Autoimmune Disorder

When you have an autoimmune disorder, your immune system mistakenly attacks your own body, causing inflammation and illness. There are numerous autoimmune disorders with a wide range of symptoms and varying treatments. At Medical Compass MD in Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn, in New York City, and Setauket, New York, on Long Island, integrative medicine physician David Dunaief, MD, uses cutting-edge research to reverse his patients’ autoimmune disorders. To schedule a consultation, call the office nearest you or request an appointment online today.

What is an autoimmune disorder?

An autoimmune disorder develops when your immune system can’t differentiate between your own cells and outside invaders. Your immune system attacks your cells, causing inflammation and damage. There are many types of autoimmune disorders that affect many body systems.

Dr. Dunaief is an integrative and functional medicine physician who uses cutting-edge research and therapies to reverse autoimmune diseases such as:

• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and inflammatory arthritis
• Lupus
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (UC)
• Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis
• Multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
• Graves’ disease
• Sjögren’s syndrome
• Raynaud’s disease
• Myasthenia gravis
• Fibromyalgia
• Sarcoidosis
• Uveitis: Inflammation of the eye
• Lyme disease

Dr. Dunaief combines conventional medicine with lifestyle modifications to improve health and well-being, helping his autoimmune disorder patients reduce and, ultimately, eliminate their medications.  

What are the symptoms of an autoimmune disorder?

Autoimmune disorder symptoms vary depending on the type and part of the body affected. Symptoms range from mild to severe.

However, many people with an autoimmune disorder may experience common symptoms like fatigue, joint pain, skin problems, or recurring fever. You may also have abdominal pain or gastrointestinal issues.

What can I expect during an autoimmune disorder evaluation?

You can expect a thorough history and physical exam when you see Dr. Dunaief for an autoimmune disorder evaluation. Each appointment takes an hour.

At your first visit, Dr. Dunaief reviews your medical history, performs a physical exam, and assesses your body composition using a body analysis scale. This scale measures fat mass and fat percentage, hydration, and muscle mass.

Dr. Dunaief reviews any labs you have and requests new ones to measure inflammatory factors and nutrient levels. He also discusses your challenges and goals.

What treatments can help my autoimmune disorder?

Dr. Dunaief uses the information gathered from your evaluation to create your autoimmune disorder treatment plan. He uses the low inflammatory foods every day (LIFE) diet to reverse autoimmune disease.

The LIFE diet is rich in nutrients and is a plant-based, whole-food diet. Dr. Dunaief checks your labs at follow-up appointments and has found that inflammatory factors decrease as plant nutrient intake increases. He has published studies on the LIFE diet in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine (AJLM).

For a more proactive approach to your autoimmune disorder, call Medical Compass MD or request an appointment online today.