Acupuncture for Autoimmune Conditions in San Diego

Classical Chinese Medicine for Hashimoto's, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus & More

Your body is attacking itself. At least, that's what conventional medicine says. Your immune system has gone haywire, mistaking your own tissues for foreign invaders. The solution offered is usually lifelong immune suppression, managing symptoms while the underlying condition persists or worsens.

Classical Chinese Medicine sees autoimmune disease differently. Your immune system isn't confused or malfunctioning. It's doing exactly what it's supposed to do, fighting something that's actually there. The problem is that what it's fighting has been hidden in your body for years, sometimes decades, held in a state of latency that due to some level of exhaustion, your system can no longer maintain.

Gateway Acupuncture & Wellness treats autoimmune conditions by addressing the root pattern: either releasing what your body has been trying to contain, or restoring the resources needed to resume latency, and allowing your immune system to disengage from the constant fight.

What Your Body Has Been Hiding

Here's what typically happens, often years before autoimmune symptoms appear:

You get sick. A bad cold, flu, respiratory infection, maybe food poisoning or exposure to environmental toxins. Your body tries to fight it off through the normal channels: fever, sweating, inflammation, expelling the pathogen. But something prevents full resolution. Maybe you were too stressed, too depleted, didn't rest enough, had to keep working through it. Your body couldn't generate the resources needed to fully clear the invader.

So your body does something intelligent. Instead of letting this pathogen threaten your vital organs, it walls it off. It diverts it to your joints, a relatively quiet and abundant place away from key vital functions, and creates a contained space where it can be held dormant. This is called latency. The symptoms disappear. You feel better. Life goes back to normal.

But the pathogen is still there, hidden. Your body is using energy constantly to maintain this containment. And as years pass, as stress accumulates, as you age and your constitutional reserves (what Chinese medicine calls "Jing") naturally decline, maintaining that latency becomes harder. Imagine how a storage unit works, when you have to put something away and have enough money, keeping things out-of-sight and out-of-mind is not a problem. What happens when the bank dries up?

When your body runs out of resources to maintain latency, it means it can't hold it anymore. The containment starts to fail. The old pathogen begins to emerge along with the Yang Qi (Warm/Hot Qi) that acted as the glue in the holding function. Your immune system detects it and mounts a response. But because the pathogen has been there so long, integrated into your tissues, the immune response looks like it's attacking your own body through inflammation.

This is how autoimmune disease develops. Not from immune confusion, but from lost latency.

Why Autoimmune Conditions Are Often Chronic, One-Sided, and Intermittent

If you have an autoimmune condition, you've probably noticed certain patterns:

It's often one-sided. Rheumatoid arthritis in one hand more than the other. Psoriasis on one side of your body. Thyroid issues affecting function asymmetrically. This is because the pathogen was originally diverted to specific locations in your body where it could be safely contained. Your body filled up latency on one side then had to resort to the other.

It comes and goes. You have flares and remissions. Good months and terrible months. This happens because your body is still trying to maintain latency. When your resources are stronger (after rest, less stress, better self-care), the containment holds, leaking diminishes, and symptoms improve. When you're depleted (stress, poor sleep, illness), latency fails, leakage increases, and symptoms flare.

It's chronic. Once established, autoimmune conditions don't just resolve on their own. This is because the underlying pathogen is still there, along with the increasing resource depletion, and continued immune system activation. Suppressing the immune response (the conventional approach) doesn't remove what the immune system is fighting. It just forces your body to stop trying. It tells the clean-up crew to go home and forget about the stuff spilling out of containment—something your body deemed a very poor choice after millions of years of evolutionary wisdom.

These three characteristics (chronic, one-sided, intermittent) are exactly what Classical Chinese Medicine recognizes as signs of latent pathology held in specific channels called Divergent Channels.

The Problem with Immune Suppression

Most conventional treatments for autoimmune disease use steroids or immune-suppressing medications. The goal is to reduce the immune attack on your tissues.

In Classical Chinese Medicine, we understand why this creates a cycle that often worsens over time:

Steroids damage Yang Qi. Yang is what gives your body the energy to fight pathogens, maintain containment, push out what doesn't belong. Also the drive to move forward in life. Steroids suppress this function. Your body becomes weaker at maintaining latency.

The body tries to fight anyway. Your immune system knows there's still a pathogen. It gathers whatever resources it can and mounts another attempt to expel it. The steroids suppress this attempt. The pathogen remains. You’ve essentially taken away your body’s first choice and now it must devise a new, less effective, strategy for dealing with the pathogen.

