Understanding CIRS: Genetics, Biotoxin Exposure, Evidence-Based Testing, and the Shoemaker Protocol, with Dr. Eric Dorninger

Recorded in Dr. Eric Dorninger’s Colorado studio, the episode focuses on chronic inflammatory response syndrome (CIRS), aiming to educate listeners on what it is and how to identify and treat it.Dorninger explains his background in naturopathic medicine and the “therapeutic order,” emphasizing validated diagnostics over symptom-chasing and criticizing urinary mycotoxin testing as a non-diagnostic exposure marker. He describes CIRS as a multi-symptom, multi-system illness driven by biotoxin exposures (including water-damaged buildings/mold, actinobacteria, endotoxin, algae blooms, tick co-infections, and recluse spider venom) interacting with immune-response genetics (HLA, present in most CIRS cases). He outlines screening via symptom clusters and the visual contrast sensitivity test, confirmatory labs, and treatment with the Shoemaker/CIRS Protocol—prioritizing removal from exposure, prescription binders, and, when indicated, VIP to address brain effects—while discussing remediation standards, CIRSx, and the role of trauma/loneliness without reducing CIRS to “nervous system” issues alone.