Stuck in the Western Medical System? Read This.

Stuck in the System? Why Some People Don’t Get Better
Have you ever felt like you were stuck in the cycle of Western medicine — going from doctor to doctor, trying medication after medication, but never actually getting better?

In this episode of Healing Beyond the Symptoms, Dr. Leah Hahn D.C., and Dr. Scott Hahn D.C., share the powerful story of Jenny, a client who experienced:

• autoimmune disease (lupus)
• chronic migraines and headaches
• vertigo
• long-term stress and trauma
• frustration from years in the medical system

Despite seeing multiple providers and trying various treatments, nothing created lasting change.

The Deeper Problem: Chronic Stress + Nervous System Dysregulation
Jenny’s story highlights something many people don’t realize:

Chronic stress doesn’t just affect how you feel — it affects how your body functions.

Over time, her nervous system became stuck in a constant stress response, leading to:

• immune system overactivation
• inflammation
• tension patterns in the body
• reduced ability to heal

This is where autoimmune conditions can begin to develop or worsen.

Instead of continuing to chase symptoms, Jenny shifted toward a root-cause, nervous system-based approach.

Through:

• Network Spinal care (releasing stored stress patterns)
• anti-inflammatory nutrition (removing gluten, dairy, processed foods)
• gentle movement and exercise
• consistent nervous system support

Her body began to change.

Over time, Jenny experienced:

• reduced headaches and inflammation
• improved energy and vitality
• ability to exercise and move again
• emotional regulation and stress resilience
• a return to presence and connection

This episode explains a powerful concept:

When the nervous system is stuck in fight-or-flight, the immune system stays activated — constantly searching for something to fight.

And eventually…

It may begin fighting the body itself.

That’s autoimmunity.

Timestamps

[00:00:00] – Stuck in Western Medicine? A Real Healing Story

[00:01:30] – Autoimmune Disease, Stress & Root Cause Explained

[00:03:30] – How Trauma & Chronic Stress Affect the Nervous System

[00:06:30] – The Link Between Stress, Immunity & Autoimmune Conditions

[00:09:00] – How Holistic Healing Restores Energy & Reduces Inflammation

[00:12:00] – Where to Start: Nervous System Healing & Root Cause Care

If you feel stuck…

It doesn’t mean healing isn’t possible.

It may mean your body hasn’t had the chance to shift out of survival mode yet.

Your body is not broken.
 It’s patterned.

And those patterns can change.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Have you ever felt like you were stuck in the system of Western medicine? That doesn't mean that Western medicine is bad, but maybe you felt like you weren't being heard or you were just pushed from department to department to department, looking for some kind of a cause or a magical thing that could get you back on the right track. Well, today's story will give you so much hope that if you've been stuck in that situation, there are alternatives and there can be things that can actually get you back on a true path to healing. Welcome to Healing Beyond the Symptoms, the podcast that helps people discover the root causes of their health struggles and take back control with science, strategy, and self-awareness. I'm Dr. Leah Hahn, a chiropractor and functional wellness doctor who believes that true healing starts beneath the surface. So let's dive in. So today we want to talk about Jenny. Jenny is one of our favorite clients. We love seeing her. She's such a kind individual. But when she came to us, she was extremely frustrated. She felt very hopeless. She had been using Western medicine and become had become so frustrated with the process. So I think in many people's situations, they see so many different doctors. Maybe they're given lots of different medications. Sometimes those medications make them more ill, or they just feel like their needs aren't being met or they're not really being truly seen or heard. And that was pretty much the situation that Jenny was in when she came into our practice. Can you tell me more about her story?

SPEAKER_01 1:38

So what I remember with Jenny was she was dealing with significant autoimmune issues, headaches, crushing headaches, debilitating headaches, migraines. She was dealing with vertigo, lupus was a big one.

SPEAKER_00 1:54

So an autoimmune condition.

SPEAKER_01 1:58

And then on top of that, there was just severe, like almost lifelong stress, basically, with all the different things that she had dealt with from an early young age of you know having to grow up too soon, the stress that kind of comes with that. And on top of that, I just remember the frustration that she was having because she was going to doctor after doctor after doctor, and you know, maybe they would have a little bit of information, or maybe she could be put on this different drug or this new drug or this drug. And none of it was really helping. Maybe the symptom was improved a little bit, but then this symptom improved, and then it brought out this other symptom. So she was kind of in the the proverbial Western medical wheel where the doctor refers you to this doctor, which refers you to this doctor, which refers you to this doctor. So you just kind of keep going round and round, and you never really get the answer that you're looking for. And so she was on multiple different medications. Unfortunately, some of those made her sick, so she hadn't taken herself off of those. And I just remember her so ready to make change and wanting change and wanting a better, different, a different solution, and wanting uh really just wanting her life back and knowing that there's something more than what she was getting.

SPEAKER_00 3:12

And I think too, with that, she had that fairly significant history of trauma. And the thing I think that she was starting to realize is that there was a root cause and what she was currently, the path that she was on, wasn't helping her to discover that root cause. And so she was definitely very open to looking at different possibilities of what was affecting her health or what was causing her to not be able to get well. So that was she was very open to the process when she started it. How did those first couple months of care go for her?