Higher doses are prescribed. As your body's natural Yang becomes more damaged, it further loses the ability to contain the pathogen. Symptoms may worsen. Higher doses of immunosuppressants are needed. The cycle continues.

Meanwhile, the original pathogen is never addressed. Your body is stuck in a state of chronic activation, fighting something it can't reach, while medications prevent it from completing what it's trying to do. The entire immune system is now suppressed for the sake of one condition.

How Classical Acupuncture Treats Autoimmune Disease

Classical Chinese Medicine uses magic of the Divergent Channel treatments to address latent pathogens. The approach is completely different from immune suppression:

First, we assess resources. Can your body handle releasing what it's been holding? Do you have enough constitutional strength (Jing), enough Yang energy, enough Blood and Body Fluids to actually complete the fight? If not, we rebuild these resources first. You can't pull out a latent pathogen if your body is too depleted to process it.

Then we begin Divergent treatments. Using specific channels we signal to your body that it's time to build resources to resume latency or release what it's been containing. We do this in a specific rhythm: Classically it was done as three days of treatment, and then three days off. This prevents your body from ignoring the message or becoming overwhelmed.

The pathogen re-emerges. This can feel like getting the original illness again, but briefer and more contained. You might have a few days where you feel like you have a cold, or experience temporary intensification of joint pain, or feel feverish. This is your body completing what it started years ago. What is different is that generally your mood, sleep, and main functions are still feeling good despite the mild worsening of the “healing event”.

The fight stops. With proper support, your body successfully either regains latency or expels what it's been fighting all along. The immune hyperactivity decreases because there's nothing left to fight. The autoimmune process resolves because the underlying cause has been removed.

The system rebalances. Once the latent pathogen is cleared, your body no longer needs to maintain constant immune activation. Inflammation decreases. Tissue damage stops progressing. Your energy returns because you're not using resources to contain something anymore.

What This Looks Like in Practice

The treatment progression varies depending on the condition and how long it's been present:

For recent autoimmune diagnosis (within 1-2 years): Treatment is often faster because latency hasn't been established as long and constitutional depletion is less severe. Many patients see significant improvement within 2-3 months of Divergent treatments.

For long-standing autoimmune disease (5+ years): We typically spend more time rebuilding resources before attempting to release or regain latency. There are often some complications that arise from having this conditions this long those also need to be addressed. The process can take 4-6 months or longer, but the goal is resolution, not superficial symptom management.

For patients on steroids or immunosuppressants: We work more slowly because these medications have damaged Yang Qi. We often coordinate with your prescribing physician to gradually reduce medications as your body regains the ability to regulate itself. This requires patience and careful monitoring.

For multiple autoimmune conditions: We treat the most active condition first, often finding that as one resolves, others improve as well because the underlying pattern of lost latency is being addressed.

Specific Conditions We Treat

Classical acupuncture for autoimmune disease is effective for a wide range of conditions:

Hashimoto's Thyroiditis - Immune attack on the thyroid gland, often with hormonal imbalances, fatigue, weight changes, temperature dysregulation.

Graves' Disease - Thyroid hyperactivity, anxiety, tremors, heat intolerance, rapid heartbeat.

Rheumatoid Arthritis - Joint inflammation, pain, stiffness, often worse in mornings, progressive joint damage if untreated.

Psoriasis - Skin inflammation, plaques, scaling, often worsening with stress or seasonal changes.

Lupus (SLE) - Systemic inflammation affecting multiple organs, fatigue, joint pain, skin manifestations.

Multiple Sclerosis - Neurological symptoms from immune attack on myelin, fatigue, muscle weakness, coordination issues.

Addison's Disease - Adrenal insufficiency, fatigue, low blood pressure, salt cravings.

Fibromyalgia - Widespread pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, often overlapping with other autoimmune conditions.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn's, Ulcerative Colitis) - Chronic inflammation of digestive tract, pain, urgency, malabsorption.

What Changes Look Like

Autoimmune disease resolution happens in phases. Patients often notice:

Energy improves first. The constant drain from maintaining latency decreases. You're not as exhausted. You can function without needing to rest constantly.

Flares become less frequent. The pattern of remission and relapse starts to stabilize. Good periods last longer. Bad periods are less severe.

Inflammation markers decrease. Blood work often shows reduction in inflammatory markers (ESR, CRP, antibody titers). Your rheumatologist or endocrinologist notices objective improvement.

Medication needs decrease. Many patients are able to reduce or discontinue immunosuppressants under medical supervision as their immune system normalizes. This should always be done with your prescribing physician.

Symptoms resolve. Joint pain decreases. Skin clears. Energy returns. Thyroid function normalizes. The progression of tissue damage stops or reverses.

