Autoimmune Disease Specialist

What is an autoimmune disease?

Autoimmune diseases occur when your immune system mistakenly attacks your body. Your immune system is supposed to defend your body from threats such as germs and bacteria, but if it can’t tell the difference between foreign cells and your body, it can attack your body and cause painful and disruptive symptoms.

There are around 80 different autoimmune diseases. Some, like Type 1 diabetes, only attack one part of your body — in this case, the insulin-producing cells in your pancreas. Other diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, or multiple sclerosis (MS) can affect many parts of your body and cause widespread symptoms.

While researchers haven’t yet identified what precisely causes your immune system to malfunction, there are a variety of factors that contribute to your risk of autoimmune disease, including a family history of an autoimmune disease or your diet. The Western diet is rich in fat, sugar, and processed foods that are linked to inflammation, which could trigger an immune response.

What are the signs of an autoimmune disease?

Each autoimmune disease causes its own unique symptoms. However, in the early stages of autoimmune disease, you may experience symptoms such as:

• Fatigue
• Muscle aches
• Swelling
• Low-grade fever
• Reduced concentration
• Numbness or tingling in your hands and feet
• Hair loss
• Skin redness or rashes

Autoimmune disease symptoms may be constant, or the symptoms may come and go in cycles of flare-up and remission.

Having an autoimmune disease also increases your risk of adrenal fatigue. When your immune system goes into overdrive, it causes inflammation. In a normal situation, your adrenal gland produces cortisol to reduce swelling and influence the activity of the white blood cells that contribute to your inflammatory response.

However, if you have an autoimmune disease, your adrenal gland can’t produce enough cortisol to address the inflammation in your body. Your adrenal gland tries to keep up for as long as possible, but eventually, it won’t produce enough cortisol and other adrenal hormones to regulate your symptoms and your health.

How are autoimmune diseases treated?

Dr. Quintanar offers highly customized, naturopathic therapies to reduce inflammation throughout your body and address the issues that can contribute to autoimmune disease and adrenal fatigue. She also tests for infections, allergies, and food intolerances that may be contributing to your symptoms.

You may benefit from dietary changes and nutritional supplements such as probiotics, vitamin C, and vitamin D to improve your gut health. You may also find that increased physical activity, a natural anti-inflammatory, reduces your symptoms and enhances your overall health. Dr. Quintanar may also suggest that you get more high-quality sleep.

To learn more about diagnosing and treating autoimmune diseases, call Pristine Naturopathic Medicine or schedule a consultation online today.