If you think you might be suffering from autoimmune encephalitis in Stuart, FL, Dr. Melissa Singer and Dr. Lisa Rankin of Coastal Integrative Medicine can provide a thorough diagnosis and effective treatment plan to help manage your systems and address the root cause.
What Is Autoimmune Encephalitis?
In some people, the active brain tissues can swell, leading to issues such as headaches, mental confusion, seizures, and sensitivity to light. This is known as encephalitis.
Autoimmune encephalitis is when this inflammation is due to an autoimmune response. It usually occurs when:
- A person’s immune cells attack the brain’s healthy cells instead of unhealthy ones.
- A person’s antibodies attack the proteins responsible for sending certain signals to the nerves.
The cause is not always known, but it may be due to viruses or bacteria, tumors, or some types of cancer.
What Are the Symptoms?
In addition to the headaches, confusion, seizures, and sensitivity to light mentioned above, you might experience the following symptoms:
- Sudden decline in focus or performance at school, work, or in daily activities
- Weakness in the limbs
- Anxiety, depression, or mood swings, typically accompanied by hallucinations or paranoia
- Changes in sexual behavior
- Loss of consciousness
- Neck stiffness
- Inability to speak
- Some sufferers may even fall into a coma.
Risk Factors That Contribute to Autoimmune Encephalitis
Autoimmune encephalitis can happen to anyone, but some factors might put you at more risk, such as:
- Gender – It tends to affect women more than men.
- Race – It tends to affect more African Americans than other races.
- Age – Young adults tend to suffer more than other age groups.
Family history does not seem to play a role in risk factors.
What Do I Do If I Have Symptoms of Autoimmune Encephalitis in Stuart, FL?
The first step is always to be diagnosed by a professional. Dr. Singer and Dr. Rankin can provide a comprehensive diagnosis to ensure that you do, in fact, have autoimmune encephalitis in Stuart, FL.
If the diagnosis confirms your theory, they’ll move into discussing treatment options for you, which will depend on the root cause of the condition. It will often include several approaches to healing and recovery in order to achieve the best results.
Don’t suffer from autoimmune encephalitis in Stuart, FL alone. Partner with Dr. Singer and Dr. Rankin at Coastal Integrative Medicine by calling (772) 344-1409 to schedule an appointment today.