available at the American Regenerative Clinic locations are an incredible example of using the body’s own healing powers on itself. It essentially works by isolating stem cells from one location of the body (fat tissue or bone marrow) and relocating them to an area of disease, injury, or inflammation. This is accomplished by using stem cell injections to move stem cells from one area of the body to another.
What Areas of the Body Can Benefit from Stem Cell Therapy?
Stem cells’ main job in our bodies is to maintain and repair tissue. Stem cell treatments employ this natural function by moving stem cells to an area of need within the body. The magic of stem cells is that once they’re in the affected area of the body, they can adapt and grow into any type of cell the body needs in order to repair the area. For example, stem cell therapy can assist in stem cells becoming bone cells, cartilage cells, muscle cells, etc. By repairing these cells, people, including the elderly, can experience an overall better quality of life and feel better inside and out, and even potentially reverse the effects of many diseases.
Which Conditions Has Stem Cell Therapy Been Known to Help?
Some conditions currently being successfully treated by stem cell therapy include arthritis, which is experienced more in the aging population, sport-related injuries, COPD, CHF, CAD, DM, auto-immune diseases such as Lupus Erythematosus and Crohn’s disease, neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson disease, spinal cord injuries, autism, critical limb ischemia, among many others.
If you, or someone you know, experiences these disorders, ask us about stem cell therapy and whether it may be the right course of action.
How Does the Stem Cell Procedure Work?
At the American Regenerative Clinic locations, we perform outpatient procedures using a process in which a patient’s own stem cells from either adipose (fat) tissue or bone marrow is isolated. After mini-liposuction or bone marrow harvest from the pelvic bone under local anesthesia, the patient’s tissue is specially processed. Immediately, these isolated stem cells are then delivered into the same patient’s joint, IV, intrathecal (lumbar puncture), intramuscular, or as a combination, depending on the affected area that needs treatment. The entire process takes just a few hours!
If you suffer from any of the above disorders or want to learn more about how stem cell therapy could help you or someone you know, call the American Regenerative Clinic to book an appointment today!
