Auto-Immune Diseases Explained
The National Institute of Health, NIH, estimates that approximately 23.5 million Americans suffer from autoimmune disease, and the numbers are rising. Taking into consideration that the NIH’s estimate doesn’t take into account all autoimmune diseases that have been identified by researchers, the real number of affected Americans is probably closer to 50 million.
So far, very little is understood about autoimmune diseases. We know that there is a genetic relationship, and that environmental factor play a big role in the expression of these diseases. Some research indicates that previous bacterial or viral infections can lead to the development of autoimmune disorders later on in life. Women are more likely to be affected by autoimmune conditions than men; about 75% of all diagnosed autoimmune conditions occur in women. Symptoms often affect multiple body systems and cover many specialties - neurology, nephrology, endocrinology, rheumatology, and many more. Hormones are suspected to play a role in autoimmune disease because many women develop these diseases after childbirth. Stress is another known factor - in my clinical experience, most patients I see report a major stressful event, emotionally or physically, in the time preceding the onset of disease onset.
Unfortunately, autoimmune conditions are often misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all, since symptoms usually start very slowly, are intermittent and non-specific. It is not uncommon for autoimmune diseases to start with persistent fatigue, slight changes in the menstrual cycles like spotting between cycles, occasional anxiety or other mental-emotional imbalances, pains that come and go or slight digestive upsets. Especially in the beginning, these symptoms are fleeting, often mild enough to not warrant a visit with the MD. When patients do go to see their doctors, they often come back feeling like hypochondriacs, because all tests came back negative, yet the symptoms continue to come and go. When symptoms finally get bad enough to call for a thorough check-up and more extensive labs that check for auto-immune antibodies, the conditions have often progressed to a point where treatment becomes challenging. Western medical treatment at this point is usually limited to pharmaceutical drugs, most likely immunosuppressant and steroidal drugs, both of which have severe side effects.
What exactly is an autoimmune disease? Autoimmune diseases happen when the body’s immune system mistakes healthy body tissue for pathogens, and starts to attack and destroy it. In a healthy immune system, white blood cells protect the body against pathogens like viruses, bacteria, cancer cells, and fungi. In autoimmune disorders, the immune system can’t tell the difference between these harmful pathogens and the body’s own tissues. Tissues affected are many: endocrine glands such as the thyroid, joints, blood vessels, connective tissue, muscles, the skin and red blood cells. Often, the body attacks its own organs which can result in changes and decline in organ function, as in autoimmune-caused glomerulonephritis. Some common examples of autoimmune diseases are Celiac disease, Graves disease, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis, Rheumatoid arthritis, Sarcoidosis, Sjogren’s and Type 1 Diabetes.
Because so little is understood about what causes autoimmune conditions, treatment options are limited. In Western medicine, treatment focuses on reducing the symptoms, and controlling the autoimmune process. How this is achieved depends on the individual condition. In some cases, hormones are replaced (like thyroid hormone in Hashimoto’s) or insulin is injected (in type 1 diabetes). Since chronic inflammation is always a factor in autoimmune conditions, corticosteroids are often given to control inflammation. In severe cases, especially if organ function is affected, immunosuppressants are prescribed. These drugs are the same ones that are given after organ transplants, and they suppress overall immune function to prevent the immune system from further attacking the body’s tissues. However, these drugs come with severe side effects. Corticosteroids can lead to osteoporosis, which increases the risk of fractures. Immunosuppressants make you more susceptible to infections like the flu, and they may decrease muscle function as well as cause hypertension and hyperglycemia.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with its many modalities offers a viable option to allopathic treatments. Acupuncture works by regulating the immune system, reducing inflammation, relieving pain, increasing energy, and by alleviating associated symptoms like anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Chinese herbs work well for autoimmune conditions, especially if patients are not on immunosuppressants yet. Unlike western pharmaceutical drugs, which don’t address the underlying imbalances that cause the autoimmune response, herbs work by balancing the body and treating the symptoms as well as the root causes. Also, herbal formulas, when prescribed by a licensed practitioner, have minimal to no side effects. TCM nutrition doesn’t only take into account factors like caloric intake, vitamins and minerals, but also looks at the energetics of various foods. Foods are classified into hot and cold foods, moving or nourishing foods, etc., the same way we classify diseases. This added dimension enables a much more customized approach to using nutrition to treat disease.
