Lung diseases

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a lung disease. Patients with COPD have difficulties with breathing. COPD reflects lung damage over the years and it is frequently associated with smoking. Tobacco smoke irritates the airways and damages the lung tissues. Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are two diseases leading to COPD. In chronic bronchitis, inflammation and mucus obstruct the airways in lungs. In emphysema, alveoli (tiny air sacs) are damaged leading to decreased lung capacity to exchange fresh air. Both emphysema and chronic bronchitis makes it hard to breathe and COPD gets worse over time. It is quite hard to cure COPD. Quitting smoking is the most important thing to slow down the disease progression. Several medications can alleviate the symptoms of COPD, oxygen therapy over the mask can improve acute symptoms.

Fortunately, new research studies demonstrate safety and clinical effects of autologous (patient´s own) stem cells in improving COPD. No serious side effects such as heart failure, stroke, thromboembolism or death were observed in thousands of people treated with autologous stem cells.

STEM CELL THERAPY 4 ME offers treatment with autologous stem cells isolated from fat (adipose) tissue as the richest source of mesenchymal stem cells, and other regenerative cells contained in so called Stromal Vascular Fraction (SVF) of adipose tissue. Please contact us for more detailed information.

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Pulmonary fibrosis

Pulmonary fibrosis means formation of more scar (fibrous) tissue in the lungs that decreases lung capacity to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide. Environmental toxins and chemicals, medications, radiation, and repeated infections may lead to pulmonary fibrosis. Quite frequently, the cause is unknown and the disease is called “idiopathic” pulmonary fibrosis. Patients should be aware that the following agents we recognized as toxic to the lungs:

Asbestos fibers, silica
Grain dust
Bird and animal droppings
Radiation (radiotherapy) for breast cancer or lung cancer
Chemotherapy drugs – methotrexate, cyclophosphamide and others
Heart medications – amiodarone (Cordarone, Nexterone, Pacerone) or propranolol (Inderol, Innopran)
Some antibiotics – Nitrofurantoin (Macrobid, Macrodantin) and sulfasalazine (Azulfidine)

The list of substances and conditions that can lead to pulmonary fibrosis is really long. Dry unexplained cough and shortness of breath (dyspnea) are typical symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis. Lung function testing shows decreased lung capacity. As a standard treatment, corticosteroids are frequently prescribed, sometimes in combination with other drugs. Unfortunately, side effects are frequently present in long term use of corticosteroids.

Fortunately, new research studies demonstrate safety and clinical effects of autologous (patient´s own) stem cells in improving quality of life in patients with pulmonary fibrosis. No serious side effects such as heart attack, stroke, thromboembolism or death were observed in thousands of people treated with autologous stem cells.

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Chronic asthma

Chronic asthma is a disease causing inflammation and narrowing of the airways in the lung. Inflammation is associated with a decrease in air delivery to the lung and development asthma attack. The main risk factors represent smoking or exposure to smoke, obesity, another allergic condition, exposure to certain types of pollution, chemicals, such as those used in farming, hairdressing, and manufacturing, lung infections, emotional and stress situation and gastroesophageal reflux disease. Typical symptoms represent coughing especially at night or in the morning, wheezing, shortness of breath, lung tightness and lung pain.

Conventional treatments serve only to suppress symptoms and to slow down the progression of the disease by reduction of the airway inflammation by corticosteroids inhalation, immunotherapy with allergy shots and allergy medications with antihistamines, decongestants as well as corticosteroids.

Fortunately, new research studies demonstrate safety and clinical effects of autologous (patient´s own) stem cells in healing of chronic asthma. No serious side effects were observed inthousands of people treated with autologous stem cells.