Stem Cells and Spinal Cord Injuries

What is Spinal Cord Injury?

Spinal cord injury is a fracture or damage to the spinal cord. It can happen as a result of a fall, an accident or it can be a sports injury. Whichever way, spinal cord injury occurs whenever there is damage to the spinal cord.

Such damage can lead to different muscular disorders. For an example, an impairment or loss of muscle movement, muscle control, sensation and body system control.

Are stem cells really effective for spinal cord injury?

The majority of the attempts at treating spinal cord injury have been more of a coping mechanism than curative mechanisms. Physical and other rehabilitation therapies are designed to help the patient manage the injured spinal cord.

However, recent discoveries are showing that spinal cord injuries can be cured. Research has shown that stem cells can be used to cure spinal cord injury.  Specifically, stem cells from the human umbilical cord and the bone marrow have been proved to be effective.

This method has already been tried and proven effective by researchers. In a specific case by Neil Riordan, it was discovered that stem cells led to better control of the muscle, improved ASIA scores, improved bladder and sexual function.