Exhausted by "Normal" Results? How Functional Medicine Finds the Root Cause of Your Autoimmune Symptoms

Written for Dr. Angelina Alejandro

I know your story. You’ve been to doctor after doctor, specialist after specialist. You present a laundry list of symptoms—debilitating fatigue, mysterious joint pain, chronic digestive issues, brain fog, and skin flare-ups.

You tell your story, hopeful, only to be met with blood test results that are "within the normal range," or worse, a simple diagnosis followed by a prescription meant only to mask the symptoms.

You leave feeling unheard, dismissed, and still sick.

If this frustrating cycle sounds familiar, it’s because you haven't been looking at the right map. As a Functional Medicine Doctor, I want you to know that your symptoms are not random—they are signals. They point to a deeper, underlying imbalance, often linked to an autoimmune response where your body is attacking itself.

Here, we don't just treat the label of the disease; we treat you. We dive beneath the surface to find the true root cause of your autoimmune symptoms, and that makes all the difference.

The Autoimmune Challenge: Why Symptoms Are So Confusing

Autoimmune diseases—like Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, and Multiple Sclerosis—are notoriously difficult to diagnose in their early stages because their symptoms are so nonspecific. They look like everything and nothing all at once.

If you are chronically searching for answers, pay close attention to these common, yet often overlooked, signs of systemic immune dysfunction:

1. Chronic, Unrelenting Fatigue

This isn't just being tired; it's a deep exhaustion that sleep doesn't fix. It's often the number one symptom patients report, resulting from your immune system constantly diverting your body's energy to fuel its misguided attack on your healthy tissues.

2. Migratory Joint Pain and Swelling

You may experience pain, stiffness, and swelling in various joints or muscles that seems to move around your body. This joint discomfort is a direct result of inflammation—the body's perpetual internal battle.

3. Persistent Digestive Distress

Autoimmunity and gut health are intrinsically linked. Symptoms like chronic bloating, diarrhea, constipation, or abdominal pain are not just isolated digestive issues; they are often a sign that a compromised gut barrier ("leaky gut") is allowing toxins and food particles to enter the bloodstream, triggering the autoimmune cycle.

4. Skin Issues, Rashes, and Hair Loss

Hair Loss may be a sign of autoimmune conditions

Your skin is an outward reflection of your internal health. Rashes, hives, and chronic inflammatory conditions like psoriasis and eczema are often flares of the body’s systemic inflammatory response. Unexplained hair loss can also signal an autoimmune attack (such as that seen in some forms of alopecia or thyroiditis).

5. Recurring Fevers and Feeling “Unwell” (Malaise)

Low-grade, recurring fevers or a general feeling of being unwell and low-energy are your body’s constant alert system. This subtle signal indicates that your immune system is perpetually activated.

Conventional vs. Functional: A Tale of Two Approaches

When you bring these complex, interconnected symptoms to a conventional doctor, the approach is standardized and generally focused on managing the diagnosis once it's confirmed.

Feature	Conventional Medicine Approach	Functional Medicine Approach (Dr. Alejandro's Method)
Primary Goal	Symptom Management. Suppress the immune system and manage inflammation.	Root Cause Resolution. Identify and correct the specific imbalances driving the immune dysfunction.
Treatment	Standardized medications: Immunosuppressants (e.g., corticosteroids, biologics).	Personalized, holistic protocols: Dietary changes, gut repair, stress management, targeted supplements, and hormone balancing.
Immune System	Suppression. Aims to shut down the immune attack using powerful drugs.	Balance. Aims to modulate and rebalance the immune response to stop attacking itself naturally.
Diagnosis	Relies primarily on antibody testing to confirm the disease is present.	Utilizes advanced, comprehensive testing to look for early markers, gut permeability, nutrient deficiencies, and environmental toxins.
Patient View	Views the disease as a chronic, incurable condition.	Views the condition as a manifestation of systemic imbalances that can potentially be reversed or prevented from progressing.

The conventional model treats the branches of the diseased tree; the Functional Medicine approach, practiced here, treats the root.

Why Dr. Alejandro is Different: Finding Your Unique Trigger

I integrate the best practices of conventional medicine with the root-cause analysis of functional medicine to offer a truly personalized path to healing.

For every autoimmune condition to exist, three core elements must be present:

1. A Genetic Predisposition: Your susceptibility (which we can’t change, but we can manage).

2. A Compromised Gut: An imbalance or "leaky gut" (which is highly treatable).

3. A Trigger: The environmental or lifestyle factor that pushed the immune system over the edge (this is where we focus our efforts).

My process is dedicated to uncovering your unique triggers, which often fall into five categories:

Healing the gut is the first step to getting well.

1. Gut Integrity and the Microbiome

We go beyond simple labs to test for intestinal permeability and perform microbiome analysis to pinpoint imbalances, infections, or parasites. Repairing the gut lining is non-negotiable for cooling down systemic inflammation.

2. Dietary Triggers and Sensitivities

For many, the inflammatory cycle is triggered by food. We use personalized elimination diets and advanced testing to identify reactive foods (like gluten, dairy, or corn) that may be driving your immune system's overreaction.

3. Environmental Toxins

Toxic exposure (heavy metals, mold, pesticides) can overload your detoxification pathways and trigger autoimmunity. We use specialized testing to assess your body burden and create protocols to gently support detoxification.

4. Chronic Stress and Hormonal Imbalance

Chronic, unmanaged stress elevates cortisol, which ultimately dysregulates the immune system. We look at hormonal balance (including thyroid, sex hormones, and cortisol) and incorporate stress reduction techniques (like meditation and breathwork) to restore equilibrium.

5. Nutrient Deficiencies

Your immune system requires specific micronutrients (like Vitamin D, Zinc, and Selenium) to function properly. Deficiencies in these key areas can weaken your body's ability to regulate its own immune response.

If you are tired of being told your symptoms are "normal" or "in your head," and you are ready for a thorough investigation that honors your entire history, I am here to partner with you.

We won't just manage the disease; we will work to address the root imbalance, giving you the tools to reclaim your health and vitality.

Your healing journey starts now. Let’s find your solution.

CONTACT:

Dr. Angelina Alejandro

11000 Scottsdale Dr.

Scottsdale, AZ 85254

480-866-7223

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