Chronic Infections services offered

Chronic infections can linger in your body for years, not causing obvious symptoms, while they gradually worsen and lead to numerous health problems & a variety of diagnoses. At ANS Healing, Noosha Shambayati, NMD, and her team provide exceptional integrative care, drawing from traditional medical knowledge but individualizing wellness plans to include lifestyle & herbal medicine, and complementary therapies to heal ongoing, often under-diagnosed infections and restore your health. If you have general symptoms like gut issues, fatigue, skin problems, recurrent low-grade fevers, brain fog, etc., it’s time to schedule an evaluation and learn if you have a “silent” chronic infection. Many people on the east coast are suffering from MSIDS (multiple systemic infectious disease syndrome) with no idea since they have been dismissed by many specialists in the traditional field.

Root causes of Lyme & MSIDS – chronic, “silent” infections?

Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and can sometimes be caused by other species in the same family such as, Borrelia mayonii. It is usually transmitted to humans through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks, but not always. There is speculation that Lyme can be transmitted from mother to baby via the placenta. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans… you don’t NEED to have a rash, and most people often do not realize they have been bitten by a tick. Lyme never travels alone – it is usually accompanied by co-infections such as Bartonella and Babesia infections.

Chronic infections most often arise from a virus or bacteria. More commonly nowadays, they can also be caused by fungal organisms and parasites. In Dr. Noosha’s experience, you can’t get rid of viruses, unless you get rid of parasites. They are the trojan horse that contains these bugs. These infections can affect any part of your body and last for years or a lifetime. Also sometimes called “opportunistic infections” because they only cause issues during times of stress – eradicating these from your body once and for all will help prevent many diseases later on in life, including cancers.

Viral & Bacterial Infections

Viruses typically cause an acute (short-lived) infection that makes you sick. Then you feel better within a few weeks as your immune system destroys the virus.

However, acute infection can become a chronic problem if the virus stays inside your body after your symptoms improve. This often occurs when you have a weakened immune system or have not addressed the pathogen specifically. Antibiotics do not work against viral infections, although many doctors prescribe antibiotics prior to testing and knowing what organism is actually causing illness.

Viruses lingering in your body may become dormant or stay silently active. Dormant viruses remain undetectable until they become active again and cause more serious health problems. One example is “reactivated EBV”.

The viruses that stay active are “silent” because the chronic infection worsens even though you may not have distinct symptoms. Symptoms appear as the infection progresses and causes significant damage.

Acute bacterial infections also make you sick. They either run their course or can be eliminated with antibacterial medications. However, bacteria can also take hold in your body through their ability to hide from your immune system. Then they cause chronic or recurrent infections (a common example is H. Pylori), which again can manifest in a variety of symptoms and more serious diagnoses later in life.

Parasitic & Opportunistic infections

Science now shows that pathogens tend to form communities in your body called “biofilms”. Biofilms tend to include numerous types of pathogens, living together – which is why antibiotics tend to work short-term for some or not at all. Bad bacteria, viruses, parasites & fungi most commonly candida species all live together. So taking antibiotics only kills ALL the bacteria in your gut, of which only 1% are the bad type. They also kill the 99% of good bacteria that we need in order to produce the natural antibiotics and antimicrobials that our immune system needs to actually fight these infections and keep us healthy and in balance long term.

What type of chronic infection might I develop?

Chronic viral, bacterial, fungi, and parasitic infections cause inflammation and are directly associated with many health conditions. A few examples include:

  • Crohn’s disease
  • Ulcerative colitis
  • Anemia
  • Shingles
  • Lyme disease & other tick-borne illnesses (MSIDS)
  • Reactive arthritis
  • Chronic pneumonia
  • Chronic prostatitis
  • Autoimmune diseases
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Chronic liver disease
  • Liver cancer
  • Stomach cancer
  • Colon cancer
  • Ovarian cancer
  • Cervical Cancer

This list is long, yet it’s not close to being comprehensive. For example, chronic infections have a role in mental health conditions and neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, and dementia.

How are chronic infections managed?

Dr. Noosha learns about every aspect of your life that affects your health. In addition to exploring your medical history, mental health, and lifestyle habits, she performs functional lab tests to identify problems that traditional blood work doesn’t reveal.

When creating a wellness plan, Dr. Noosha incorporates many possible therapies, choosing those that meet your unique needs. A few examples include:

  • Herbal medicines
  • Medication management
  • Medical-grade supplements
  • Dietary counseling
  • Hormone balancing
  • Exercise and mind-body therapy
  • Stress management

To learn how naturopathic care can improve your health by healing chronic infections, call ANS Healing or book an appointment online today.