AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES (AD)

The conventional approach (Immunosuppression) to treatment of Autoimmune diseases has left some gaps over the decades. The current Integrative Medicine approach has significantly improved the outcome and has raised a new hope for a possible remission.

The current strategy of immunosuppression though, helps in reducing symptoms but the overall impact on the disease is not effective, especially in inducing remission or a long-lasting cure.
The commonly used role model of therapies of infectious disease, oncology, and metabolic disease are not applicable in total in the management of AD. AD being an immune dysregulation, with multistep aberration and being a dynamic disease, the current approach of managing AD as a chronic disease have not achieved the much-desired remission. Thus, a treatment protocol should be based on biomarkers and other immunological markers in a stepwise manner to restore a homeostatic nonaggressive immune system. A systematic approach to design a personalized precision targeted treatment to AD should help to achieve this goal. This is the approach by the Specialist Consultant at the In-Country Medicare Center driven by personalized, precision target protocols implemented over time.

“Our immune system is meant to protect us against infections,”

“Normally it does not react strongly to our own molecules, but sometimes it does this by mistake. It starts responding to our own cells and proteins, which destroys our organs, tissues, and joints.”

Due to the difficulty of suppressing the immune system while at the same time retaining its ability to protect the body, there is no cure for most autoimmune disorders. Therefore, treatment comes mostly in the form of symptom management. Signs and symptoms of autoimmune disorders can vary according to the specific condition, but patients commonly experience pain, as inflammation is thought to play a big role in most of these disorders. Severe autoimmune disorders may be treated with powerful immunosuppressant drugs, but more commonly, patients are prescribed corticosteroid drugs or non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs). Side effects of these drugs, such as stomach upset and ulcers, have generated widespread interest in using alternative medicine to treat autoimmune disorders.

Supplements.

Supplements that have an effect on inflammation may be helpful for patients with autoimmune disorders. These include vitamins E and A, fish oil, primrose oil, flaxseed oil, and SAMe (S-adenosylmethionine).

Exercise.

It may sound counter-intuitive that exercise can help people who are experiencing pain and fatigue, but studies have shown that exercise can bolster the immune system.

Massage.

For autoimmune disorders that cause pain, massage therapy can be useful. Our massage therapist can help because massage is sometimes contraindicated for acutely inflamed areas.