Lupus
Lupus is an autoimmune disease, which means that the immune system has become confused and has mistakenly identified your normal cells as enemy-invading cells to be attacked.
As such, inflammation is created in the tissues. Any organ can be affected, including joints, skin, heart, lungs, kidneys, and others. In fact, the risk of a heart attack in a woman with lupus between the ages of 35 and 44 is fifty times that of a woman without SLE.
Conventional treatment
You will work with your rheumatologist to get the best balance of conventional medicine, such as anti-malarials, steroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, immunosuppressants, or biologics. However, these drugs only go so far and the side effects can be overwhelming. Since lupus affects your quality of life, an integrative approach addressing the whole person is crucial to living a comfortable life.
The integrative and functional medicine approach
While medications may be helpful, it takes so much more to regain your life. Often, specialty labs and identifying root-cause contributors to your disease are essential. It’s important to determine gut health, appropriate nutrition and movement, and safe use of supplements with autoimmune disease.
Mind body techniques are critical to calming an overactive immune system. Quality sleep plays a role in cleaning up debris at night, as well as regulating whole body systems. It’s also important to know what to avoid in lupus – including certain herbs, foods, drugs, and sunlight.
All of this is done though a unique work up and plan for each patient. Dr. Yoakam works with you in conjunction with your other specialists to improve your life and get you back to living. And she knows of what she speaks, being a lupus thriver herself!
If you have been experiencing chronic symptoms that may be connected with Lupus and are looking for answers, schedule an appointment with Sarah Yoakam, MD today!