What are autoimmune diseases and how are they treated

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Unfortunately, you won't be able to get rid of them completely.

What are autoimmune diseases

This is a large group of chronic pathologies of the immune system in which it attacks tissues or organs with the help of cells or antibodies. As a result, they become inflamed and damaged.

Autoimmune diseases are systemic, when they affect several organs at once, and localized, if they affect only one organ or tissue.

Where do autoimmune diseases come from?

Most often, the cause is unknown: they can occur in any person. However, scientists believe that the risk is increased by Autoimmune diseases / Office on Women’s Health with the following factors:

• Female gender and childbearing age. Some autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, are diagnosed with Autoimmune Diseases / Lab Tests Online 10 times more often in girls than in men.
• Genetic changes. Sometimes pathologies occur in members of the same family due to a sudden mutation of genes or are inherited.
• The action of external factors. Sunlight, chemicals, viruses and bacteria can lead to the development of an autoimmune process.

What are autoimmune diseases?

There are a lot of them, scientists have more than 100 such pathologies in the Autoimmune Disease List / Autoimmune Association. We will give only the most common ones:

• Diabetes mellitus type I. It occurs in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus / Medscape, when the immune system attacks the cells of the pancreas, so they produce less or synthesize insulin hormone. As a result, glucose is not absorbed by the cells of the body and damages tissues, primarily blood vessels and nerves.
• Systemic lupus erythematosus. In this disease, antibodies attack the Lupus / Mayo Clinic kidneys, skin, lungs, heart, brain and nervous system.
• Rheumatoid arthritis. Antibodies cause What is Rheumatoid arthritis / Autoimmune Association joint inflammation, leading to redness, pain and impaired mobility, and eventually deformity.
• Multiple sclerosis. It is a disorder of the brain and spinal cord in which antibodies attack the Multiple sclerosis / Mayo Clinic sheath of nerve fibers. When it is partially destroyed, the signals stop reaching the brain and back. As a result, various parts of the body become numb, tingling and weakness appear, and then paralysis develops.
• Psoriasis. In this case, the immune cells damage the What is Psoriasis / Autoimmune Association the skin, so that itchy, red or painful areas develop on it. Elbows, knees, scalp, palms, and feet are most often affected.
• Scleroderma. Due to the activation of fibroblast cells and T-lymphocytes, Scleroderma / Medscape occurs abnormal growth of connective tissue in the skin, due to which it becomes thick and dense. This causes swelling or pain in the joints and muscles.
• Vasculitis. Autoimmune vascular inflammation leads What is Vasculitis / Autoimmune Association to narrow their lumen and impair blood flow.
• Celiac disease. The immune response occurs Celiac Disease (Sprue) / Medscape due to the consumption of foods with gluten (barley, wheat, rye). As a result, the intestinal mucosa becomes inflamed, diarrhea and bloating appear, and the absorption of nutrients is impaired.
• Sjogren's Syndrome. In this pathology, the immune system attacks the What is Sjögren’s syndrome / Autoimmune Association salivary and lacrimal glands, therefore dry mouth and eyes occur. Sometimes T-lymphocytes affect the joints, digestive tract, and nerves.
• Ulcerative colitis. What is Ulcerative colitis (UC) / Autoimmune Association has too many immune cells that secrete antibodies. Therefore, the intestinal mucosa becomes inflamed, resulting in ulcers.
• Glomerulonephritis. This is the name of a kidney disease in which Rapidly Progressive Glomerulonephritis / Medscape are damaged their vessels. This is due to the production of antibodies to neutrophil cells, due to which they are destroyed and release enzymes that are dangerous for the kidneys. As a result, the renal glomeruli cannot normally produce urine, a lot of protein enters it, and a person develops edema and accumulates toxic substances in the blood.

What are the symptoms of autoimmune diseases?

Their signs are very diverse and depend on the specific pathology and severity. For example, with diabetes mellitus, a person is constantly thirsty, often goes to the toilet and loses weight. With systemic lupus erythematosus, a rash appears on the skin, and psoriasis causes red and scaly patches.

How to live with an autoimmune disease

These diseases are chronic and it is impossible to get rid of them. But doctors choose treatment that will help alleviate symptoms or reduce the risk of relapse. Usually, a person must take medications for life. Often these are hormones from the group of corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, and insulin injections are given for diabetes.

To avoid exacerbations of autoimmune diseases, doctors recommend Autoimmune diseases / Office on Women’s Health to follow these rules:

• Eat a balanced diet. You need to limit foods with cholesterol, trans fats, saturated fats. It is also recommended to eat less salt, include more vegetables and fruits, dairy and whole grains, and lean meat in the diet.
• Exercise regularly. Moderate activity will reduce muscle and joint pain.
• Get enough rest. You need to sleep at least 7-9 hours a day.
• Control stress. Meditation, calm music, and classes with a psychologist help.