Exosome Therapy
At Dr. Linette Williamson MD in Carlsbad, CA, we offer a variety of cutting-edge treatments to address pain and inflammation. Exosome therapy is just one way of alleviating pain without the need to turn to surgery or harsh medications with undesirable side effects.
What Is Exosome Therapy?
This is the newest frontier in cellular regeneration techniques, following in the footsteps of other proven therapies like stem cell therapy and platelet-rich plasma. This therapy can improve signaling between cells, decrease inflammation, cause cells to regenerate, and modify the body's immune response when it's not healthy.
Understanding Exosomes
Exosomes are small vesicles released by all the cells, but particularly by stem cells. They are, basically, little messengers carrying vital signaling proteins and genetic information from cell to cell.
Their primary job is to act as a link between all our cells, facilitating communication whether cells are near to one another or distant. The information they carry tells our cells to turn on or off certain functions or to react in a particular way.
What It Has to Do With Pain
When our stem cells are communicating well with each other and doing their job, they rush to the site of injury and begin repairing tissues. As we age, they become less and less good at this process. Injuries take longer to heal and degenerative conditions overwhelm us.
It's not only age that can cause a problem. Environmental aspects, genetic disorders, and chronic diseases like Lyme, autoimmune disorders, or chronic inflammation can interfere or dysregulate the signaling between cells, leaving them unable to lower inflammation and repair tissues.
How Exosome Therapy Works
Exosome therapy is responsible, among other things, for helping both the T-cells and NK cells in our immune system. T-cells are in charge of calming an immune reaction, while NK cells are in charge of ramping up that response. We require both, however when NK cells aren't "turned off" or T-cells aren't "turned on," pain and inflammation are usually the result.
When exosomes are delivered directly into an impacted joint, they start signaling to the cells to return to healthy function. They send proteins into the walls of the cells telling the cells how to regulate themselves. There are two stages to the body's response. In the first stage, which occurs almost instantly, the inflammatory response is turned off. In the second stage, the exosomes basically inform the cells how to regulate themselves correctly in the future, leading to long-term relief.
Who Is This Treatment for?
There are several disorders that can be improved with this treatment or a combo of exosome treatment and various other treatments. It shows particular promise in the treatment of chronic inflammation, pain from autoimmune disorders or fibromyalgia, degenerative diseases, and Lyme disease.
When you visit us for a consultation, we will carefully look at your distinct medical history, physiology, and problems and help you choose the appropriate treatments for the best possible outcome.
How Does Treatment Work?
Exosomes are simply injected into the area concerned, which is often a joint. The exosomes themselves are highly concentrated: just one milliliter of the solution can have as many as 1 billion to 15 billion exosomes. The dosing depends on your unique needs and the treatment plan we come up with together.
The whole thing occurs in our office on an outpatient basis. There is no need to make special plans, and there is no long downtime period for recovery.
Is This a Safe Therapy?
Your body makes and utilizes exosomes regularly and understands what to do with them. No long-term negative side effects have ever been reported with this treatment.
Where Do Exosomes Originate from?
Exosomes are drawn from MSC or Mesenchymal stem cells. These stem cells are unique in the body because they have the power to differentiate. While all other cells divide and multiply, producing a new cell of exactly the same kind as the original, MSC cells have the ability to turn into any kind of cell at all.
How Many Treatments are Necessary?
Therapy is as unique as every patient that comes through our doors. For some people, just one treatment is enough. Others might need several doses to get the results they need. Still others will only need an occasional booster therapy.
How Long Does It Take to See Results?
Your results will generally depend on your age, the extent of your condition, and for how long you've been suffering. As we age, our bodies become slower to react to stem cell signals. But do not be discouraged if results aren't instant.
Because it takes the body time to repair itself, it's normal to need three to four months at least to begin seeing the real benefits. The greatest results typically manifest around nine months after therapy.
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