Autoimmune Diseases

These diseases happen when our body fails to recognize its own part and attacks itself with antibodies in response. It’s like, our body finding a normal everyday cell and thinking “Oh! I found a cancerous cell, let’s attack and kill it”. Now imagine how many normal cells your body has and what will happen when each of them is treated as a cancerous cell. This unwanted and unnecessary protective act will very obviously lead to diseases and that too, mostly dangerous ones. These diseases are known as Autoimmune diseases. Autoimmunity is not just restricted to human beings, it is also found in other organisms.

Not all autoimmune responses cause diseases. There are some exceptions and some are actually required by the body. It is just the level of the autoimmunity that matters. Autoimmunity is considered dangerous in both very low and very high levels. So, for autoimmunity to perform naturally, it should be perfectly neutral.

Autoimmune diseases are mostly genetic and women are more susceptible to them as compared to men. One interesting fact about this disease is, that it’s rare in the places where infectious diseases are common. So, if you do not want to suffer from an autoimmune disease you should think of getting infected by some other type.

Autoimmune diseases are many in number. Most of the mysterious diseases of 19th century have been confirmed to be autoimmune diseases. Some are suspected and need a lot of research before they can be confirmed in this category. For your reference, here is a list of the autoimmune diseases with their symptoms and treatments in most cases.

List of Autoimmune Diseases

Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM): It is a brain disease which normally occurs after viral fevers and is also triggered by some vaccinations and parasitic infections. Sometimes, it may even pop up randomly without any reason. Its symptoms consist of fever, drowsiness, headache, seizures and sometimes, even coma. This disease basically causes swelling in the brain and the spinal cord of the infected person and hence, the treatment mainly consists of anti inflammatory drugs like methylprednisolone and corticosteroids.

Addison’s Disease: It is a disease caused by the disorder of adrenal glands. It is also known as chronic adrenal insufficiency and hypocortisolism and is caused when the adrenal glands fail to produce the required amount of steroids, for the body. It may occur in a person of any age group and some of its symptoms are fatigue, dizziness, vomiting, muscle weakness, anxiety, weight loss, sweating and mood and personality swings. It is usually treated through the oral dosages of hydrocortisone tablets which replaces the missing cortisol which is responsible for all these problems. More on Addison’s disease.

Alopecia Areata: This autoimmune disease attacks the body hair. By body hair I mean, hair anywhere on the body, from head to toe. It is classified into different types according to the area it has affected. The extreme type of Alopecia areata known as Alopecia Areata Totalis leads to hair loss throughout the body, including the pubic hairs. First symptoms of Alopecia Areata are small round bald patches on the affected area. The affected area may feel tinglish and in some cases pain has also been observed. In 90% cases hairs grow back within a year, without any treatment. Only 10% cases, grow back some or no hairs at all. In these extreme cases, the person is treated with fluocinonide, steroid injections and various creams. But the success rates so far, has been very low. Oral medication like corticosteroids is also prescribed many a times but it is helpful only till it is being consumed. And corticosteriods are also known to have very adverse side effects. More on Alopecia Areata.

Ankylosing Spondylitis: It is a suspected autoimmune disease that affects the spine and the sacroilium. Suspected means, that the researchers suspect it to be an autoimmune disease and is yet not confirmed, as one. Initially it was known as Bechterew’s disease and is a type of arthritis which causes the fusion of vertebrae in the spine. In women, the disease is known to affect other joints of the body like, shoulders, hips, feet, etc. The common symptoms of Ankylosing spondylitis are peripheral joint pain, fatigue and nausea. In some cases inflammation of the eye (iridocyclitis), is associated to this disease, it causes eye pain and photophobia. Aortitis, apical lung fibrosis and ectasia are some less common symptoms. In children, the symptoms may be pain and swelling in the ankles and feet. Ankylosing spondylitis is treated through a combination of consists of physical therapy and exercise along with medications. But mind you, the treatments don’t cure the disease, they just reduce the symptoms.

Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome (APS): APS causes blood clots in the arteries and the veins of the person suffering from it. It also leads to complications in pregnancy. This disease happens when the body starts producing antibodies against phospholipid, which is a cell membrane substance. The basic symptoms of the disease are deep vein thrombosis, stroke. Whereas in pregnant women the symptoms may be miscarriage, pre-eclampsia and still birth. This disease is mostly treated by using analgesic and anticogulants like aspirin and warfarin respectively.

Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia: It is an autoimmune disease in which, the body attacks its own red blood cells, leading to their destruction and hence resulting into anemia. Autoimmune hemolytic anemia is divided into 3 categories known as Warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia, Cold agglutinin disease, and Paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria. The symptoms of this disease depends on the type of hemolytic anemia a person has, but the most basic symptom of all the 3 is fatigue. Other symptoms include dizziness, breathlessness, pale skin and in serious cases: chest pain.

Autoimmune Hepatitis: Autoimmune hepatitis is a disease in which a person’s immune responses attack the liver cells leading to the inflammation of the liver and the destruction of the liver cells. Autoimmune hepatitis can coexist with other liver diseases and may also be triggered by viral infections like, hepatitis A and chemicals like, minocycline. The basic symptoms of autoimmune hepatitis are enlarged liver, jaundice, skin rashes, vomiting, nausea, loss of appetite, etc. It is diagnosed through blood tests and liver biopsy and is treated with daily doses of corticosteroids which suppress the overactive immune system.

Autoimmune Inner Ear Disease: This is suspected to be an autoimmune disease. It is supposed to be caused when the immune system of the body attacks the cells of the inner ear, mistaking them to be a virus or a bacteria. This leads to progressive hearing loss in the affected person. Autoimmune inner ear disease is mostly treated using steroids, like all the other autoimmune diseases because steroids come in handy, when it comes to suppressing the immune system of the body. In order to avoid the side effects of the steroids, surgery and alternative medications are preferred.

Bullous Pemphigoid: This is a chronic autoimmune disease which causes skin disorders like blisters, called bullae. Its symptoms include itching, rashes, mouth sores and bleeding gums. Its treatment includes the prescription of anti-inflammatory medicines called corticosteroids. These are prescribed both orally and in the form of skin cream, depending on the severity of the disease.

Coeliac Disease: It is also known as celiac disease and is the disorder of the small intestine. It is a genetic disorder and is found in all age groups. The symptoms of coeliac disease are diarrhea and fatigue. In children, this disease is diagnosed when a child shows symptoms of FTT i.e. Failure to Thrive. The most common treatment for coeliac disease is a permanent diet consisting of gluten free foods. More on celiac disease.

Chagas Disease: Chagas disease is a parasitic disease and is suspected to be an autoimmune disease. It is caused by flagellate protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, in short T cruzi. Chagas disease has been divided into 2 stages, acute and chronic. The acute stage is the initial one, which generally shows no symptoms but one very common symptom that it shows is the Romaña’s sign, which includes swelling of the eye lids. There are some other mild symptoms like fever, fatigue, body aches, headache, rash, loss of appetite, diarrhea, and vomiting which are not unique to this disease. The symptoms of the chronic stage include damages to the nervous system, digestive system and the heart. For chagas disease the saying “Prevention is better than cure” holds very true because there is no vaccination available for it. The prevention of the spread of vector Triatoma is targeted with the use of sprays, painting and by maintaining general hygiene. The treatment generally includes anti-parasitic drugs and is considered efficient only in the acute case.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease(COPD): This disease is a combination of two very commonly coexisting diseases, bronchitis and emphysema, which lead to the narrowing of the airways. It is suspected to be an autoimmune disease. This disease can be easily related to asthma but the difference lies in the fact, that unlike asthma, it is non reversible and with time it worsens. Its symptoms are shortness of breath, tiredness, persistent cough and tightening in the chest. COPD is treated using a lot of medicines and procedures, depending upon the reason of its onslaught. More on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Crohns Disease: Crohns disease is a disorder of the intestine. And by intestine I mean the complete gastrointestinal tract. Its common symptoms are abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting and weight loss. It is also known to cause some general problems like skin rashes and arthritis and sometimes inflammation of the eyes also. As of now, there is no cure for Crohn’s disease. Only the symptoms and the relapse can be controlled and suppressed using the medication. More on Crohn’s Disease.

