Classical pulse diagnosis for the treatment of chronic illness at Gateway Acupuncture in San Diego

Classical Acupuncture for Hashimoto's, Rheumatoid Arthritis & Lupus

SAN DIEGO

A 1-on-1 investigative approach for people who have tried the normal options, but still don’t feel normal.

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Understand why you haven’t healed yet

Board Certified • Est. 2017 • Classical Lineage • Private 1-on-1 • 5.0★ (30+ Reviews)

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 exhaustion, your system can no longer maintain.

Gateway Acupuncture 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.

"I had a number of health issues that my western doctor was unable to resolve. Working with Diego, I am now a happy and healthy human again. Diego is a true healer. He listens. He explores different treatment options to best address health issues."
— G. R.

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 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 a storage unit. When you 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, the containment starts to fail. The old pathogen begins to emerge along with the Yang Qi (warm/hot energy) 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.

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 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.
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.

Learn More: Why Autoimmune Symptoms Are Chronic, One-Sided, and Intermittent

How Classical Acupuncture Treats Autoimmune Disease

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

Resource Assessment First

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.

Divergent Channel Treatment

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, 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's different is that generally your mood, sleep, and main functions are still feeling good despite the mild worsening of the "healing event".

The Fight Completes

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 I See Often:

A patient came in with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. She'd been on thyroid medication for three years, but her antibody levels kept climbing and she felt exhausted despite "normal" lab values. Her endocrinologist kept adjusting medication dosages.

During my assessment, I found her pulse showed Divergent Channel patterns with Yang Qi deficiency. She remembered having a severe respiratory infection about six months before her thyroid symptoms started. She'd worked through it, never fully recovered.

What I did first: We spent four weeks rebuilding Yang Qi and constitutional resources before beginning Divergent treatments. Then we started the three-days-on, three-days-off rhythm.

What changed: During the third cycle, she had three days of cold-like symptoms (runny nose, mild fever, fatigue). Her body was completing the fight from that old respiratory infection. After that, her energy returned. Her antibody levels dropped by 40% over the next two months. Her endocrinologist was able to reduce her thyroid medication.

"I sought care at Gateway after being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. My symptoms were debilitating. Since working with Diego, I have been symptom-free for approximately one year. I no longer worry about my physical health because Diego is a healer of the highest integrity."
— Richard M.

Classical acupuncture treatment for chronic illness at Gateway Acupuncture in Hillcrest San Diego

What Changes Look Like

Autoimmune disease resolution happens in phases. Patients often notice:

Phase 1: Energy Returns

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

Phase 2: Flares Stabilize

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

Phase 3: Inflammation Decreases (Weeks 8-16)

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

Phase 4: Long-Term Resolution

Many patients are able to reduce or discontinue immunosuppressants under medical supervision as their immune system normalizes. Joint pain decreases. Skin clears. Energy returns. Thyroid function normalizes. The progression of tissue damage stops or reverses.

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.

"The discomfort due to my arthritis has substantially subsided through Diego's strong intentions. Treating the root cause offers a much healthier outcome."
— Debra L.

Is This Approach Right for You?

This is a good fit if:

✓ You have an autoimmune diagnosis and want to address the root cause, not just suppress symptoms
✓ You experience side effects from immunosuppressants or want to reduce medication dependence
✓ Your condition is chronic, one-sided, or comes and goes in flares and remissions
✓ You feel stuck despite following conventional treatment protocols
✓ You're willing to commit to the treatment process (typically 3 days on, 3 days off rhythm for several months)
✓ You want to prevent progression of tissue damage and restore normal immune function

This may not be the right fit if:

✗ You want immediate results without the release process
✗ You're currently in an acute autoimmune crisis (seek emergency care first)
✗ You're not willing to coordinate with your prescribing physician
✗ You're not open to the possibility of temporary symptom intensification during pathogen release
✗ You're looking for the cheapest option available

I work with people who are ready to address root causes, not just suppress symptoms indefinitely.

What I won't promise: I can't guarantee specific outcomes or timelines. Autoimmune disease is complex. Every body is different. If you're not seeing progress by 8-12 weeks, I'll tell you directly and we'll either adjust the approach or I'll refer you elsewhere.

Common Autoimmune Conditions Treated

Thyroid Conditions:

Hashimoto's Thyroiditis
Graves' Disease

Joint & Connective Tissue:

Rheumatoid Arthritis
Lupus (SLE)
Psoriatic Arthritis

Skin:

Psoriasis
Eczema (when autoimmune-related)

Digestive:

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn's, Ulcerative Colitis)

Neurological:

Multiple Sclerosis

Other:

Addison's Disease
Fibromyalgia (when autoimmune patterns present)

If your condition isn't listed, reach out. Classical Acupuncture treats patterns at the channel level, regardless of the Western medicine label.

