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What is breast implant illness?

Thousands of women a year elect to get breast implants for a variety of reasons. Many of these women get breast implants and have no problems. And yet there is a portion of women who get breast implants and feel that their health immediately starts declining. Some of the symptoms they experience include debilitating fatigue, joint and muscle pain, brain fog, and other peculiar symptoms that start soon after they got their breast implants. Some may have even been given a diagnosis of an autoimmune or thyroid disorder or fibromyalgia. For some, symptoms do not show up until years after their surgery. This health syndrome has been termed breast implant illness, or BII. Thousands of women are suffering from this syndrome, yet many of them are told by their physicians that their symptoms are not due to their implants or that their symptoms are all in their head. This can be incredibly invalidating and does not offer any solutions. A majority of plastic surgeons agree that breast implants do not cause BII. In a sense, they are correct. Breast implants are not the true cause of BII but merely the trigger.

Breast implants Are the trigger, not the cause

So why do some women get sick after they get breast implants, while others stay healthy? The reason is that breast implants are merely acting as a trigger for the syndrome known as BII. Many of the peculiar symptoms that women are experiencing as breast implant illness are actually symptoms of a chronic viral infection. Viruses such as Epstein-Barr Virus, or EBV, Cytomegalovirus (CMV), or other viruses in the Herpes family can cause a broad range of mysterious symptoms. EBV is a very common culprit. These viruses can lie dormant in the body for decades. All that is needed is a major stressor such as a surgery, an accident, chemical exposure, or even an emotional stressor to trigger the virus to come out of dormancy and start reproducing again. Add poor nutrition, a high toxic burden, and a depleted immune system, and this can become the perfect storm. 

How can you find out if you have EBV? If you ever remember having mono in the past, you have EBV. You can recover from the acute illness, but it never really leaves. Most people have been exposed to EBV at some point in their lives and do not know it. You may have thought you just had a bad cold or flu. The simplest way to find out if you have been exposed is to have your doctor run an Epstein-Barr Virus panel, a simple blood test.

How can you heal from breast implant illness Naturally?

The good news is that there is a lot that can be done naturopathically to combat viruses and heal from breast implant illness. Some women decide to remove their implants and feel like their old selves again. Simply removing the trigger is enough to help their body heal. For some, explanting is not an option. Or maybe they removed their implants, but their symptoms did not go away. If you are still experiencing symptoms, it is important to remove foods that feed viruses such as dairy and eggs, and to add in lots of fruits, vegetables, and herbs that are antiviral. Additionally, there are many vitamins, minerals, and supplements that are antiviral, help alleviate inflammation, strengthen the immune system, and help speed healing. For more guidance on how to heal from breast implant illness, contact Dr.Sullivan or schedule an in person or video appointment.