Dermatomyositis: Dermatomyositis is a disease of connective tissue and is related to polymyositis. Its characteristics are the inflammation of the muscles and the skin. The symptoms consist of skin rashes and pain in the muscles. The pain may be anything between mild and severe. This disease doesn’t have any cures. Only the symptoms can be relieved using medications like Prednisolone and Methotrexate. More on Dermatomyositis.

Diabetes Mellitus Type 1: A person suffers from diabetes mellitus type 1 when his body’s immune system, attacks the insulin producing beta cells in the pancreas. This type of diabetes can be lethal if not detected early and unless the person is not administered with insulin injections. Its symptoms are frequent urination, nausea, vomiting, dehydration and weight loss. The treatment usually consists of insulin injections and diet monitoring. In severe cases of type 1 diabetes, pancreas and islet cell transplantation is required. More on Type 1 Diabetes.

Endometriosis: Endometriosis is a suspected autoimmune disease. It is defined by the growth of the cells, that are similar to the ones that grow inside the uterus, but in some location other than that. Most of the times endometriosis doesn’t have any symptoms but sometimes when it has, it shows symptoms like, infertility and pelvic pain. It is treated using both medication and surgery, depending on its severity and the area it has affected. For pain relief, patients are mostly prescribed with pain killers and anti inflammatory drugs. More on Endometriosis.

Goodpasture’s Syndrome: Goodpasture’s syndrome is a disease characterized by glomerulonephritis and hemorrhage in the lungs. Its initial symptoms are fatigue, nausea, difficulty in breathing or paleness. With time, the person may show symptoms like blood in cough and burning sensation while urination. Sometimes blood is also observed in the urine. It is treated using corticosteroids and immunosuppressants, like most of the autoimmune diseases.

Graves’ Disease: Grave’s Disease is an autoimmune disease related to the thyroid gland. It causes the thyroid gland to grow twice the original size, leading all the other problems related to thyroid and hormones. It is a genetic disorder in most of the cases. Its symptoms are exophthalmos, edema, hypothyroidism, fatigue and muscular weakness. Graves’ Disease is treated using anti thyroid drugs which help in reducing the activity of the thyroid gland. Another medication is the radioactive iodine. The last for the treatment of the Graves’ disease is the surgery called thyroidectomy which involves the removal of the thyroid gland itself. More on Grave’s Disease.

Guillain-Barré Syndrome: It is an autoimmune disorder which affects the peripheral nervous system. It is normally initiated by some acute infection. The characteristic of this disease is the weakness which starts with the lower limbs and rapidly grows in the ascending order. In this disorder, failure of the respiratory system is of the highest concern, hence, the treatment mostly starts with the intubation of the patient. Once the patient is stable, the treatment mostly includes of immunoglobulins or plasmapheresis. More on Guillain-Barré Syndrome.

Hashimoto’s Disease: It is also known as Hashimoto thyroiditis and is an autoimmune disorder in which the body’s T cells attack the thyroid cells. Hashimoto’s disease was the first disease to be classified as an autoimmune disease. So, logically this should have topped the list of autoimmune diseases, but practically we are following the alphabetical order. This attacking of the thyroid cells finally leads to hypothyroidism. The symptoms of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis includes muscle weakness, fatigue, depression, mania, sensitivity to cold, constipation, memory loss, migraine, infertility etc. It is treated by the replacement of the thyroid hormone with some agents like levothyroxine. Medications are also prescribed to some patients in order to keep the thyroid level in control. In most cases, the medication has to be continued throughout the life, once started. More on Hashimoto’s Disease.

Hidradenitis Suppurativa: This is suspected to be an autoimmune disease and is a disorder of skin. It affects the areas that have the apocrine sweat glands and the hair follicles, namely the underarms, groin and buttocks. In women, it is commonly found under the breast. The symptoms of this disease are, formation of clusters of chronic abscesses or boils which can sometimes be very big and painful. They mostly contain pus and when opened, the wounds do not heal easily. Hidradenitis suppurativa is divided into 3 stages, depending upon the characteristics. Its treatment also depends on the severity of the disease and mainly consists of medication and therapy. But as the disease has not been researched well, the effectiveness of the medication is not known. Some of the common medication includes corticosteroids, antibiotics, vitamin A supplements and zinc gluconate etc.