When it comes to disease, there are always many factors at work. Genetic predisposition, environmental factors like mold or toxic chemicals, dietary factors like inflammation-causing foods, stress levels and how we deal with them, social factors like supportive relationships or lack thereof, exercise patterns all play a role in the development of disease. To treat disease at the root, we need to do more than just treat symptoms. Patient and practitioner need to become partners in health, and patients have to become active participants in their health care by implementing the necessary changes in their daily lives.
The earlier an autoimmune disease is treated, the better the outcome. With our busy schedules and high cost of health care, many patients wait until symptoms have progressed to a chronic stage before seeking medical attention. By that time, the disease has already established itself, and treatment will be difficult. Treating early symptoms like slight digestive discomfort or migrating pains when they first start is the best way to prevent disease from going deeper, and many diseases can be prevented if the body is rebalanced. Here are a list of symptoms that may indicate that are suffering from an autoimmune condition:
Fatigue - it is normal to be tired at times, but if you go for weeks finding yourself tired and worn out, it is time to see an acupuncturist.
Digestive problems - these can manifest as nausea, low appetite, abdominal bloating or pain, diarrhea, constipation or alternating diarrhea and constipation.
Slight tremors of the hands, shortness of breath, or tingling or numbness in your hands or feet.
Recurrent rashes - a butterfly-shaped rash across the bridge of your nose can be a sign of lupus, and recurring migrating rashes can be signs of chronic inflammation or viral infections.
Hair loss - this is especially common in patients with thyroid disorders, or could be related to Alopecia Aerata.
Feeling too hot or too cold all the time, being extremely thirsty, or having rapid or very slow heart beat - all those can be indicative of thyroid problems.
When any of these symptoms persist for more than short periods, or if you are displaying multiple symptoms, go to see your MD for some basic lab tests, and make sure to mention if you have a family history of autoimmune diseases. Also, make sure to see an acupuncturist that can help you identify any contributing factors and that can balance and support your immune system with regular acupuncture treatments. With the right adjustments in diet, exercise and stress management along with the right supplements, herbs, and regular acupuncture treatments, many autoimmune conditions can be prevented from progressing any further.
So far, very little is understood about autoimmune diseases. We know that there is a genetic relationship, and that environmental factor play a big role in the expression of these diseases. Some research indicates that previous bacterial or viral infections can lead to the development of autoimmune disorders later on in life. Women are more likely to be affected by autoimmune conditions than men; about 75% of all diagnosed autoimmune conditions occur in women. Symptoms often affect multiple body systems and cover many specialties - neurology, nephrology, endocrinology, rheumatology, and many more. Hormones are suspected to play a role in autoimmune disease because many women develop these diseases after childbirth. Stress is another known factor - in my clinical experience, most patients I see report a major stressful event, emotionally or physically, in the time preceding the onset of disease onset.
Unfortunately, autoimmune conditions are often misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all, since symptoms usually start very slowly, are intermittent and non-specific. It is not uncommon for autoimmune diseases to start with persistent fatigue, slight changes in the menstrual cycles like spotting between cycles, occasional anxiety or other mental-emotional imbalances, pains that come and go or slight digestive upsets. Especially in the beginning, these symptoms are fleeting, often mild enough to not warrant a visit with the MD. When patients do go to see their doctors, they often come back feeling like hypochondriacs, because all tests came back negative, yet the symptoms continue to come and go. When symptoms finally get bad enough to call for a thorough check-up and more extensive labs that check for auto-immune antibodies, the conditions have often progressed to a point where treatment becomes challenging. Western medical treatment at this point is usually limited to pharmaceutical drugs, most likely immunosuppressant and steroidal drugs, both of which have severe side effects.
