Question:I am just wondering if you've ever heard of churg-strauss syndrome? A close friend of mine has it and I'm just starting to research it. It bothers me a lot seeing him constantly taking medicines (which I believe only do more harm most of the time) and I'm hoping to start looking around to see if anything can be done naturally. Obviously it depends a lot on each person who has it and it's not something to mess around with, but I just thought I'd give a few places a try and who knows-maybe there will be someone out there who can help.
I'd appreciate anything you have to say, even if you've never heard of it before.
Answer:
You were right to assume that I've never heard of this, but I looked up this condition and posted the definition/symptoms below along with my thoughts/comments. When asked to research obscure syndromes such as this, I find patterns. I use these patterns to look for the answers.
from The John Hopkins Vasculitis Center
First Description Churg-Strauss Syndrome (CSS) is a systemic vasculitis. This disease was first described in 1951 by Dr. Jacob Churg and Dr. Lotte Strauss as a syndrome consisting of “asthma, eosinophilia [an excessive number of eosinophils in the blood], fever, and accompanying vasculitis of various organ systems”. CSS shares many of the clinical and pathological features of polyarteritis nodosa (“PAN”, another type of vasculitis). Churg and Strauss discovered that the presence of granulomas as well as the abundance of eosinophils distinguished this disease from PAN. Another name for Churg-Strauss Syndrome is Allergic granulomatosis.
Vasculitis is inflammation of the blood vessels. This brings me to two things. First-- inflammation which is more often than not caused by two things--triggers (toxins) and deficiencies (fatty acids/vitamins/minerals).
Then I would also consider researching herbs that might help to strengthen the blood vessels.
On the deficiency, take a look at this article on back pain. It contains a list of fatty acids that I took to help heal myself of back inflammation. Inflammation often manifests itself differently in each of us because of the endless number of variables to consider, but all inflammatory conditions are generally created as a result of an over-active immune system which is being poisoned and/or improperly nourished.
Healing from Pain & Inflammation
I would suggest you also, read the following articles on fats which provide information on vitamin/mineral deficiencies and how they are often related to fat consumption.
The Skinny on Fats
Cod Liver Oil: The Number One Superfood
These are blog posts related specifically to vein and capillary strengthening.
Vein/Capillary Strengthening
Hemorrhoids and/or Plantain
Who gets Churg-Strauss Syndrome (the “typical” patient)? The typical patient with CSS is a middle aged individual with a history of new-onset or newly-worsened asthma. The distribution of the disease among males and females is approximately equal.
The phrase that catches my attention here is new-onset This says to me that it's probably not a genetic defect, but something that has changed or built up over the course of several years and the body has just begun to show signs that it can no longer handle the burden.
At this point, I would begin to research habits and environmental factors that would present themselves as triggers. If I found that removal of triggers was not enough to promote healing then I would begin to consider cleansing, depending on the types of things I suspected might be causing the problems.
Take a look at this blog post related directly to several possible triggers.
Lou Gehrig's Disease and help for other incurables
The following article relates the story of my own struggle with a debilitating inflammatory condition called Dermographism and how I was able to heal.
Dermographism ...What on Earth is That?
Liver congestion is usually something to consider in any condition that might be caused by a toxin overload. This blog article contains a list of liver supporting herbs.
Liver Cleanse
Classic symptoms and signs of Churg-Strauss Syndrome
Asthma is one of the cardinal features of CSS. Asthma symptoms may begin long before the onset of vasculitis – e.g., many years before any other symptoms of CSS arise, and long before the diagnosis of CSS is made. Other early symptoms/signs include nasal polyps and allergic rhinitis.
Asthma always sends me running to milk. Homogenized milk is a huge trigger for asthma and other allergic reactions. My own daughter was diagnosed asthma and once I took her off the milk, her symptoms disappeared within two weeks.
More articles related to asthma, allergies and other inflammatory respiratory conditions. The first article also contains links which can give you more information on the problems with homogenized milk.
Asthma, Allergies & Wheezing
Genetically Modified Foods
Emphysema
The next phase of the disease is often marked by eosinophilia, the finding of an excessive number of eosinophils in the blood or in tissues. An eosinophil is one subtypes of white blood cell. Normally, eosinophils comprise 5% or less of the total white blood cell count. In CSS, the percentage of eosinophils may reach as high as 60%. In the picture below, the eosinophils are shown by the dark pink stain.
This blood symptom just further emphasizes to me--inflammation and even possibly infection. I would consider the possibility of a candida infection and/or leaky gut syndrome.
Here is more information on that.
Leaky Gut Syndrome
All or None of these things mentioned above may solve your friend's problem, but hopefully, after reading all of these articles you will find a direction of study that will lead you to the answers for his individual needs.
Post a Comment