Regenerative Medicine in Tijuana

Regenerative medicine is a fairly new field of study that focuses on developing and applying new treatments to heal organs and tissues, as well as restore function due to disease, injuries, defects, or ageing by stimulating the body’s own regenerative capabilities. The human body has the natural ability to heal itself in many ways. For example, the liver can grow back to its original size after transplantation and our skin can repair itself after a cut. Regenerative medicine holds the promise of using this naturally occurring ability for a wide range of conditions. 

Regenerative medicine encompasses a broad range of scientific disciplines, including molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, and immunology. It goes beyond disease management to search for and discover therapies that can support the body in repairing, restoring, and regenerating itself to a state of well-being. The main goal of regenerative medicine is to find a way to cure formerly untreatable diseases and injuries. 

Regenerative medicine can help facilitate healing in numerous conditions. These include, but are not limited to:

• Cancer and blood-related diseases, such as lymphoma, leukaemia, multiple myeloma, and neuroblastoma.Musculoskeletal and spine injuries, such as cartilage loss, disc degeneration, mild to moderate osteoarthritis, muscle strain, tendonitis, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders.
• Nervous system diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and multiple system atrophy.
• Cosmetic reasons, such as to improve skin health and anti-ageing.

The following are some of the most common regenerative medicine procedures available today:

• Stem cell therapy
• Bone marrow transplant (stem cell transplant)
• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP)
• Prolotherapy
• Surgeries for cartilage regeneration.

How Long Should I Stay in Tijuana?

Your length of stay depends on the type of regenerative procedure you have and your specific condition. For most procedures, such as prolotherapy, stem cell therapy, and PRP, you should be able to leave Tijuana on the same day. However, it is still recommended that you stay for at least 3 days before you travel home. This is because, in some cases, your doctor may schedule a follow-up appointment to see how your body is reacting to the treatment. After a bone marrow transplant, you may want to stay in Tijuana for at least 4 weeks. 

What's the Expected Recovery Time?

If you undergo stem cell therapy, PRP, or prolotherapy following an injury or for a disease, you may be recommended to rest for a few days, but these recommendations are more related to the injury/diseases and less to the procedure. For other types of regenerative medicine procedures, such as bone marrow transplants, the recovery time can take weeks and even months. Your doctor will likely give you a specific recovery timeline.

What Aftercare is Required?

Aftercare instructions specifically designed for your conditions will be given to you by your doctor. You must follow all of the instructions to get optimum results and avoid complications. Depending on your injury or disease, you may need to attend lifelong regular checkups. If you cannot travel to Tijuana regularly for the checkups, you should be able to do the checkups with your local doctor at home.

What's the Success Rate?

When performed by qualified professionals, regenerative medicines are proven to be safe and effective. Regenerative medicine is still relatively new, so more research is needed. However, the field has made significant progress and has been proven to have high success rates. All kinds of medical procedures carry some potential risks. With regenerative medicine, the risks include infection, nerve injuries, and tissue damage.

Are there Alternatives?

The alternatives can be different for everyone, depending on the injury/disease and its extent. For example, those with osteoarthritis may undergo joint replacement surgery as an alternative.

Regenerative Medicine in and around Tijuana

About Tijuana

Americans travel every year in good numbers to Mexico to get specialized medical care. There are many reasons for this.

• Shorter waiting time for tests and procedures.
• Excellent technical expertise and world-class facilities
• It is less expensive than well-known hospitals in other countries
• Excellent aftercare.
• The Doctors are well qualified and experienced

Mexico attracts a lot of Americans for Medical tourism as well as people from all over the world as they get offered a good value package that combines the best medical treatment with a great vacation at a fraction of the price.

Tijuana is one such favorite destination in Mexico. It is the sixth-largest Mexican city and the largest in the state of Baja California. It has some excellent health centers that will rival any big hospital elsewhere. Some of the more common and popular surgeries that people undergo in Tijuana are Breast Augmentation, Weight Reduction, Botox treatment, and other elective surgeries.

