The role of our body’s immune system is to defend or fight against the foreign particles, diseases, and other infections. However, if the immune system start functioning against the body’s healthy cells, tissues, organs and organ systems this is called autoimmune diseases.
There are more than 80 autoimmune disease known so far, the common one are rheumatoid arthritis, type1 diabetes, lupus, multiple sclerosis. In this condition the body gets weakens and our working stamina gets low than the usual, as the immune system has attacked the body’s healthy parts and cells. There is no permanent cure of most of the autoimmune diseases known so far, and requires lifelong treatment to make the symptoms at the lower side.
Our bodies complicated immune system consist of network of cells, that are organized and are play their role in precise manner to defend our body from the foreign invaders that can be microorganism, viruses, germs, etc. The ground of this working is the immune systems potential to differentiate between self and non-self which means who are our cells and who are the external one. But a minor flaw and the inability to recognize the body’s cells leads to an autoimmune diseases.
Common types of Autoimmune diseases
As mentioned before that there are several types of autoimmune disease’s and may affect other parts of the body apart from its primary origin.
Rheumatoid arthritis: This type of disease causes the severe pain in joints causing swelling, inflammation and pain. In this the immune system produces antibodies for the linings of the joints which results in the attacking the body’s cell only and ultimately leading to the severe pain. If left untreated ( rheumatoid arthritis) may cause permanent and uncurbable joint pain. However, these days various types of medications and injections are available to make the condition better.
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis: Our body antibodies produced by the immune system start attacking the thyroid gland and gradually begins to destroy the cells that produces thyroid hormone. Therefore, this results in hypothyroidism , which is known as the low levels of thyroid hormones. Common symptoms are weight gain, fatigue, constipation, sensitivity to cold, depression. These days it is suggested to take the thyroid hormone pills on the daily basis that restores the normal body functions, but after consulting the health supervisor.
Multiple sclerosis (MS): This is one of the severe disease where the immune system attack the nerve cells that causes the weakness, blindness, pain, muscles spasms, poor coordination between the functioning of the nerves. The conditions can be suppress if treated properly by the medicines under medical supervision.
Scleroderma: This type of autoimmune chronic connective disease causes inflammation on the skin and other places of the body. It is also known as systemic sclerosis. This condition may cause damage to the skin by producing large amount of collagen resulting in hardening of the skin, damage to the internal organs and blood vessels too. There is no permanent cure and the medications so far only work in relieving the symptoms of the developing disease.
Type 1 diabetes mellitus: Immune system starts producing antibodies against the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. After diagnosis, proper treatment including medicines and injections can keep the condition of sufferer quiet stable.
Coeliac disease: This is related to the disease of the small intestine, where the immune system start reacting against the gluten ( present in wheat and other grains) and therefore, starts harming to it ( small intestine). The common symptom’s are s stomach pain, constipation and diarrheas’.
Lupus: When the immune system attack multiple parts of the body, such as muscles, skin, heart, lungs, kidneys, lungs and joints.
Symptoms and Causes
The signs and symptoms may vary with various types of autoimmune diseases, likewise if you have scleroderma, yours skin may have blisters or rashes, similarly in thyroid disease muscles aches, tiredness, change in weight can be seen.
There are numerous factors that contributes in occurrence of such diseases, so far the exact reason is still to be known. But we can say that, it is inherited and run in families. The other is the epigenetic factors ( factors that work along with the genes of the body) and include infections, allergies, smoking, pollution and age as well.
The Bottom line
The maximum number of autoimmune diseases are long-term illness, that can be cured with proper treatment, but not permanently. On addition, the experience of each and every person and the way of dealing with such disease may vary with one another.