Living with an autoimmune disorder can feel like navigating through an endless maze of symptoms, medications, and treatment plans. While traditional medical approaches remain essential, many patients are exploring complementary care options to help manage their conditions more effectively. So, should you consider chiropractic care?
Here’s everything you should know about chiropractic care and autoimmune disorders.
What Is an Autoimmune Disorder?
An autoimmune disorder occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks your own body’s healthy cells. This confusion in your immune response can affect various parts of your body, leading to inflammation, pain, and other chronic symptoms that can significantly impact your quality of life.
Some of the most commonly diagnosed autoimmune conditions include:
- Rheumatoid Arthritis: Affects joints throughout the body
- Multiple Sclerosis: Impacts the central nervous system
- Lupus: Can affect multiple body systems
- Psoriasis: Primarily affects the skin
- Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Targets the thyroid gland
- Celiac Disease: Affects the digestive system
Each of these conditions presents unique challenges, but they share a common thread: inflammation and an overactive immune response. The impact on daily life can be profound, affecting everything from mobility to energy levels and overall well-being.
Common Treatments for Autoimmune Conditions
Managing autoimmune conditions typically involves a multi-faceted approach. Here are a few common treatment strategies used:
1. Immunosuppressive Medications
These medications work by reducing immune system activity, helping to control the autoimmune response and decrease inflammation. While effective, they require careful monitoring and can have significant side effects.
2. Biological Therapies
These newer treatments target specific components of the immune system, offering more precise intervention with potentially fewer side effects than traditional immunosuppressants.
3. Anti-Inflammatory Medications
These help manage symptoms and reduce inflammation throughout the body, providing relief from pain and discomfort associated with autoimmune responses.
4. Chiropractic Care
While chiropractic care isn’t a primary treatment for autoimmune conditions, it can play a valuable supporting role in managing symptoms and improving overall function. Chiropractic care focuses on optimizing nervous system function, which plays a crucial role in immune system regulation.
Through specific spinal adjustments, chiropractic care helps maintain proper communication between your nervous system and immune system. This relationship is crucial because your nervous system helps regulate immune responses throughout your body.
Regular chiropractic care can help:
- Support proper nervous system function
- Address joint pain and stiffness
- Maintain mobility and range of motion
- Reduce stress on the body
- Support overall system balance
Your chiropractor will work alongside your primary healthcare providers, creating a complementary approach that supports your body’s natural healing processes while respecting your current medical treatment plan.
Curious to learn more? The At Last Chiropractic team is here to help. With your Lithia chiropractor, you can obtain better health, supporting the management of your autoimmune condition. Book your appointment today!
