What is Dermatomyositis ?

Dermatomyositis is a rare inflammatory condition characterized by muscle weakness, skin rashes and inflamed muscles. Both adults and children can be affected from dermatomyositis. Adults between ages 40 to 60 are more vulnerable to get the dermatomyositis, whereas, the children are mostly affected between ages 5 to 15. Females have doubled the chances than men.
Though, there’s no treatment option available that can give the total cure, its symptom management can be done. With the help of intervention, the skin rash can be cleared and you can regain the muscle power and strength. The prognosis is not too satisfactory, but early detection of the disease can save you from bigger life-threatening complications.

 

The causes of Dermatomyositis

Despite its exact cause not being known yet, it’s believed that disturbed immune system reactions trigger the disease. When your immune cells unconditionally attack your muscle cells, the inflammatory cells around your blood vessels cause the abnormal destruction of your muscle tissues.
However, those who have a strong genetic history of dermatomyositis are more prone to get the disease. Underlying cancer in elderly, infectious or toxic agents and several drugs are other potential causes of dermatomyositis.

 

The symptoms of Dermatomyositis

One of the clinical sign is the bluish-purple skin rash on nails, elbows, chest or face. Muscle weakness would also occur and may become worst as the disease progresses. Starting from your neck, the muscle weakness will correspond to arms or hips and can be on both sides of your body. Also, other following symptoms are:

• Difficulty in swallowing
• Muscle pain and tenderness
• Fatigue
• Unintentional weight loss
• Fever
• Lung problems

The Amyopathic Dermatomyositis is a rare type characterized by rashes, but not muscle weakness.

 

Diagnoses of Dermatomyositis

To confirm the dermatomyositis and eliminate the possibility of other related diseases, your doctor will ask about your medical history and symptoms. Also, the physical examination will be done, if needed.
Though, skin rash is the classic symptom, your doctor will prescribe the following tests and measures to be done:

• MRI
• EMG
• Blood tests
• Muscle biopsy
• Skin biopsy
• Chest X-ray

With the help of these results, doctor will make the final diagnoses and start the treatment.

 

Treatment

One particular cure for the disease has not been developed yet, but several medications along with alternative medicine can improve a patient’s condition. Corticosteroids are the most effective medicine for treating the dermatomyositis, because corticosteroids calm downs the hyperactive and abnormal immune system, the inflammatory processes in your body is minimized and this enables the long-lasting or even permanent remission phase.
Intravenous Immunoglobulin is often prescribed when the autoimmune system targets your skin and muscle tissues. Pain killers will help to ease the pain. Surgical procedure will be conducted to remove the calcium deposits. Anti-malarial medications are prescribed for curing the persistent rash. However, sunscreens are also suggested to decrease the chances of rashes and other related problems.
Physical therapy and speech therapy can also aid in strengthening the muscles and making the swallowing easier.

 

Regenerative Stem Cell Therapy and Dermatomyositis

Many diseases can be significantly improved with the Stem Cell Therapy. Several evidences have found the Stem Cell Therapy to be very success as a treatment for dermatomyositis. In 2010, a study published in Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology revealed that dramatic improvements have been noticed in those patients who had analogous stem cell transplantation.
According to a study published in 2011 in Annals of Rheumatic Diseases, the Allogenic Mesenchymal Stem cell Transplantation in those who developed the drug resistance have the greater efficacy rate. So, where the traditional treatment approaches fail, the benefits of stem cell are bigger.

What are the top Benefits of Non-surgical Regenerative Treatments?

With so many options out there, you may be wondering what benefits choosing Non-surgical Regenerative Treatments provides. Over all Regenerative Treatments are minimally invasive, non-surgical same day procedures with no risk of rejection, minimal recovery time and minimal worry. You are fully awake and ready to go home within a few hours after injections in the affected area.

 

Here are the top benefits to be aware of:

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Avoid surgery and its risks and many complications

Regenerative Therapy is a minimally invasive, non-surgical procedure, which gives patients an alternative to painful surgery and lengthy recovery. The procedure is performed in an outpatient setting and only takes a few hours. No general anaesthesia is required and most patients don’t need post-operative pain medication. Also, patients typically return to work within a week or two (unless told otherwise by the doctor) and they resume physical activity much faster than after invasive hip surgery.

 

Minimal post-procedural recovery time

One of the most time consuming factors of any injury is not always the treatment itself, but actually the recovery time. With Regenerative Therapies, there is far less risk involved than surgery and recovery time is much shorter compared to surgery.

 

No use of general anaesthesia

Do you not like the way general anaesthesia makes your feel? Or do you simply get anxious at the thought of being put under? Regenerative Therapy may be just what you need as it does not require the use of general anaesthesia. It provides a safe increasingly effective non-surgical alternative to treating medical conditions using the body’s own natural ability to repair itself without the use of medication.

 

Same day procedure

The best part, after comprehensive examination and review of your case, blood tests & radio-imaging scans are done to establish a baseline for your pre-existing condition, is that our Regenerative Therapies are a non-invasive treatment and an outpatient same day procedure, where the Consultant will decide which line of Regenerative Therapy is most suited to your case. In certain cases it may be a combination of more than one treatment protocol. For some patients however, the complete protocol is a series of injections in several treatment sessions.

 

Safe procedures with No risk of rejection and No communicable disease transmission

Your immune system has no reason to attack your cells and there is no risk of contracting a transmittable infectious disease from a donor patient also. In fact, studies thus far have indicated no safety issues with fat-derived autologous (from self) cells. Because they are your own cells, the risk of rejection is eliminated.

The increased risk of heart attack, as found to be associated with hip replacement surgery, is not present with Regenerative Therapies, either. Like any procedure, there is a minute risk of infection at the sample collection and at the hip injection site. To minimize that risk the procedure is carried out under strict sterile conditions.

Am I a candidate for the Medica Institute Regenerative Therapies?

In general, Regenerative Medica Institute Regenerative Therapies can be utilised by anyone, regardless of the age, race, or gender. However, in order to determine if you are a good candidate and will benefit the most from Regenerative Treatment, you will need to schedule an appointment with our Clinic to have an assessment done by our Consultant, who will review your medical records and determine if you are a qualified candidate for our therapy. The choice of treatment is then at the discretion of the Consultant and is based on your unique case.

 

Regenerative Therapy may help patients who don’t respond to typical drug treatment, want to reduce their reliance on medication, or are looking for safe treatment alternatives. Regenerative Treatments are not suitable for all conditions and all patients. The consultant will be able to advise if you are a suitable candidate.

Your first step to exploring your treatment options is scheduling a consultation with our Consultant. To do so call us on 020 8168 2000 or alternatively book a consultation online or request a call back today!