The Autoimmune Connection

Feb 15

According to the National Institutes of Health, an estimated 23.5 million Americans live with autoimmune disease (AID)—and that number continues to rise. For perspective, cancer affects roughly 9 million people, and heart disease impacts about 22 million. Autoimmune disease quietly rivals—and in some cases surpasses—these conditions in prevalence.

Women and Autoimmune Disease

Why Autoimmune Disease Disproportionately Affects Women

Autoimmune diseases affect approximately 8% of the population, and nearly 80% of those affected are women. This alone makes it impossible to ignore the role of hormones, immune signaling, and life-stage stressors.

In clinical practice, many women—especially mothers—report persistent fatigue, even when they’re sleeping 8+ hours per night and their children are sleeping through the night. This isn’t “just motherhood.” It’s often a red flag.

Delayed Diagnosis and Medical Dismissal

On average, it takes up to three years for a woman to receive a diagnosis of an autoimmune disease.

In a TODAY’s new “Dismissed” survey:

26% of women with chronic conditions said their symptoms were ignored or dismissed by doctors
31% felt they needed to prove their symptoms to a healthcare provider
22% sought care outside of mainstream medicine
31% of women aged 18–34 pursued alternative or integrative treatment for chronic illness

That’s not coincidence—that’s a system gap.

What Is Autoimmune Disease?

How the Immune System Is Supposed to Work

The immune system protects the body from harmful invaders like bacteria and viruses by producing antibodies. Under normal conditions, it does not attack the body’s own tissues.

When the Immune System Turns on the Body

In autoimmune disease, the immune system misidentifies healthy tissue as a threat and launches an attack against it. This ongoing immune response leads to inflammation, tissue damage, and a wide range of disease presentations.

Autoimmune disease is not one condition—it’s a broad category of more than 100 distinct disorders affecting nearly every system in the body.

Most Common Autoimmune Diseases

Examples of Autoimmune Conditions

Type 1 Diabetes
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Psoriasis / Psoriatic Arthritis
Multiple Sclerosis
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Addison’s Disease
Graves’ Disease
Sjögren’s Syndrome
Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
Myasthenia Gravis
Autoimmune Vasculitis
Pernicious Anemia
Celiac Disease

…and many more.

Genetics and Autoimmune Disease

Why Autoimmune Conditions Run in Families

Autoimmune diseases don’t behave like single-gene disorders (such as sickle cell anemia). Instead, they involve multiple genetic variations, which is why autoimmune conditions often cluster in families.

You may not inherit the same autoimmune disease—but you may inherit a predisposition toward immune dysfunction.

What Triggers Autoimmune Disease?

Environmental and Lifestyle Triggers

Genetics load the gun—but environment pulls the trigger.

Known contributors include:

Chronic inflammation
Chemical or environmental exposures
Infections (viral, bacterial, parasitic)
Chronic stress
Hormonal imbalances
Certain medications
Poor diet or food sensitivities
Weight gain
Gut dysbiosis (imbalance of gut bacteria)

Often, it’s not one trigger, but a cumulative load over time.

Common Symptoms of Autoimmune Disease

Signs That Shouldn’t Be Ignored

Persistent fatigue
Muscle or joint pain
Swelling and redness
Low-grade fevers
Brain fog or trouble concentrating
Numbness or tingling in hands and feet
Hair loss
Skin rashes
Unexplained weight gain or weight loss

If several of these sound familiar, your symptoms deserve a deeper look.

How We Evaluate Autoimmune Disease at STAT Wellness

Initial Testing and Wellness Panels

For many patients, we begin with a comprehensive wellness panel to assess:

Inflammatory markers
Immune cell patterns
Infections
Nutritional deficiencies (especially vitamin D)
Stress physiology

While this testing is not diagnostic on its own, it provides valuable insight and helps guide personalized care.

Advanced Autoimmune Testing: AVISE-CTD

We also offer AVISE- CDT testing, which evaluates specific antibodies and biomarkers associated with autoimmune diseases such as:

Lupus
Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Sjögren’s Syndrome

Cost: $95 with most insurance plans
(Yes—actually affordable. Rare, but true.)

Conventional Treatment vs. Root-Cause Care

Standard Medical Treatment

Conventional treatment typically includes:

NSAIDs
Steroids
Immunosuppressant medications

BOTTOM LINE: These medications reduce inflammation and suppress immune activity—but they don’t address why the immune system became dysregulated in the first place.

Our Functional Medicine Approach at STAT Wellness

At STAT Wellness Charleston, we believe chronic inflammation is the common denominator behind many autoimmune conditions.

We focus on identifying and addressing:

Food sensitivities
Gut dysbiosis
Nutrient deficiencies
Environmental exposures
Hormonal imbalances
Lifestyle and stress load

Our goal is to reduce inflammation, support immune regulation, and slow disease progression through targeted lifestyle, nutrition, exercise, and supplementation strategies—alongside conventional care when needed.

Ready to Get Answers?

If you’re experiencing symptoms that don’t add up—or you’re tired of being told everything is “normal”—you deserve a deeper conversation.

Schedule an appointment with Athena Newell, FNP-C, and let’s uncover the root cause of your symptoms.

You don’t have to keep guessing. We’d love to help.

Sources:

https://www.aarda.org/who-we-help/patients/women-and-autoimmunity/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3114837/