What exactly is an autoimmune disease? Autoimmune diseases happen when the body’s immune system mistakes healthy body tissue for pathogens, and starts to attack and destroy it. In a healthy immune system, white blood cells protect the body against pathogens like viruses, bacteria, cancer cells, and fungi. In autoimmune disorders, the immune system can’t tell the difference between these harmful pathogens and the body’s own tissues. Tissues affected are many: endocrine glands such as the thyroid, joints, blood vessels, connective tissue, muscles, the skin and red blood cells. Often, the body attacks its own organs which can result in changes and decline in organ function, as in autoimmune-caused glomerulonephritis. Some common examples of autoimmune diseases are Celiac disease, Graves disease, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis, Rheumatoid arthritis, Sarcoidosis, Sjogren’s and Type 1 Diabetes.
Because so little is understood about what causes autoimmune conditions, treatment options are limited. In Western medicine, treatment focuses on reducing the symptoms, and controlling the autoimmune process. How this is achieved depends on the individual condition. In some cases, hormones are replaced (like thyroid hormone in Hashimoto’s) or insulin is injected (in type 1 diabetes). Since chronic inflammation is always a factor in autoimmune conditions, corticosteroids are often given to control inflammation. In severe cases, especially if organ function is affected, immunosuppressants are prescribed. These drugs are the same ones that are given after organ transplants, and they suppress overall immune function to prevent the immune system from further attacking the body’s tissues. However, these drugs come with severe side effects. Corticosteroids can lead to osteoporosis, which increases the risk of fractures. Immunosuppressants make you more susceptible to infections like the flu, and they may decrease muscle function as well as cause hypertension and hyperglycemia.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with its many modalities offers a viable option to allopathic treatments. Acupuncture works by regulating the immune system, reducing inflammation, relieving pain, increasing energy, and by alleviating associated symptoms like anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Chinese herbs work well for autoimmune conditions, especially if patients are not on immunosuppressants yet. Unlike western pharmaceutical drugs, which don’t address the underlying imbalances that cause the autoimmune response, herbs work by balancing the body and treating the symptoms as well as the root causes. Also, herbal formulas, when prescribed by a licensed practitioner, have minimal to no side effects. TCM nutrition doesn’t only take into account factors like caloric intake, vitamins and minerals, but also looks at the energetics of various foods. Foods are classified into hot and cold foods, moving or nourishing foods, etc., the same way we classify diseases. This added dimension enables a much more customized approach to using nutrition to treat disease.
When it comes to disease, there are always many factors at work. Genetic predisposition, environmental factors like mold or toxic chemicals, dietary factors like inflammation-causing foods, stress levels and how we deal with them, social factors like supportive relationships or lack thereof, exercise patterns all play a role in the development of disease. To treat disease at the root, we need to do more than just treat symptoms. Patient and practitioner need to become partners in health, and patients have to become active participants in their health care by implementing the necessary changes in their daily lives.
The earlier an autoimmune disease is treated, the better the outcome. With our busy schedules and high cost of health care, many patients wait until symptoms have progressed to a chronic stage before seeking medical attention. By that time, the disease has already established itself, and treatment will be difficult. Treating early symptoms like slight digestive discomfort or migrating pains when they first start is the best way to prevent disease from going deeper, and many diseases can be prevented if the body is rebalanced. Here are a list of symptoms that may indicate that are suffering from an autoimmune condition:
Fatigue - it is normal to be tired at times, but if you go for weeks finding yourself tired and worn out, it is time to see an acupuncturist.
Digestive problems - these can manifest as nausea, low appetite, abdominal bloating or pain, diarrhea, constipation or alternating diarrhea and constipation.
Slight tremors of the hands, shortness of breath, or tingling or numbness in your hands or feet.
Recurrent rashes - a butterfly-shaped rash across the bridge of your nose can be a sign of lupus, and recurring migrating rashes can be signs of chronic inflammation or viral infections.
Hair loss - this is especially common in patients with thyroid disorders, or could be related to Alopecia Aerata.
Feeling too hot or too cold all the time, being extremely thirsty, or having rapid or very slow heart beat - all those can be indicative of thyroid problems.
When any of these symptoms persist for more than short periods, or if you are displaying multiple symptoms, go to see your MD for some basic lab tests, and make sure to mention if you have a family history of autoimmune diseases. Also, make sure to see an acupuncturist that can help you identify any contributing factors and that can balance and support your immune system with regular acupuncture treatments. With the right adjustments in diet, exercise and stress management along with the right supplements, herbs, and regular acupuncture treatments, many autoimmune conditions can be prevented from progressing any further.