Popular Areas in Tijuana

• The city has a very complex history and you can experience some of it by visiting the cultural center called CECUT.
• Trompo Interactive Museum can be a great place for some interactive fun for adults and children.
• A unique place to visit is the wall constructed between Tijuana Beach and Border Field State Park in San Diego. This is a strange sight and you may not want to miss this.
• La Caja is a famous art gallery that showcases the artwork of domestic and international artists.
• El Popo Market, Casino Caliente, and Catedral de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe are some of the other popular attractions of this city.
• People relish the local cuisine that consists of tacos. Food trucks and artisanal beer are also common and there are many different types of cuisines available.

Weather and Climate in Tijuana

The climate is semi-dry and akin to the Mediterranean climate. The weather remains mild throughout the year. Between November and March, there is a lot of rain and thunderstorms are common during this period. August and September are the hottest months. January is usually the coldest and Rain filled month.

Summer is the driest period. The temperature may range from 13.6 °C (56.5 °F) in the cold months to 33 °C (91 °F) during summer.

Getting around in Tijuana

Tijuana International Airport is the main airport and it serves many purposes. It is the hub for two major airlines that carry travelers to other domestic airports in Mexico. Volaris is a low-cost carrier while Aeroméxico is the flagship carrier of the country. It is also known for the Cross Border Xpress bridge that connects it to San Diego in the US. Passengers coming from the US can walk across the bridge and enter Mexico, then take a flight onwards. This airport also connects China, the USA, and many domestic airports in Mexico. Anyone can come to Tijuana directly or via the San Diego airport on the US side of the border.

There are two major highways that connect Tijuana to other cities of the country. People can take a bus connecting the city to the US and its domestic bus stations. U.S.-based Greyhound Lines and Crucero are famous. Domestic services such as Azul y Blanco de Magallanes and Transporte Efectivo Express de Tijuana operate from two different terminals in the city.

You can also opt for shared fixed-route station wagons, fixed-route taxis (somewhat expensive), and buses for local commuting. Apart from these, taxis without a fixed route, are also available. There is a Rapid transit system of buses (BRT) working particular routes now.

Tourist Visas in Tijuana

A tourist or a business traveler will need different types of visas to enter Mexico. The tourist visa is valid for six months. You can also get a visa for multiple entries or to extend your stay.

Citizens of some countries like the US, UK, and Canada do not need a visa to stay in Mexico. People who have a valid multiple entry visa for the US or the Schengen visa or have a PR in Canada do not need a separate visa to visit Mexico.

However, your passport should have a minimum validity of six months from the date of entry. You will also have to prove your financial status for the grant of a visa.

Additional Information

1. The currency of Mexico is The Mexican peso (sign $). The usual rate of exchange with other currencies is approximately $20 to $21 per euro and $18 to $19 per U.S. dollar. As in any other big city, you can use credit cards almost everywhere in Tijuana. Smaller merchants, however, prefer cash. You can use a debit card at any ATM in the city to withdraw the local currency. Both credit card and debit cards will incur some nominal charges every time you make a transaction. Ensure you are carrying a minimum amount of Pesos when you enter the country in case of an emergency. Exchange your money in an official money exchange office and not in hotels or at the airport. Tipping is voluntary. People do tip after a meal in restaurants and the usual rate is 10%.
2. Spanish, commonly known as Mexican Spanish, is the City’s local language and the government recognizes more than 60 local languages. Along the northern border and in all tourist areas many people speak English as English is easy to understand and communicate for the people in Tijuana due to its location in the state of Baja California.
3. Tijuana also has a very active and independent artist community whose internationally recognized work has earned Tijuana the title of "one of the most important new cultural meccas", Tijuana has been the inspiration for Tijuana Brass and Los Tucanes de Tijuana and, more recently, the birthplace of Nortec music style and Ruidoson.
4. Some of the major public holidays are New Year’s Day (1st January), Labor Day (1st May), and Christmas (25th December). Good Friday and Maundy Thursday are optional holidays. Independence Day on the 16th September is also a significant holiday.