AutoImmune Disorders Specialist

What are autoimmune disorders?

Autoimmune disorders affect your body's immune system, which protects you from invading microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

A healthy immune system identifies anything that doesn't belong in your body that could pose a threat to your health. It isolates and destroys the invaders, and in many cases, retains a blueprint of the organism so it can defend your body from repeat encounters.

This immune system response helps you fight off colds, flu, and other diseases and forms the basis of immunization programs. When you have an autoimmune disorder, your immune system goes into overdrive, mistakenly targeting normal, healthy cells and tissues. 

There are many autoimmune diseases. Some focus on specific parts of your body, while others affect several or multiple systems. Autoimmune disorders are typically incurable and, without treatment, can be life-altering and potentially life-threatening.

What autoimmune disorders are the most common?

The more widespread types of autoimmune disorders include:

Rheumatoid arthritis

When you have rheumatoid arthritis, your immune system attacks the tissues lining your joints, causing inflammation and chronic pain. The joints can become distorted, causing significant disability and loss of use.  

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, the two primary forms of IBD, result from your immune system attacking the lining of your gastrointestinal tract. With ulcerative colitis, the damage is in the large intestine and rectum. Crohn's disease can affect any part of your digestive system.

Common symptoms of IBD include chronic diarrhea, rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, and weight loss.

Multiple sclerosis (MS)

With MS, your immune system attacks your nerve cells, causing progressive muscle weakness, widespread pain, blindness, and muscle spasms.

Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes results from your immune system destroying insulin-producing cells in your pancreas. Your body is then unable to regulate its blood sugar levels, leading to serious complications.

Hashimoto's thyroiditis

Hashimoto's destroys the cells that produce thyroid hormone, causing an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism). Symptoms include chronic fatigue, weight gain, depression, thinning hair, and temperature sensitivity.

How are autoimmune disorders treated?

Treatment for your autoimmune disorder depends on the condition you have. For example, you need insulin for Type 1 diabetes and synthetic thyroid hormones for Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

Dr. Rastogi specializes in using low-dose immunotherapy (LDI) to treat autoimmune disorders. LDI helps to reduce inflammation and restore a healthier balance to your immune system using specific antigens (triggers for your immune response).

Low doses of these antigens calm your immune system, producing symptom relief within a few days and often achieving long-lasting results.

To find out how immunotherapy could help with your autoimmune disorder, call Synergy Integrative Medical Clinic today or book an appointment online.