Classical acupuncture clinic offering treatment for chronic pain relief in hillcrest san diego

What Happens on Your First Visit

Before your first treatment : Complimentary fit call

10-15 minutes with me. We'll clarify your goals and whether this approach is right for you. If it's a fit, you'll leave with a recommended starting plan.

Schedule Call

Your first session (80 minutes) 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 pulse and tongue diagnosis
✓ Assessment of where latent pathology is being held in your body
✓ Same-day treatment based on your specific pattern
✓ Personalized treatment plan addressing your unique autoimmune pattern
✓ Discussion of the Divergent treatment rhythm and what to expect

One detail most patients don't expect: I'll ask detailed questions about illnesses you had years before your autoimmune symptoms started. That respiratory infection you had five years ago, the food poisoning, the mono in college—these can be diagnostically significant. Most practitioners don't connect these dots.

Follow-up sessions (55 minutes):

✓ Divergent Channel treatments (classically three days in a row, then three days off, repeating this cycle)
✓ Adjustments based on your body's response
✓ Monitoring for pathogen release
✓ Resource rebuilding as needed

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.

Your Investment in Health

I'm an out-of-network provider dedicated to premium, individualized care. This allows me to treat you based on what you need, not what an insurance adjuster dictates. I provide detailed superbills for insurance reimbursement.

Initial Intake & Treatment: $225 | 80 minutes. Comprehensive history, assessment & diagnosis, lifestyle evaluation, and your first full treatment.

Follow-Up Treatments: $180 | 55 minutes. Continued channel-based treatment, adjustments based on your response, ongoing guidance.

Treatment Plans: Most chronic conditions require a course of care for lasting resolution. We offer reduced rates for commitment packages (6 & 13 sessions) to support your healing journey.

Military & First Responders: 15% discount on all services

Payment: Cash, credit, HSA, FSA accepted
Insurance: We are an out-of-network provider. Detailed superbills provided for reimbursement.

Frequently Asked Questions

A: Classical acupuncture can address the underlying pattern creating autoimmune disease by releasing latent pathogens or 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. I don't use the word "cure" because that implies a guaranteed outcome, which I can't promise. What I can say is that many patients achieve remission or significant improvement to the point where they no longer identify as chronically ill.
A: 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. It's a good sign, it means your body has enough resources to finish what it couldn't before. We support you through this process. Healing occurs in layers, and you may have to release layers of illness/pathogens over time, depending on the severity of your condition.
A: Yes. Continue all prescribed medications unless your doctor advises otherwise. Never stop immunosuppressants or steroids without medical supervision, as this can cause dangerous rebound effects. As your condition improves, we coordinate with your prescribing physician to safely reduce medications. Many patients are able to decrease or discontinue medications, but this is always done gradually under medical supervision.
A: Some physicians are familiar with acupuncture and are very supportive. Others are skeptical initially but become supportive when they see objective improvements in blood work, symptom reduction, and quality of life. We provide documentation of treatment and can communicate with your medical team as needed. I've worked alongside many specialists in San Diego who appreciate seeing their patients improve. The key is maintaining open communication and never stopping medications without their approval.
A: Classical Chinese Medicine doesn't require a Western diagnosis to treat effectively. I'm diagnosing at the channel level using pulse, tongue, symptoms, and your health timeline. Two people with the same Western label often get different treatments from me. Two people with completely different diagnoses might get similar treatments if they share the same channel pattern. I treat what I find in your body, not the diagnostic label.
A: Yes. Most of my autoimmune illness patients have multiple diagnoses (autoimmune condition plus digestive issues plus anxiety plus sleep problems, for example). In Classical medicine, these aren't separate conditions. They're expressions of the same underlying pattern. When we address the root channel imbalance, multiple symptoms often improve simultaneously because we're treating what connects them.

Diego Garcia LAc classical acupuncturist at Gateway Acupuncture in Hillcrest San Diego

Ready to Address the Root of Your Autoimmune Condition?

Don't spend another year suppressing symptoms. Let's investigate what and why your immune system has been fighting.

Schedule a complimentary fit call:

✓ 10-15 minutes with Diego
✓ Discuss your health timeline and goals
✓ Determine if this approach is right for you
✓ If it's a fit, you'll leave with a recommended starting plan