What is an Autoimmune Disease?

AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES

Your immune system naturally protects you against harmful foreign invaders like bacteria, viruses, and toxins. When your immune system detects any of these invaders, it releases fighter cells – known as antibodies – to attack and eliminate the invaders to protect you from harm.

Usually, your immune system can tell the difference between invader cells and your healthy body cells. An Autoimmune Disease happens when your immune system mistakes healthy body cells as foreign. It then releases proteins – known as autoantibodies – to attack these healthy cells, leading to various health issues. This mistake happens as a response to unknown triggers.

An autoimmune disease can affect one or more healthy organs or tissues, leading to:

• The destruction of body tissues,
• Abnormal growth of an organ, or
• Changes in organ function.

The commonly affected body parts include:

• Blood vessels and Red blood cells.
• Endocrine glands like the thyroid gland or pancreas.
• Skin and Connective tissues
• Joints and Muscles

It is also possible to have more than one autoimmune disease at a time, with symptoms varying from mild to severe.

COMMON SYMPTOMS OF AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES

There are different types of autoimmune diseases, and a lot of them share similar symptoms. Some common symptoms include:

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• Joint pain and swelling.
• Skin problems like rashes.
• Abdominal pain or digestive issues.
• Recurring fever.
• Swollen glands.

EXAMPLES OF AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES

Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when the immune system attacks the joint tissues, resulting in inflammation, swelling, and pain. If left untreated, it can result in permanent joint damage.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE or Lupus) can affect any tissue across the body. But it commonly affects the joints, kidneys, lungs, blood cells, and nerves.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Here, the immune system attacks the intestinal lining, which causes episodes of diarrhea, rectal bleeding, urgent bowel movements, abdominal pain, fever, and weight loss. The two major forms of IBD are Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease.

Multiple Sclerosis happens when the immune system attacks nerve cells, resulting in many unpleasant symptoms, including pain, blindness, weakness, poor coordination, and muscle spasms.

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus happens when autoantibodies destroy the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Upon diagnosis, people with type 1 diabetes require insulin injections to survive.

Guillain-Barre Syndrome occurs when the immune system attacks the nerves controlling the muscles in the legs and sometimes the arms and upper body. This attack results in weakness that can sometimes be severe.

Psoriasis happens when a particular type of immune system blood cells known as T-cells accumulate in the skin. This causes the skin to reproduce rapidly, resulting in silvery, scaly plaques on the skin.

Graves’ Disease. Here, the immune system produces antibodies that trigger the thyroid gland to release excess amounts of thyroid hormone, resulting in hyperthyroidism. The symptoms can include bulging eyes, weight loss, nervousness, irritability, rapid heart rate, weakness, and brittle hair.

Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. Unlike Graves’ disease, the antibodies attack the thyroid gland and slowly destroy the thyroid hormone-producing cells. This results in low thyroid hormone levels (hypothyroidism), which usually takes months to years to become noticeable. The symptoms include fatigue, constipation, weight gain, depression, dry skin, and sensitivity to cold.

Myasthenia Gravis happens when antibodies bind to nerves, thus making them unable to stimulate muscles properly. The main symptom is a weakness that gets worse with activity.

Vasculitis is a group of autoimmune diseases that happens when the immune system attacks blood vessels. It can affect any organ, so the symptoms vary and can occur in any part of the body.

RISK FACTORS FOR AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES

Autoimmune diseases can affect anyone, but scientists are yet to identify the exact cause(s) of this immune system misfire. However, some people are more likely to develop an autoimmune disease than others, and some of the predisposing factors include:

• Autoimmune diseases affect more women than men. In fact, a 2014 study showed that women get autoimmune diseases at twice the rate that men do. Furthermore, the conditions often start during a woman’s childbearing years, 15 to 44 years.
• Certain autoimmune diseases are more common or more severe among some ethnic groups. For instance, more African-Americans and Hispanics are affected by Lupus than Caucasians. Type 1 diabetes is also more common in white people.
• Genetics/Family History. Inheriting certain genes can increase your risk of developing an autoimmune disease. Though not every family member will necessarily have the same disease, they inherit a susceptibility to develop an autoimmune disease.
• Environmental Factors. Researchers suspect that exposure to environmental factors may trigger some autoimmune diseases or make them worse. Some of the environmental factors that have been linked to autoimmune diseases include sunlight, bacterial and viral infections, and toxic chemicals.
• Consuming high-fat, high-sugar, and highly processed foods is another suspected risk factor because these foods are thought to be linked to inflammation. And this inflammation might trigger an abnormal immune response, but this has not been proven.
• Hygiene hypothesis. Children today are not exposed to as many germs as they were in the past. So, the hygiene hypothesis proposes that this lack of exposure can make their immune system more predisposed to overreact to harmless substances.