SPEAKER_01 3:49

I just remember how transformative it was for her as she, you know, with the network care, just releasing the old stress, the stress patterns. Um, you could feel the tension change in her body, just this bound-up ball of muscle in her neck, uh, and and the pattern the stress that she was holding there. And as that just started to release, you could almost see color coming back into her skin. You could see life coming back into her body. Um and and on top of that, we had made some. I remember we we had recommended some nutritional changes. She got off gluten, she got off dairy, just basically pure food, getting rid of all the processed stuff, giving her body proper nutrients from that perspective, and and really getting really pro-inflammatory things out and getting more anti-inflammatory types of foods in. Then she started, was able to exercise again daily, and then she could start into yoga, uh stuff like that.

SPEAKER_00 4:49

So in you think of this process of kind of life coming back into her body. One of the things that people maybe don't associate with an autoimmune condition is when the immune system is basically the body's own, you know, the body's own immune system is attacking the body itself, that in that situation it causes such a stress response just from the body dealing with that. So the adrenal glands, which are these small organs that sit on top of the kidneys that produce stress hormones, the adrenal glands are constantly active trying to deal with this attacking situation that the body is under. And so even if there weren't outside stresses, which for her there were outside stressors, but even if that hadn't been the case, there was such a stress response that was happening within her own body created by the condition that she was dealing with with the lupus. So you take the trauma, you take that piece of it, and then you also take the autoimmune condition on top of it. There was such an ongoing stress response that her nervous system, again, was very dysregulated. And she was dealing with patterns that had probably developed as she was a kid, trying to cope with the different situations that she was under. Her body continued to use those patterns over and over and over again until that shaped her spine. So you talk about this like kind of big ball of inflammation and stress and tension in her neck, how that was just a sign of the amount of trauma and that her body had been under, and then utilizing that kind of patterning for her entire life. So those types of things were also not allowing her immune system to work efficiently. So when you're under that kind of stress, can you describe that more how that that what that connection looks like?

SPEAKER_01 6:33

Yeah, so uh one of the books that I always you know like to think about, or talk I think you may have talked about is the body keeps score and how the different stresses and the different traumas that we've had starts to get locked and stuck in the body. So the body keeps score, and and what we see is the body will start to internalize that stress. So from a from a very young age, she learned that she needed to maintain defense physiology, maintain protection in order to keep herself safe. And that's how she'd pretty much been living her body. And so what ends up happening is when the fight or flight response kicks in, the immune system gets ready. Because what happens if you're out, say you're out hiking and you see a mountain line and you need to run away, well, all the body, like the body gets into this state where it's like it goes into straight survival mode. So it shun all the blood into the muscles, into the organs, and it shuts down other like vital parts of the body. You know, previously we used to think it shut down the immune response, and then what we've learned more recently is it actually turns on and ramps up the immune response, which makes sense because if, say, you got bit or like you got injured or something like that, you want that immune system ramped up and ready to deal with whatever that foreign invader that got introduced into the body so it could get you know, fight that off. The downside is you know, when we live in these chronic stress patterns, when you're out hiking and you see a mountain lion, that's different because it's an immediate thing and then it gets released. When we live our lives that way, the mountain lion is always around. You're always under this stress pattern. So the immune system is always turned on, always ramped up, always looking for something to fight. And eventually what ends up happening is it finds your own system. That's and when it starts fighting your own body, that's what autoimmunity is. And so that's what we see in these scenarios with these chronic stress patterns. So if you can break that stress response, then you start to see these autoimmune symptoms and the problems with that start to dissipate, sometimes go away. And then as their body starts to re-regulate, get it out of that sympathetic state, and then get it into the parasympathetic nervous system state, which is more of that rest, healing, and recovery is for that body.

SPEAKER_00 8:48

And so you think about that, we have so many clients that come in with autoimmune disease, and what they're showing is that that is most likely one of the like number one things in the rise in our culture because of people's chronic levels of stress. And so I think it's so important that people realize is that you can work with the medical medical system if that's your choice. Um, but it's always important to look at what's actually happening internally. How do you allow your body to be more adaptable? How do you allow it to go into this place where that where it can heal and turn on your body's own natural resources? And that is such a key in terms of the healing process and such a missing link for so many people, men and women in our culture. So it's not just looking at it from outside in, but what can you do inside out? How can you allow your body to function better, which is what Jenny did in this situation. So I remember one of the things that she commented on. I think it was some of the paperwork that we had throughout the process where we're evaluating progress. And she said, you know, my husband says that I'm back. So it was so fun to be able to see that because not only could we see those healing changes and all of this joint pain and tension and headaches were healing and feeling better, but even from her family's and her significant other standpoint, they were seeing her come alive and see her in a totally different way where she was able to enjoy her life again. Do you have any other things that you want to talk about with Jenny? And we're gonna take a quick break. This episode of Healing Beyond the Symptoms is sponsored by Body and Balance Wellness Center in Golden, Colorado. They know that real healing isn't about chasing symptoms, it's about uncovering the root cause of stress, tension, and imbalance. Their gentle nervous system-based care helps people release stored stress, reconnect to their bodies, and build resilience that lasts. If you've tried everything and still feel like something's missing, they may be the missing link. Learn more and book your consultation at bodyimbalanced chiropractic.com. All right, and let's get back to the show.

