Professor finds relief from autoimmune disease through integrative medicine

For more than a decade, Sandy Braxton experienced inflammation and managed chronic pain on a daily basis. “For many years I was getting treated at another health system for lupus. When they tested me for arthritis, an intern actually suggested testing me for one more thing and that’s when I learned that I have Sjogren’s Syndrome,” said Sandy.

Sjogren’s Syndrome is an autoimmune disorder that causes inflammation in the body. She regularly experienced pain throughout her body and managed it enough to function daily. But, in November of 2022, Sandy began experiencing severe pain in both her right knee and lower back.

New ways to manage pain

Sandy’s pain management specialist, Dr. Lara Zador, used radiofrequency ablation to reduce Sandy’s pain levels. During radiofrequency ablation, a specialized radiofrequency needle is used to ablate, or temporarily disrupt the function of, targeted nerve endings. The heat generated from the radio waves damages this nervous tissue, preventing the nerve from transmitting pain signals. With radiofrequency ablation, significant pain relief may be achieved for several months.

Introduced to integrative medicine

Dr. Zador also suggested that Sandy try acupuncture and chiropractic care, so she referred her to the Center for Integrative Medicine.

She first began chiropractic treatment with Dr. Linda Holland in January of 2024 and started experiencing significant relief from the symptoms of Sjogren’s Syndrome right away. Chiropractic care targets and adjusts imbalances in the nervous and musculoskeletal systems that can lead to chronic pain and other conditions.

“I could already tell I was feeling better after the first appointment, so I decided to try acupuncture, too,” remembered Sandy. Then, Sandy began seeing Mathew Kulas, MA, RAc for acupuncture treatment in August of 2024. Acupuncture involves using very thin needles to stimulate select points of the body. Needling of these areas encourages circulation and stimulates the nervous system. This improves the flow of blood, which carries oxygen and nutrients, and sends signals to your brain and spinal cord that promote the release of your natural healing chemicals, including compounds that reduce pain.

“It has become very noticeable to me that Sandy feels much better after beginning treatment with the Center for Integrative Medicine, and particularly with acupuncture. Her range of motion has improved and it’s great to see another patient feeling a lot better,” said Dr. Zador.

An ongoing journey

Now Sandy regularly sees the integrative medicine team and she credits her Henry Ford care team for improving her quality of life. She is able to comfortably work as an online professor and enjoy time with her friends and family. Sandy said, “Henry Ford really is the house of quality. They really listen of the voice of the patient, and I am really thankful for the support I’ve had from every one of them.”