Darrick Robles When the immune system attacks and destroys the body’s own structures, it is referred to as an autoimmune disease. There are 80 – 100 different autoimmune diseases that can cause a wide variety of symptoms. Women are more likely to be affected by autoimmune diseases. Unfortunately, autoimmune diseases cannot be treated causally, but the progression of the disease can be slowed down and the symptoms alleviated by timely therapy.
What are autoimmune diseases?
The immune system has the function of protecting your body from foreign, dangerous influences. Not everything foreign is dangerous, and the body’s own structures must also be tolerated by the immune system, which is why a balance of inflammatory reactions and regulatory mechanisms is necessary for the correct function of the immune system. If this balance is disturbed, the immune system can see its own body as “foreign” and start an inflammatory reaction against it in order to render the “dangerous” substances harmless. The inflammation destroys the tissue and causes discomfort.
Since any part of the body can be affected, there are many different diseases, all grouped under the term “autoimmune disease”. Depending on the organ systems affected, the severity of the disease and the general state of health, life expectancy in autoimmune diseases varies greatly.
Allergies are also triggered by a malfunction of the immune system. Non-hazardous substances are classified as hazardous, and the excessive immune response leads to symptoms. However, an autoimmune disease is not an allergy, since it is not a response to foreign substances, so-called allergens, but the immune system reacts directly to components of the body.
Autoimmune diseases can be organ-specific , focusing on a specific organ, or they can be systemic throughout the body. Because many autoimmune diseases are very rare, this list of autoimmune diseases is not exhaustive, but only provides some of the most common examples:
- Alopecia areata: circular hair loss .
- Inflammatory bowel disease: This inflammation of the bowel can be continuous or flare-up. The two most common representatives are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis .
- Type 1 diabetes mellitus : Destruction of the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.
- Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Autoimmune hypothyroidism.
- Lupus erythematosus (butterfly itch): Can affect any organ.
- Morbus Basedow (Graves’ disease): Autoimmune-related hyperthyroidism.
- Morbus Bechterew: Rheumatic disease that primarily affects the lower back and pelvis.
- Multiple Sclerosis: Inflammation of the nervous system.
- Psoriasis vulgaris ( psoriasis ): Inflammatory disease that mainly affects the skin.
- Rheumatoid arthritis: Inflammatory disease of the joints.
- Vitiligo: Destruction of melanin producing cells.
Symptoms of autoimmune diseases
The symptoms of an autoimmune disease can be very different. Since every autoimmune disease is directed against specific tissues and organs by specific autoantibodies, the symptoms are limited to these areas. Several autoimmune diseases can occur at the same time.
Causes of autoimmune diseases
Unfortunately, the exact causes behind the imbalance of the immune system and the following autoimmune diseases are not yet known. What is certain is that the likelihood of developing an autoimmune disease is genetic and can be inherited. There are also environmental factors that can act as triggers . These include:
- Smoking
- Infections with viruses, bacteria or parasites
- nutrition
- exposure to pollutants
- Stress
Several factors are often necessary before an autoimmune disease develops.
Pregnancy is a special situation of the immune system. It must tolerate the fetus. This change can serve as a trigger for the development of an autoimmune disease. The severity of the symptoms of an existing autoimmune disease usually changes during pregnancy. Autoimmune diseases can also occur in the context of cancer .
diagnosis
Just as the symptoms of different autoimmune diseases differ, so different tests are needed to diagnose each autoimmune disease. The determination of specific autoantibodies can often lead to the corresponding diagnosis. In addition, the severity of the disease must be assessed in order to find the appropriate therapy option.
Therapy of autoimmune diseases
Since the immune system is essential for survival, it cannot be completely eliminated. Thus, even autoimmune diseases cannot be treated and cured causally. However, depending on the stage of the disease and the region affected, there are many ways to relieve the symptoms and stop the progression of the disease as much as possible. Anti-inflammatory drugs such as NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) reduce inflammatory reactions that lead to tissue destruction.
Immunosuppressants are also used. These down-regulate the entire immune system. This reduces the immune response to your own tissue, but the risk of infection also increases, since the response to pathogens is also reduced. If these measures are not sufficient, specifically synthesized immunoglobulins can also be used in certain autoimmune diseases , which intervene precisely in the inflammatory mechanism of the autoimmune disease and do not impair the rest of the immune system.
Here’s how Med-Healths can help
Since the spectrum of autoimmune diseases is very broad, it can be difficult to recognize an autoimmune disease yourself. The complaints sometimes seem unspecific and unrelated. With Med-Healths you have the opportunity to speak directly to a doctor, who can go into more detail about the symptoms in a detailed discussion and assess the probability of whether you are suffering from an autoimmune disease. If there is a possibility or if physical examinations are necessary, you can also receive a referral to a resident doctor.