You feel like yourself again. This is what patients describe most often. Not just symptom reduction, but actually feeling healthy, capable, not defined by chronic illness anymore.

Most patients with autoimmune conditions notice meaningful changes within 8-12 weeks of beginning treatment. Complete resolution of long-standing conditions typically takes 6-12 months of consistent treatment, but the changes are lasting. This is real healing.

What Patients Are Saying

"I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's three years ago. My endocrinologist kept increasing my thyroid medication but I still felt terrible. After four months of treatment with Diego, my antibody levels dropped significantly and my energy came back."
— Rebecca T., Mission Hills

"I came to Diego for rheumatoid arthritis in both hands. I couldn't open jars or buckle seatbelts without pain. Even tying laces was painful. Diego explained about divergents and working along my rheumatologist we made great progress. My joints are so much better now and I've been able to reduce my medication."
— Michael L., La Jolla

"The psoriasis covered my elbows, knees, and scalp for over ten years. I tried every cream, every diet, phototherapy, biologics. Within three months of working with Diego, my skin started clearing. It's not perfect yet but it's better than it's been in a decade."
— Sarah K., Del Mar

Who This Approach Serves

Classical acupuncture for autoimmune conditions is particularly effective for people who:

• Have been diagnosed with an autoimmune condition and want to address the root cause, not just suppress symptoms

• Experience side effects from immunosuppressant medications or want to reduce medication dependence

• Notice their condition is chronic, one-sided, or comes and goes in flares and remissions

• Feel stuck despite following conventional treatment protocols

• Have multiple autoimmune conditions or family history of autoimmune disease

• Want to prevent progression of tissue damage and restore normal immune function

• Are willing to commit to the treatment process, which requires time and consistency

Your First Visit: What to Expect

Initial Patient Intake & Treatment (80 minutes | $225)

Your first session includes:

• Comprehensive health history including when your autoimmune condition began, what preceded it (illness, stress, major life events), what treatments you've tried, and current medications

• Classical diagnostic assessment using pulse reading and other methods to identify where latent pathology is being held in your body

• Discussion of your story, symptoms, flare patterns, and what you're hoping will change

• Personalized treatment plan addressing your unique autoimmune pattern (not a generic protocol, but treatment specific to where your body is holding latency)

• First acupuncture treatment

Follow-Up Treatments (55 minutes | $180)

Most patients begin with treatments three days in a row, then three days off, repeating this cycle. This specific rhythm is essential for Divergent Channel work. As latency releases and your system stabilizes, we adjust the frequency. Treatment duration varies based on how long the condition has been present and your constitutional strength.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can acupuncture cure my autoimmune disease?

Classical acupuncture can resolve the underlying pattern creating autoimmune disease by releasing latent pathogens and restoring latency which leads to more normal immune function. Many patients experience significant reduction of symptoms and improvement in blood work. However, this requires time, commitment, and often coordination with your medical team as improvement occurs.

How long does treatment take?

Generally speaking, recent autoimmune diagnosis (within 1-2 years) often responds within 2-4 months. Long-standing conditions (5+ years) typically require 6-12 months of consistent treatment. Patients on steroids or immunosuppressants often need longer because these medications have damaged the body's Yang resources. Every treatment and every patient is unique.

Can I continue my medications while doing acupuncture?

Yes. Continue all prescribed medications unless your doctor advises otherwise. As your condition improves, we coordinate with your prescribing physician to safely reduce medications. Never stop immunosuppressants or steroids without medical supervision, as this can cause dangerous rebound effects.

What happens when the latent pathogen is released?

You might experience a brief period (usually 2-5 days) where you feel like you're getting the original illness again. This could manifest as cold symptoms, temporary increase in joint pain, fatigue, or low-grade fever. This is your body completing the fight it started years ago. We support you through this process as it resolved. Healing occurs in layers, and you may have to release layers of illness/pathogens over time, depending on the severity of your condition.

Will my rheumatologist or endocrinologist support this?

Some physicians are familiar with acupuncture and are very supportive. Others are skeptical initially but become supportive when they see objective improvements in quality of life, blood work, and symptoms. We provide documentation of treatment and can communicate with your medical team as needed.

Do you take insurance?

We operate as a cash-pay practice but provide detailed superbills that you can submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement. Some insurance plans cover acupuncture for autoimmune conditions, particularly if you have out-of-network benefits.

Ready to Begin?

Schedule your initial consultation to explore how Classical Acupuncture can address the root cause of your autoimmune condition.

Complimentary Consultation: 15 minutes
Initial Intake & Treatment: 80 minutes | $225
Follow-Up Treatments: 55 minutes | $180