When you scrape your knee or cut your finger, the wound heals all by itself. The body is impressive in its ability to heal certain damaged parts. Why isn’t the body able to heal all wounds? This is a question researchers began asking and then developing possible ways to use the body as a treatment to heal minor and major complications. The process is called stem cell or regenerative therapy.
Researchers were able to develop a process to recreate human cells that can be used in stem cell therapy. So, if a person can’t use their stem cells, donor cells can be accessed.
The goal of regenerative therapy is to use human stem cells and tissues to heal damaged cells and tissues in the body. This process can work for many conditions, including Lyme disease.
What is Lyme Disease?
Lyme disease develops into a blood infection after a deer tick carrying the Borrelia burgdorferi bacterium bites and transmits the bacteria into your bloodstream. Once in your bloodstream, bacteria multiply and travel to different parts of the body. The body responds by triggering the release of inflammation, attacking and destroying bacteria.
The problem is that Lyme bacteria are good at hiding from inflammation. Because inflammation doesn’t stop seeking the bacteria, your body is constantly inflamed, damaging tissues and cells and weakening the immune system.
The Danger of Inflammation
Inflammation causes many problems in the body. Any inflamed area of your body will be red, swollen, feel hot, and sore to the touch. Think of a time when an insect bit you. At the site of the bite, you may notice swelling redness, and it may hurt. This happens because the insect has submitted a chemical into your body that is recognized as foreign and dangerous.
Your immune system sends inflammation to the site to flush it out of your system. The bite disappears with a day or two, and the area returns to normal.
Because Lyme bacteria know how to go undetected, they can persist, and chronic inflammation may cause many symptoms, including:
- Joint stiffness and swelling
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Fever
- Chills
- Headaches
- Rashes
- Muscle aches
- Fatigue
- Facial paralysis
- Mental illness
The longer the body remains inflamed, the more likely you can develop conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, nerve damage, metabolic syndrome, neurodegenerative disorders, and more.
Treating Lyme Disease with Stem Cells
The first line of treatment for Lyme disease is with antibiotics. Unfortunately, antibiotics are not successful for everyone, especially those misdiagnosed or who have gone without a diagnosis for an extended period.
In such cases, stem cell therapy may be an option.
The process of stem cell treatment happens in different stages. The first stage is harvesting your stem cells. These can be taken from fatty areas of the body. The second stage involves separating the stem cells. Most doctors do this with a machine made specifically for this task. Stem cells are then cultivated, activated, and put back into the body.
The treatment process takes several hours over a few days. Most people see significant results within three to four weeks.
How Regenerative Therapy Works
Lyme disease doctors often choose mesenchymal stem cells to treat Lyme disease. Mesenchymal stem cells come from different sources within the human body. They are selected for their ability to transform into other types of cells. They change into the cell that needs repair, whether in the bone, muscle, eyes, brain, or skin.
Mesenchymal stem cells are extracted from bone marrow, fat, umbilical cord, fallopian tubes, and many other human body parts. The extracted cells are analyzed for health and prepared for use.
When healthy stem cells are injected into your body, they divide and set out to replenish damaged tissues and cells. The stem cells act as repairmen.
Because different stem cells are used for various reasons, the cells for Lyme disease must be explicitly manipulated for that purpose. There is no one-size-fits-all regenerative therapy.
Complementary Therapies
The goal in treating Lyme disease is to cleanse your blood, removing bacterial infections that create pain and other symptoms. Stem cell therapies are just ways doctors can reach this goal. When combined with additional Lyme disease treatments, you may have quicker, more significant results.
Peptide Therapy is used in conjunction with regenerative therapy. Peptides are smaller amino acids that build proteins. They can make your skin more elastic, fight infections, and lower oxidative stress. Examples of peptides include collagen, thymus, glutathione, insulin, and oxytocin, to name a few.
The most remarkable thing about peptides is that your doctor can tell them what to do. If you need an immune system boost, your doctor can formulate peptides to follow that command.
Cold laser therapy and therapeutic apheresis are two more complementary treatments proven to help Lyme disease.
Who Should Not Get Regenerative Therapy?
Many times, regenerative therapy is the preferred method of treatment for Lyme disease, like avoiding the side effects of some medications. However, there are also times when regenerative therapy is not the best choice, like when you are already dealing with more considerable medical conditions.
Your doctor must complete a comprehensive examination before starting therapy. Examples that may make you less qualified for stem cell therapy may include the following:
- Stem cell therapy in the past that ended in negative results or an overall bad experience
- Mental illness
- Substance use disorder
- Are pregnant or trying to get pregnant
- A current life-threatening condition or infectious disease
- Medical conditions in many of the major organs
Having conditions like these do not mean you cannot receive stem cell therapy, and it means your doctor should further evaluate you before making a final decision.
Finding the right doctor is the most crucial step in the process. Lyme-literate doctors are specialists in the disease and beneficial treatments. They are trained to use the most advanced treatments and equipment above a medical degree.
If you are ready to meet with a Lyme-literate doctor, call us for a consultation today.