Infections
What are Infections?
Infections are a group of conditions related to a breakdown, weakness or dysfunction of the immune system. The body is constantly exposed to infectious agents, including bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses. Some of these are harmless – often even beneficial to humans. However, many are not and they can cause serious infections with unpleasant symptoms.
The immune system is designed to defend the body against these foreign agents. When strong, our immune system fights these infections easily. These are called acute infections, and when the immune system is fighting them off, the symptoms are usually obvious. But there are also chronic infections that can really take a toll on the immune system, often without a person even being aware of their presence.
Chronic infections can cause inflammation of tissues that a person may, or may not, be able to feel. Even though these chronic infections don’t always cause overt symptoms, they still tax the body, cause nutritional deficiencies and can put stress on the adrenal glands and on the entire immune system.
Symptoms of infections vary among acute and chronic infections.
With an acute infection, there may be:
- Cough
- Acute diarrhea
- Discharge from any part of the body, such as eyes, nose, throat, genitalia
- Sudden, overwhelming fatigue
- Fever (either high or low-grade)
- Sudden muscle or joint pain, possibly accompanied by swelling or stiffness
- Nausea and/or vomiting (from mild to severe)
- Sinus congestion and nasal discharge
- Skin rashes
- Sore throat
- Swollen lymph nodes, which may indicate the body is trying to fight infection
Acute infections usually respond to treatment, and subside quickly. On the other hand, chronic infections usually require long-term treatment, and are resistant to quick solutions.
A chronic infection is typically characterized by one or more of the following on a persistent basis:
- Chronic fatigue
- Recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- Abnormal, recurring vaginal discharge (women)
- Recurring indigestion, bloating, gas or heartburn
- Alternating constipation, diarrhea or mucus in the stool
- Chronic depression, anxiety, mood swings, lack of concentration, memory loss
- Chronic muscle and/or joint pain and swelling
- Low-grade fever that persists
- Chronic respiratory problems such as Asthma and Bronchitis
Who is Affected?
Chronic infection tends to affect those whose immune systems are already weakened or compromised and are therefore more susceptible to the impact of infectious agents that are passed in the air, through touch, in food, by bugs/animals and through sexual transmission. An infection in one area of the body may leave other internal systems vulnerable to additional infections, as well. Those with autoimmune disorders, such as Lupus, Graves Disease, Addison’s Disease or Type 1 Diabetes, may be at greater risk for infection.
What are Options for Treatment?
At the Magaziner Center for Wellness, when we recognize a chronic infection, we look beyond the symptoms in order to address the underlying triggers, which very often are related to allergies or sensitivities to common irritants like perfume, smoke, gluten, etc. In patients who are allergic or sensitive to foods, environmental chemicals or pollen, for example, the presence of these agents suppresses the immune system and contributes to infection.
We conduct allergy testing to identify triggers and, once identified, we utilize sublingual desensitization to naturally treat the immune system by training it to respond appropriately to the allergens that affect each individual patient. We work with our patients to modify their diets and lifestyles to avoid other triggers – including those that are food-based or result from chemicals (including those found in paint and carpeting).
Other key factors in treatment include correcting any vitamin and mineral deficiencies, evaluation of the levels of heavy metals in a person’s body, reduction of fungus and yeast in the nasal passages and intestines, and a rebalancing of a “leaky gut”. Since the majority of our immune response to allergens exists in our intestinal tract, a healthy gut environment is often essential to recovery in many cases of chronic allergies.
We utilize nutritional supplementation to further strengthen the immune system, often turning to Zinc, B-12 and Vitamin C, which are known for their infection-fighting properties. We encourage our patients to increase their consumption of Omega-3 fatty acids through dietary choices and/or supplements and recommend a diet rich in nutrient-dense and unprocessed foods. We also help our patients to identify foods that have microbial properties and work with them to incorporate them into their eating program. These include, but are not limited to, coriander seeds, cilantro, cinnamon, crushed garlic, onion, allspice and oregano.
Lastly, we focus on helping our patients reduce stress, naturally, via exercise (which has other benefits, as well!), massage, and yoga, Tai Chi, prayer or any other method of relaxation that they enjoy and that can easily be incorporated into their individual lives.