Sjögren’s Syndrome Functional Medicine Care

Rheumatology, ophthalmology, and dental specialists often share Sjögren’s care. Functional medicine looks at immune triggers, gut health, and fatigue drivers while those teams manage dryness and organ involvement.

Sjögren’s involves autoimmune injury to moisture-producing glands and can extend to systemic features. Antibody-positive and antibody-negative presentations both exist, which is why dryness exams and clinical criteria matter as much as SSA/SSB results.

We map dryness, joint pain, fatigue, and digestive symptoms, then build a plan focused on root-cause contributors without interrupting specialty treatments you already use.

What testing looks like: we review SSA/Ro, SSB/La, ANA, and specialist notes on dry eye or dry mouth, then consider nutrient and gut markers that may travel with fatigue or flares. We do not replace slit-lamp exams or dental monitoring.

What to expect: telehealth visits from Boulder, coordination with your rheumatology and eye/dental teams, and supportive strategies for systemic symptoms. Natural-support language on this site means root-cause lifestyle and nutrition work — not a claim that Sjögren’s can be cured without specialty care.

Treatments for Sjögren's may include non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS), corticosteroids, disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), biologics, and symptom-suppressing drugs for treating dry eyes and mouth. Each of these treatments, though helpful, incur their own array of risks, especially NSAIDS.

It can be frustrating trying to find help with chronic and complex conditions, which is why we have chosen to dedicate our practice to exactly that. Instead of treating the symptoms, the functional medicine approach focuses on uncovering the causes.

All autoimmune diseases start in the gut. We design custom plans of dietary intervention, supplements and lifestyle recommendations to help heal the gut and support the immune system. In supporting these fundamental functions of the digestive tract we can reduce inflammation and see dramatic changes in symptoms.

Our small intestine consists of 25 feet of tubing, the inside surface area being equivalent to that of a doubles tennis court!

Proteins called “tight junctions” prevent a flood of material into the gut. Low vitamin D levels coupled with inflammation in the gut starts to widen the space between cells, allowing materials (bacteria and food) to start seeping through. This triggers inflammation and antibodies are created against our own tissue.

Dr. Autoimmune is based in Boulder, Colorado, and delivers care entirely by telehealth so patients across Colorado and the United States can work with the team without travel.

Lab draws are coordinated at a facility convenient to where you live. Discovery calls and evaluations happen by secure video. If you are searching for a sjögren’s specialist in Boulder, start on this page and the homepage. Denver metro patients can read how visits work with the Boulder clinic on the Denver telehealth page, then book a discovery call to confirm fit alongside any specialists you already see.