DIAGNOSIS

Autoimmune diseases are not easy to diagnose because even though each condition is unique, many share similar symptoms. The symptoms are also similar to other forms of health issues. This makes it challenging to diagnose whether you have an autoimmune disease and the type it might be.

However, if you are experiencing bothersome symptoms, you should find the cause. The following steps can help you find out the cause of your symptoms:

• Write down a thorough family history, including extended family.
• Document your symptoms, even if they seem unrelated.
• Talk to a doctor that specializes in most of your significant symptoms. For example, you should see a gastroenterologist if you have symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease. You should also share your family history with the doctor.
• Get as many opinions as possible – second, third, fourth. Especially if your doctor does not take your symptoms seriously, says they are stress-related or in your head.

TREATMENT OF AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES.

There are many types of medications used in the treatment of autoimmune diseases. The medication choice depends on the disease type, severity, and symptoms. The treatment can aim to achieve any of the following:

Relieve symptoms

Over-the-counter drugs can help relieve mild symptoms – for instance, aspirin and ibuprofen for mild pain. However, more severe symptoms, like severe pain, swelling, depression, anxiety, sleep problems, or fatigue, may require prescription medications. Some symptoms may even require surgery.

Replace essential substances the body can no longer produce

Autoimmune diseases like type 1 diabetes and thyroid disease can affect the body’s ability to make essential substances it needs to function optimally. External replacements are used in such cases. For instance, insulin injections are used to regulate blood sugar in type 1 diabetes. Thyroid hormone replacements are also used to restore thyroid hormone levels in cases of low thyroid function.

Suppress the immune system

Some medications can suppress immune system activity, which helps control the disease process and preserve organ function. For example, some medications are used to control kidney inflammation in people with lupus to preserve kidney function.

Some of these immune-suppressing medications include:

• Chemotherapy drugs at lower doses than what is required for cancer treatment.
• Drugs that are used to prevent rejection in people who have had an organ transplant.

New treatment options are also being studied all the time.

ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS

There are limited studies on the benefit of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in autoimmune diseases. Furthermore, CAM products can cause some health issues or interfere with the medications you need. Therefore, you should discuss the benefits and risks with your doctor before you try CAM treatments like herbs, chiropractic, acupuncture, or hypnosis.

FLARES AND DEALING WITH THEM

Flares are the sudden and severe onset of symptoms, which usually happen due to certain triggers. Some of these triggers include sun exposure and stress. Identifying your triggers, following your treatment plan, and regularly seeing your doctor can help prevent flares or stop them from becoming severe.

You should not try a “cure” your friend or family recommended, as this can worsen the situation. Instead, you should see your doctor when you experience or suspect a flare.

HELPFUL LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION

If you are living with an autoimmune disease, the following tips can help you feel better:

Healthy and Balanced Diet

Sticking to a healthy diet can help you feel your best. So, your diet should include whole grains, lean protein, fruits and vegetables, and limited saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, salt, and added sugars.

Regular Physical Activity

Gentle exercise usually helps people with long-lasting muscle and joint pain. Some types of yoga and tai chi may also help. But you should talk to your doctor about the type of physical activities you can do.

Furthermore, you should not overdo physical activity.

Adequate Rest

Getting enough rest gives your body tissues the time they need to recover. A great way to rest is sleeping, as it can help both your body and mind. Inadequate sleep increases your stress level, which can worsen your symptoms. It can also reduce your ability to fight off illnesses.

But when you get enough rest, your body can fight off illnesses and other health issues better. So, you should aim for at least 7 hours of sleep every day.

Stress Reduction

Stress and anxiety can trigger flares with some autoimmune diseases. So, simplifying your life and finding ways to cope with daily stressors can help you feel better.

Simple relaxation techniques, like meditation, hypnosis, and guided imagery, can help you reduce stress and pain and better deal with other aspects of living with the disease. Speaking to a counselor or joining a support group can also help you manage your stress and better cope with the disease.

SUMMARY

Autoimmune diseases can cause discomforting symptoms, and most of these diseases do not go away. The exact cause is also unknown. But you can treat your symptoms and learn to manage the disease. So, despite having an autoimmune disease, you can lead a whole and active life without changing your life goals.

Furthermore, you should see a doctor specializing in your type of disease, follow the treatment plan, and stick to a healthy lifestyle for the best health outcome.