Immune imbalance can lead to a host of disorders including autoimmune disease, allergies and infection. A proper Naturopathic assessment, appropriate testing and treatment are all critical in managing immune and autoimmune related conditions.
At Bloor Integrative Health, our naturopathic doctors can help treat the following autoimmune conditions:
Hashimoto’s Disease
Hashimoto’s Disease is an autoimmune thyroid condition where the immune system attacks the thyroid gland. A damaged thyroid no longer makes adequate thyroid hormone. Thyroid hormone binds to thyroid hormone receptors on cells that are distributed throughout the entire body and support overall metabolism.
Symptoms of Hashimoto’s
Symptoms of Hashimoto’s are often mild or non-existent in the early stages of the condition. As the condition progresses typical hypothyroid symptoms develop including tiredness, weight gain, thinning hair, joint or muscle pain, and constipation.
Treatment of Hashimoto’s
Treatment of Hashimoto’s requires ensuring adequate thyroid hormone availability for all of our cells and correcting the autoimmune disease that is present. Correcting the autoimmune component requires a specialized naturopathic protocol for regulating the immune response. We provide extensive and thorough thyroid hormone testing that includes testing for Hashimoto’s.
Grave’s Disease
Grave’s Disease is an autoimmune disease that results in the overproduction of thyroid hormone leading to symptoms of hyperthyroidism.
Symptoms of Grave’s Disease
Common symptoms include increased blood pressure, heart rate, palpitations, anxiety, weight loss, being intolerant to heat, and some possible physical signs such as an enlarged thyroid or goiter and bulging eyes.
Naturopathic Treatment of Grave’s Disease
Extensive testing is required to confirm this diagnosis.
In addition, naturopathic doctors may suggest dietary modifications, acupuncture and carefully selected specific herbal medicines and supplements to help regulate thyroid hormone levels. These protocols can also be safely used in conjunction with medication as long as they are monitored by a Naturopathic Doctor.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition involving whole body aches and pains and daily fatigue. There is a dysregulation in how the body interprets pain.
Fibromyalgia Symptoms
Patients tend to experience higher levels of pain to otherwise painless stimuli or an increased response to normally painful stimuli. Other common symptoms include reduced cognitive alertness, mood changes, headaches, dizziness, digestive concerns and difficulty sleeping.
Naturopathic Treatment of Fibromyalgia
Functional medicine testing offers clues to triggers and treatment options and may include comprehensive blood testing, food sensitivity testing, digestive analysis, adrenal and thyroid testing.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a chronic condition characterized by unexplained fatigue that lasts for at least six months and does not improve with rest. Fatigue often presents with muscle pain and weakness, anxiety, migrating joint pains, enlarged lymph nodes, sore throat, low grade fever and sleep difficulties.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Naturopathic Treatment
Naturopathic doctors take a closer look at possible underlying disturbances. Functional medicine testing helps to rule out potential causes. Testing for food sensitivities, allergies, viruses, immune cell function, adrenal dysfunction, mitochondrial function and oxidative stress are key to performing a proper naturopathic assessment and treatment plan.