Naturopathic Treatments For Sepsis And Septic Shock

It’s not a condition you hear about too often, but sepsis is a major issue in today’s world.

As a naturopathic doctor in Toronto, I’ve co-treated patients with sepsis while under medical care and treated post-sepsis syndrome.

And that’s not surprising – according to a study from Statistics Canada, sepsis was the 12th most common cause of death in Canada in 2011, up from 15th in 2000.

This suggests the disease is becoming more common in Canada.

And for our neighbours down south, a study from the Healthcare Cost And Utilization Project found that sepsis is the single most expensive health condition for the entire country, costing more than $23 billion dollars a year.

But what is sepsis?

What causes it?

And what can be done to treat it?

Keep reading to find out.

What Is Sepsis?

Sepsis, also commonly known as blood poisoning, is your body’s response to an infection.

It is considered to be life-threatening – a Canadian study published in the journal Critical Care Medicine found that, of the 1238 patients with sepsis admitted to twelve different hospitals, 38.1% died while under medical care.

When your body experiences an infection of some sort, your immune system goes to work at fighting it.

However, in some cases, your own immune system will begin to attack you.

This is the first stage of sepsis.

During this phase, your temperature may either be too high or too low (above 101 or below 96.8 Fahrenheit), your heart will be beating too quickly (more than 90 BPM), and your breathing may increase to above 20 breaths per minute.

At the next level, severe sepsis, your immune system has become so effective at attacking you that you begin to experience issues with your organs, including difficulty urinating or breathing, abnormal liver issues, abdominal pain, and difficulty thinking or concentrating, among others.

The third and final stage of sepsis is known as septic shock.

At this stage, your blood pressure drops to shockingly low levels, and regular methods for restoring it are inadequate.

Of those who survive sepsis, about half are left dealing with post-sepsis syndrome, an ongoing condition with significant long-term health repercussions.

For all stages of sepsis, a person should seek immediate medical care as medications will be required.

Naturopathic treatments would complement the required drug treatments; however, they are not stand alone treatments for sepsis.

Symptoms Of Sepsis

The Sepsis Alliance, an American not-for-profit advocacy group, suggests SEPSIS itself as an acronym for sepsis symptoms:

• Shivering, fever, or general coldness
• Extreme pain or discomfort
• Pale or discoloured skin
• Sleepiness, chronic fatigue, difficulty waking up
• “I feel like I might die”
• Shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing.

Meanwhile, those who suffer from post-sepsis syndrome may face:

• Difficulty sleeping or insomnia
• Panic attacks
• Nightmares
• Vivid hallucinations
• Debilitating pain in the muscles and joints
• Poor concentration
• Chronic fatigue
• Decreased cognitive abilities
• Low self-esteem

What Causes Sepsis?

Sepsis is a result of your body’s own immune system attacking itself after having fought another infection.

The specific infection doesn’t seem to matter – sepsis can manifest with any type of infection.

However, certain types of infections are more likely to trigger sepsis, including those of the kidneys, bloodstream, abdominals, and respiratory system.

Anybody can develop sepsis, but it seems more prevalent in the elderly and those with a compromised immune system (like HIV or AIDS patients).

Because the Canadian population is aging, and those with compromised immune systems are able to live longer lives thanks to medical advances, some believe this to be a cause of the increase in cases of sepsis in Canada.

Naturopathic Treatments For Sepsis

Sepsis is a serious condition.

Your best chance for surviving it, as well as minimizing its ongoing effects, is to catch it early.

When co-treating my own patients with sepsis, I’ve seen a response with vitamin C and thiamine (vitamin B1) injections.

A study published by the American College Of Chest Physicians found that the combination of hydrocortisone and intravenous vitamins C and B1 supplementation was effective in preventing organ dysfunction, especially with the patient’s kidneys.

Although more research is needed, this study reported a significantly reduced mortality rate of patients with severe sepsis and septic shock.

Contact Dr. JJ

If you read the above symptoms and are concerned about your own health, please contact your medical doctor immediately as sepsis is a life-threatening disease.

Once medical treatment has begun, please contact me, Dr. JJ, and let’s set up an appointment.

The key to treating sepsis is early detection, so the sooner your condition is diagnosed, the better.

Whether you currently have sepsis or another disorder, or you live with post-sepsis syndrome, naturopathic treatments may help.

Click on the contact form to contact me today.