Being sick is a feeling no one wants to experience. We don't ask to have a disease and our greatest desire is to be cured soon to lead a normal life and without emotional wear. Worse is when it comes to autoimmune diseases, which, in addition to affecting our body relentlessly, also affect our psychological state, largely because of prolonged treatment, since they are chronic diseases.
What are autoimmune diseases?
Autoimmune disease – or autoimmunity – is one in which our own body attacks itself, believing that it is facing a threat. In this case, we produce antibodies against our own cells, so it is as if we are “allergic” to ourselves.
The mechanism of this defense of the body against itself is already known, but the reason why the immune system is driven to reverse itself, destroying something that should be the target of protection, remains a mystery to medicine and science.
Currently, there are more than a hundred autoimmune diseases and it is estimated that 3% to 5% of the world population is affected by them. What is also known is that some ethnicities are more susceptible to certain autoimmunities and that 80% of reported cases refer to women of reproductive age, which shows an important relationship with hormones.
The study published in the journal Science Signaling in 2018 indicates that this greater propensity of women to develop an autoimmune disease may be associated with an estrogen receptor located in defense cells.
Among the most common autoimmunities, we can highlight celiac disease, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, psoriasis, systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis. In many cases, the diagnosis is not so simple to be made, but, once discovered, the disease needs to receive the appropriate treatment and prescribed by the doctor. As adjuvants in this process are the holistic therapies.
Holistic Therapy – What is it?
Holistic therapy is a type of treatment that is based on the vision of holism - that is, it treats diseases in a global, integrated way, analyzing the individual as a whole. Its main objective is to make the patient reach the maximum point of emotional, physical and energetic balance.
For effectiveness in treatment, the holistic therapist analyzes each patient in a particular way, because each person is unique and their emotions and feelings have a direct influence on their health status (physical and mental). Thus, the most appropriate treatment for that patient is chosen.
Holistic therapies are commonly used to treat problems such as anxiety, fear, panic, muscle pain, and energy blocks. They can also act as adjuvants in the treatment of various types of diseases, including autoimmune diseases. But it is worth remembering that, despite bringing results, they are considered alternative measures, and the patient should not abandon the conventional treatment stipulated by the specialist doctor.
Types of holistic therapies
There are countless varieties of holistic therapies. The best known are: acupuncture, flower remedies, chromotherapy, phytotherapy, crystal therapy, shiatsu, reiki and reflexology, do-in, among others.
Each one has an efficiency in certain types of problems and diseases. With autoimmune diseases it is also like this, because each therapy will bring a more satisfactory answer. Here are some holistic therapy tips for the 5 most common types of autoimmunities.
Systemic lupus erythematosus
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an inflammatory autoimmune disease that can affect the joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart, and lungs. It is a disease that has no cure, but treatments can greatly improve the quality of life of those who suffer from this problem. Symptoms include fatigue, joint pain, skin blemishes and fever.
During flare-ups, these symptoms can get worse. Conventional treatment is the use of anti-inflammatories and steroids. Holistic therapies used to aid in treatment can be vibrational and frequency aromatherapy, reiki and flower essence therapy.
Type 1 diabetes mellitus
It is a chronic disease in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin. Among the most common symptoms are excessive thirst, frequent urge to urinate, hunger, tiredness and blurred vision. Standard treatment includes insulin therapy, diet and physical activity. For this problem, the following holistic therapies are indicated: chromotherapy, reiki and acupuncture.
Multiple sclerosis
It is a disease that causes damage to the nerves (whose protective covering is destroyed by the immune system). These injuries cause communication disorders between the body and the brain. Symptoms (generally pain, fatigue, loss of vision and impaired motor coordination), severity and duration are not the same among affected people because they vary from person to person – some will not have symptoms at all, while others will have them. chronically present. Treatment requires the use of immune system suppressants and physical therapy.
As complementary to the treatment, the most indicated holistic therapies are: massages, acupuncture and florals. One therapy recently reviewed by the National Multiple Sclerosis Association (ANEM) is chi kung. Also called qi gong, it is a powerful ancient type of exercise practiced by the Chinese. It consists of the repetition of groups of movements designed to benefit health on various levels. It works on the breathing and energy part. In the case of multiple sclerosis, it acts on the meridians of the stomach, liver and spleen, helping to relax the muscle part.
Psoriasis
In psoriasis, skin cells build up, forming scales and dry patches that cause itching (itching). The triggers for this disease are infections, cold and stress. The most common symptom is skin irritation, which can spread to nails and joints. Treatments for the problem include the use of ointments, light therapies, and medications to relieve symptoms. Holistic treatments, in this case, can be: chromotherapy, chakratherapy, floral and crystal therapy.
Rheumatoid arthritis
This chronic inflammatory disease affects several joints, especially the hands and feet. What happens in this case is that the immune system attacks tissues, including the joints. In more severe cases, it can attack internal organs. Rheumatoid arthritis causes very painful bumps. Over time, this injury can cause the bone to erode and can deform the joint.
There is no cure for this disease yet, but medications (such as disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs) and physical therapy can help to slow its progression. In this case, acupuncture and reiki are great alternatives to help with conventional treatment. Even yoga and osteopathic treatment are very helpful.
It is necessary to understand that autoimmunities are serious diseases and require long-term treatments. It is advisable to strictly follow the specialist doctor's guidelines for both medications and standard treatments. However, holistic therapies have a great role in both the physical and emotional aspects, which are too shaken, either by the long treatment period, or by the effect that autoimmune diseases have on our body (in terms of health and also in terms of appearance).
You may also like
- Find balance through holistic therapy
- Impress yourself with the holistic view of health
- Learn how to treat intestinal diseases with holistic therapy
These are serious treatments that aim only to provide us with integral well-being. Acupuncture, for example, is a therapy recognized since 1995 by the Federal Council of Medicine as a medical specialty, being part of the list of complementary integrative practices of the Ministry of Health.
So look for your doctor, adopt the recommendations made by him, take the opportunity to learn more about holistic therapies and see the one that best suits your problem. Take care of yourself!
