When functioning normally, our immune system protects us by responding to foreign pathogenic invaders and acts to inactivate or destroy them through a series of complex processes.  These include the inflammatory response and cell destruction that is carefully targeted against these invaders.  Normally our immune system protects us from these invaders as well as from abnormal cells of the body.  When it fails or malfunctions, various diseases can develop including autoimmune diseases, cancer & AIDS.

 Autoimmune diseases are a group of disorders in which this protective response mechanism damages the body’s own tissues.  It is a case of mistaken identity and can happen when the immune response targets foreign cells that are attached to the body’s own tissues which are then destroyed as a result of the attack or by the foreign cells closely resembling the body’s own cells causing an attack on the body’s own cells or by other equally complex mechanisms of misidentification by the immune system.   There are dozens of serious chronic illnesses in this category including: 

• Goodpasture’s Syndrome – autoantibodies to collagen in kidney glomeruli and lung alveoli result in glomerulonephritis and lung hemorrhages
• Graves’ Disease – autoantibodies to TSH receptors on thyroid stimulate the thyroid causing hyperthyroidismJuvenile (type 1)Diabetes Mellitus – immune response attack on insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas
• Myathenia Gravis – autoantibodies to neuron acetylcholine receptors cause muscle weakness
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS) – immune response attack on myelin (oligodendrocytes) causing a variety of symptoms including  sensory, motor and psychological symptoms
• Pernicious Anemia – autoantibodies to intrinsic factor deplete intrinsic factor needed for vitamin B12 absorption
• Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) – autoantibodies to IgGFc (Rheumatoid Factors)
• Systemic Lupus Erythematosis (SLE) – autoantibodies to DNA and nucleoproteins causing vasculitis, nephritis, and arthritis among other conditions

 According to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA) twenty percent of the population suffers from autoimmune disorders. Each disease seems uncommon on an individual basis but, as a group, the disorders make up the fourth-largest cause of disability among women.

 Due to the complexity of treating autoimmune disorders, integrative medicine, including acupuncture and Oriental medicine have gained some notice recently due to the success in pain relief, regulating the immune system, managing symptoms and improving the overall quality of life.

 What Causes Autoimmune Disease?

Under normal conditions, an immune response cannot be triggered against the cells of one's own body. In certain cases, however, immune cells make a mistake and attack the very cells that they are meant to protect. The exact mechanisms causing these changes are not completely understood, but bacteria, viruses, toxins, and some drugs may play a role in triggering an autoimmune process in someone who already has a genetic (inherited) predisposition to develop such a disorder.

 It is theorized that the inflammation initiated by these agents, toxic or infectious, somehow provokes in the body a "sensitization" (autoimmune reaction) in the involved tissues. As the disease develops vague symptoms start to appear, such as joint and muscle pain, general muscle weakness, possible rashes or low-grade fever, trouble concentrating, or weight loss. The following symptoms may point toward something being wrong: numbness and tingling in hands and feet, dry eyes, hair loss, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, or repeated miscarriages can also be caused by an autoimmune response.

How Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Treat Autoimmune Disorders

According to Oriental medicine, autoimmune disorders occur when there is an imbalance within the body. Imbalances can result from an excess or deficiency of yin or yang as well as external pathogens that disrupt the flow of qi, or vital energy, through the body. Acupuncture and Oriental medicine is used to help the body restore balance, eliminate pathogenic factors, treat the root of the disorder, while specifically addressing the symptoms that are unique to each individual.

Clinical research has shown that acupuncture causes physical responses in nerve cells, the pituitary gland, and parts of the brain. These responses can cause the body to release proteins, hormones, and brain chemicals that control a number of body functions. It is proposed that, by these actions, acupuncture affects blood pressure, body temperature and the immune system.

In addition to acupuncture, your treatment program to manage your autoimmune disorder may involve a combination of therapies including herbal medicine, nutritional support, stress reducing exercises, moderate physical activity and bodywork.

 We are proud to carry Standard Process & Mediherb Products

 My treatment process does not include drugs or unnatural hormones but does include gentle healing arts and lifestyle changes as may be appropriate.

 If you are looking for a safe, effective and drug-free treatment that is conducted in a peaceful and respectful manner; where the time is taken to fully listen to you and your concerns, then contact Karen

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