The Risks and Benefits of Stem Cell
Therapy
Stem cell therapy is the process of using stem cells to treat and heal various
diseases and conditions farmersgrainelevator. This is an emerging area of medical research and there are
many promising new therapies being developed.
A stem cell is a type of unspecialized cell that has the ability to differentiate (or
change into another kind of specialized cell). There are three main kinds of stem
cells: totipotent stem cells farmersgrainelevator.com, embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells.
Totipotent stem cells are the most powerful. These cells can make any cell in the
body, including nerve, muscle, bone and blood cells. They are also known as induced
pluripotent stem cells or iPS cells.
Scientists can use these stem cells to make a tissue or organ from scratch or to help
repair damaged tissues. The cells can also be used to produce growth factors and
other chemicals that can help speed up the healing process.
Several studies have shown that stem cells can treat spinal cord injuries, improving
quality of life for patients with severe paralysis and even allowing some patients to
walk and eat on their own. These benefits are a result of the way stem cells can
stimulate the immune system to heal and regenerate injured tissues.
While there are some risks associated with stem cell therapy, the majority of these
are not serious. Some of these risks include infection and bleeding. Others can
include eye problems or the risk of developing a tumor.
Before you decide to get a stem cell transplant, talk with your doctor or nurse about
any potential side effects that you might experience. These may include a reduction
in red blood cell counts and the possibility of an infection or a graft-versus-host
disease (GvHD) reaction. You should also consider how long it will take for your body
to fully recover from the procedure.
One of the biggest risks with stem cell transplants is that it can cause blood clots to
form in the body. This is because of the high doses of cancer treatments that you
may receive before a transplant.
This can be dangerous because it can increase your chances of having a blood clot
in the lung, which is a potentially fatal condition called pulmonary embolism. It is a
risk that can happen with both autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplants.
Other risk that can be associated with stem cell transplants is that it can lead to a
decrease in your immune system, which can lower the chances of you getting a
virus or illness. You should also consider how long it will be before your immune
system will function normally again after you have a stem cell transplant.
Some doctors think that it will take you a long time to recover from a stem cell
transplant. This is because it takes a while for your body to be able to make enough
new blood cells to replace the ones that are lost. This can also affect your immune
system in other ways, such as making you less likely to fight off viruses or bacteria.