SPEAKER_01 10:57

I think with Jenny is it's maybe less specific to Jenny, but more broad spectrum, is commonly when you see people, or you know, we frequently see people, you know, they come in, they might be on medications for depression or stress or whatever those are. And so commonly those are just covering the underlying symptoms. So, what our goal really is to try to figure out what is happening in the body. Why is the body not processing and releasing that stress? Why is it, and and maybe someone's life is still really stressful, but they can't figure that out until you start to get them out of the that fight or flight response. One of the things that we you know we will frequently use as an analogy is the concept of the boiled frog. So I don't know if you've never heard of that. The concept of the boiled frog is if you throw a frog in boiling water, it'll jump right out. If you put a frog in a pot of water that's lukewarm and just slowly turn the temperature up until it's boiling, by the time the frog recognizes that it's boiling, it's too late and it sits there and just gets cooked. So that is kind of where we're where we sit as a society is that our stress just continues to build and continues to build and continues to build. And so maybe there's like you know some financial situation with work, or maybe, you know, maybe there's a job loss, or maybe there is, maybe you have a new addition to the family. All of those are just more and more demands. And the way society is, it's like, you know, the concept of keeping up with the Joneses is like we see what other people have and we want to try to keep up with that, and that's what so much of the you know, the culture is you know teaches us that it's like you need to have this in order to fit in, you need to have that, otherwise to show that you're successful. And really what we you know, what I want someone to be able to see is success comes from within, joy comes from within, and as they can release that stress and they can release that trauma. They're not relying on outside external things to be able to make themselves healthy because they have the power and strength within themselves to make that change. We just need to be able to, you know, we can help the body and show the body and help the body learn or to figure out where that stress has been stored so it can let go. So they're not processing their life through the filter of stress. They can process their life through, you know, joy and happiness versus stress, trauma, and protection.

SPEAKER_00 13:17

So what you're describing is basically living your life through a filter of well-being. And so when we think about network care, one of the things that I always found so fascinating is when they did this research study of like 3,000 people and looking at their results of what they experienced as they healed and as their bodies were in that healing state, is that they experienced those physical changes, but they also experience the changes in their emotional well-being, their adaptability to stress, their mental well-being. Um, but this that overall sense of how they could function in a different way. And I think that's the thing that is so missing in today's society, just like you're saying, we're looking at all of these external things to make us happy when or if our bodies could function better and we could really get more out of the situations or be more present or be more authentic. Um, it would make such a difference in terms of how people show up, how people are able to contribute to the lives of others or really fulfill their passion. So I see that so much in Jenny's story, but I also just see it as kind of like an overall shift in consciousness that really needs to happen in our society. We talked about people being able to really find their passion. What was the big life change? I mean, it for Jenny's situation, a lot of life changes happen, but what were the other career changes that happened through this process?

SPEAKER_01 14:42

Well, she used to be a teacher, but due to some stressful events, she had to kind of let that career path go. And plus trying to take care of her health. She wasn't able to do that anymore. And then she also had a child. And now that she actually was able to regain her energy and regain her life and regain the ability to kind of support and engage in that, she's actually decided to be able to homeschool her child and not just aside. She has the energy and the resources to be able to do that to be able to help support that child's future in that way.

SPEAKER_00 15:12

So exciting. So exciting. So, and these are the kind of changes that we're looking for. So I know again, when we talk about how our clients often come in with this perception of like, oh, I have sciatic pain and I really want your help. I would love to help with that. And I do love helping with that. But I'm also looking for the sense of awareness to start to develop about that mind-body connection. And really, are there things that are maybe not just physical that are associated with what's happening within the body? And when we have better awareness and we can have space, the mental capacity and the sense of well-being to really be more in touch with our lives, how we can start to look at things in new ways and we can start to make healthier choices and how that just starts to shift someone's entire life. And so these are the stories that we really thrive on. We're so lucky because we get to hear stories like this on a weekly basis. So pretty exciting stuff. So if you've ever been in a situation like Jenny, where you have tried so many different Western medical approaches and you're looking for more of a holistic root cause of what could really help you, what could help you go into healing mode, you have so many options. And really looking to the nervous system can make a huge difference in terms of your path towards well-being and health. If you've been frustrated with the Western medical system or looking for a root cause to your healing, please think about the nervous system and how reorganizing the nervous system can make a difference in terms of your healing journey. Until next time, breathe deep, listen in, and know that your healing power comes from within. Thanks again for joining me today on Healing Beyond the Symptoms. If you've been curious about network spinal or if you've tried everything else and still feel stuck, I want you to know this. Your body is not broken. It's patterned, and those patterns can change. If you're ready to experience how gentle care can lead to profound transformation, I'd love to invite you to book a wellness consultation at BodyInBalanceCiropractic.com. Together we'll look at what your body needs to finally release, reset, and thrive. Until next time, breathe deep, trust your body, and remember gentle can be powerful.