Autoimmune Disorders

Your immune system is meant to protect you from infections, but with an autoimmune disease, it becomes hostile toward some of your healthy cells. If you have an autoimmune disorder, Bethany Leddy, DACM, MSOM, can provide custom treatments from traditional Chinese medicine, including acupuncture and herbal medicines at Elemental Acupuncture in Tuckahoe, New York. Call Elemental Acupuncture or schedule a treatment consultation online to discuss your options today.

What are autoimmune disorders?

Autoimmune disorders arise from a complication with your immune system, which your body uses to defend itself from infections and illnesses. 

When you have an autoimmune disorder, your immune system overworks and attacks otherwise healthy and functional tissues. A wide variety of autoimmune disorders affect your health in different ways based on the specific cells or tissues your immune system targets. 

Experts aren’t sure what causes the immune system to malfunction, but most autoimmune disorders run in families, suggesting a genetic component. Autoimmune disorders often have triggers that cause their symptoms to flare up, even after periods of remission. 

What are some of the most common autoimmune disorders?

At Elemental Acupuncture, Dr. Leddy uses acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine to treat a wide range of disorders affecting the immune system, including many of the most common autoimmune disorders. You can visit Elemental Acupuncture for treatment if you have an autoimmune disorder, such as:

• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Multiple sclerosis
• Lupus
• Psoriasis
• Type 1 diabetes
• Graves disease
• Addison disease
• Celiac disease
• Inflammatory bowel disease

Acupuncture and Chinese medicine can also regulate or strengthen your immune system if it’s deficient or underactive. A weak immune system leaves you vulnerable to infections. 

How do acupuncture and Chinese medicine treat autoimmune disorders?

Acupuncture and other forms of traditional Chinese medicine treat autoimmune disorders by calming down and regulating your immune system. As a result, your immune system is less likely to attack healthy tissues, and you experience fewer autoimmune systems and flare-ups. 

Acupuncture does this by regulating your nervous system and activating your parasympathetic nervous system, which results in a calming response. Acupuncture involves the meticulous placement of fine needles into the skin to reduce inflammation and alleviate specific symptoms based on the needles’ placement. 

Alongside acupuncture for an autoimmune disorder, Dr. Leddy may recommend dietary modifications or herbal supplements, including turmeric and sarsaparilla. As a trained practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine, Dr. Leddy can provide you with customized and effective herbal treatment. 

To find out more about how traditional Chinese medicine can support you with an autoimmune disorder, call Elemental Acupuncture or schedule a treatment consultation online today.