If you’ve been keeping up with our blog as of late, you’ve probably noticed a theme. Stem cell therapy has been in the news and for good reason. Thanks in large part to recent advances and discoveries, stem cell therapy is becoming much more mainstream. Doctors, researchers, and patients alike are learning more about just how beneficial stem cells can be in treating a wide range of conditions, including chronic pain and heart conditions.
Yet another study has uncovered the potential of stem cell therapy in treating Parkinson’s disease and other neurological conditions. This is huge, as the medical community has struggled for years with finding viable solutions to these types of diseases. As we learn more about the incredible benefits of stem cells, we are able to effectively treat conditions that were once thought to be untreatable. This new information is absolutely groundbreaking and has the potential to change the lives of millions.
It is estimated that half a million people in the United States have Parkinson’s disease, and this number is continuing to rise as Baby Boomers enter into their later years. At the present moment, the most widely used therapy to treat Parkinson’s is the drug levodopa, which stimulates dopamine production. Unfortunately, this drug comes with numerous dangerous side effects, both physiological and psychological. While levodopa has helped many people control their disease, researchers have continuously looked for a more suitable alternative. According to scientists, “we are in desperate need of a better way of helping people with [Parkinson’s]. It is on the increase worldwide. There is still no cure, and medications only go part way to fully treat[ing] incoordination and movement problems.”
New research published in the Journal of Parkinson’s disease takes an in-depth look at how stem cell therapy can treat Parkinson’s disease, one of the most common neurodegenerative conditions. The researchers and scientists behind the study have looked at the use of stem cells to replace dopamine-producing nerve cells, which could offer a very effective treatment for future Parkinson’s patients. Today, stem cells are derived from various sources, including bone marrow and even a person’s own skin. In the past, there were numerous ethical issues surrounding stem cell therapy, as the majority of studies used fetal stem cells obtained from embryos.
This is a very exciting time for medicine and for the global population, as these discoveries may be able to provide support to millions of individuals with Parkinson’s. However, it is important to keep in mind that this study is in its early stages and we still have a long way to go. In order for scientists to show that stem cell therapy is an effective treatment for Parkinson’s and other neurological disorders, research will need to continue. Thanks to the incredible advances in technology we have seen over the last several years, we have high hopes for the role of stem cell therapy down the road.
To learn more about the benefits of stem cell therapy, please do not hesitate to contact Texas Partners Healthcare Group. It is our duty as the leading pain management clinic in Frisco to stay up to date on all advancements in the world of regenerative medicine. We are very excited about the many amazing studies that are being conducted right now and look forward to what the future of medicine looks like, thanks to stem cell research and regenerative medicine.