Immune System Issues
Immune System (General overview)
The immune system’s fundamental role is to protect the body against foreign invading pathogens which are harmful. If it fails in keeping them out, then they seek out these ‘foreign invaders’ and destroy them. It is a complex network of many cells, tissues and organs that work together to defend the body. It has two main responses, the innate response, which is the first line of defence after it passes the skin, and other external defences such as eyelashes, hair or even mucous membrane of the nose. The second response is the adaptive response, whereby the immune system remembers the pathogen and builds up a successful response.
Long before modern conventional medicine, as we know it, herbal medicines have been used to help people overcome and treat various conditions and diseases.
Signs and Symptoms
There are a vast amount of signs and symptoms when it comes to immune system conditions. Each condition or disease has usually its own set of signs and symptoms but there are a few common ones such as the following:
- Inflammation
- Fatigue
- Achy muscles
- Runny nose or watery eyes
- Swelling and redness
- Low-grade fever
- Trouble concentrating
- Numbness and tingling in the hands and feet
- Hair loss
- Skin rashes
- Tenderness or pain
How it affects everyday life
No-one likes feeling sick, and it can leave you feeling miserable. Immune conditions can affect your everyday life, from having a few bad days to leaving you completely debilitated, with little to no quality of life.
Treatment
There are multiple herbs that have many benefits for the immune system. Some of the actions of these herbs include immune-stimulant, immunomodulator, immunosuppression, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-microbial, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, antispasmodic, febrifuge, to name just a few.
The capacity of these herbs has useful applications for infections and in immune-mediated disorders including autoimmune conditions. Studies indicate they are also helpful in organ transplant rejection (1)
Herbalists work on various levels to help the immune system work more effectively and support the body through the healing process.
How long is the Average Treatment?
It is difficult to determine how long it will take any individual to start seeing results, it usually depends on the following:
- How you react to herbs
- Your compliance to taking the herbs and making the recommended changes
- How long you have had the condition
- The severity of the condition
What you need to do?
Please be prepared that it takes time for the herbs to work. Herbal medicine does not work like pharmaceutical drugs. They often require some time, especially as they tend to work gently and subtly. This is not a quick fix.
Please be willing to work with me, take the medication as prescribed and make the changes which are attainable as well as practical.
How I will help you
Make a treatment plan by creating short term and long terms goals
Identify areas in your life that may be negatively impacting your health.
Give you practical and attainable changes, with lots of support along the way.
Emotional Support along this journey, helping you to help keep on track.
1- Amirghofran Z Herbal Medicines for immunosuppression. Iran J Allergy Asthma Immunol June 2012; 11(2): 111-119