Kawasaki Disease: Kawasaki disease is defined as the inflammation of the medium sized veins and is suspected to be an autoimmune disease. It is also known as lymph node syndrome, mucocutaneous node disease, infantile polyarteritis and Kawasaki syndrome. The inflammation in the veins affects multiple organs like skin, blood vessel walls, lymph nodes and even the heart. This disease often starts with a very high fever and is known to be non responsive to general paracetamol. Other common symptoms include conjunctivitis, chapped lips, strawberry tongue, joint pain, irritability etc. the very common and standard treatment for kawasaki is giving intravenous immunoglobulin. More on Kawasaki Disease.

IgA Nephropathy: IgA nephropathy is suspected to be an autoimmune disease and is also known as IgA nephritis, IgAN, Berger’s disease and synpharyngitic glomerulonephritis. It is a disorder of the kidney. Its very basic symptoms are hematuria, skin rashes, arthritis and abdominal pain and some of the more serious ones include nephrotic syndrome, acute renal failure and chronic renal failure. Its treatment totally depends on the symptoms that it is showing and is more of the removal of symptoms. Depending on the symptoms and the problems, the patients are treated with the varying doses of steroids.

Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura: It is also known as immune thrombocytopenic purpura or immune-mediated thrombocytopenic purpura and a person suffering from it has a very low platelet count. Often this disease doesn’t show any symptoms but when it does the symptoms to look out for are, bruises and blood from the nostrils and the gums. Internal bleeding is one very serious symptom of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. The treatment totally depends on the seriousness of the case. In most cases, where the blood count is more than 50,000, no treatment is required. Whereas, in other serious cases treatment may vary from consumption of steroids to the transfusion of platelet.

Interstitial Cystitis: Interstitial cystitis is a suspected autoimmune disease and is a disorder of urinary bladder, of which, the reasons are unknown. The common symptoms are fluctuating pain related to urination, abdominal pain related to some specific type of food, urinary frequency, pain during sexual intercourse, and difficulty in sitting and traveling. Its treatment depends on the seriousness of the disorder and varies from oral medication to surgery. More on Interstitial Cystitis.

Lupus Erythematosus: Is is also called as connective tissue disease. It is basically an inflammatory disease and occurs when the body attacks its own tissues. Lupus erythematosus can affect various parts across the body like joints, skin, kidneys, heart and lungs. Its treatment includes oral medication of steroids and application of high SPF sunscreen lotions. It also includes therapy for joints and muscles. More on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Mixed Connective Tissue Disease: It is also known as Sharp syndrome. This disease is a combination of other serious autoimmune diseases like scleroderma, myositis, systematic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis. In short, it is an overlap syndrome. An overlap syndrome is a condition in which the person suffering from it shows the symptoms of more than one autoimmune disease. This disease is known to cause joint pain and swelling, malaise, raynaud phenomenon, muscle inflammation and sclerodactyly. Its treatment is totally symptomatic consisting of immunosuppressants and corticosteroids.

Morphea: Morphea is suspected to be an autoimmune disease and is commonly known as schleroderma. It is a skin disorder in which the affected person finds patches of hardened skin here and there. It happens due to excessive collagen deposits. This disorder is totally external and does not involve any organs. The exact cause of this disorder is not known but one thing that research has suggested is, that it is genetic. Women are more prone to this disease then men. The risk ratio is 3:1. It is treated using corticosteroids, antimalarials, immunomodulators and Ultraviolet A (UVA) light, depending on the severity of the disorder.

Multiple sclerosis (MS): MS is an autoimmune disease which refers to the disorder of the nervous system. It occurs when the body’s immune system attacks its own central nervous system. This disorder hinders the communication between the nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. The symptoms of multiple sclerosis are similar to any neurological disorder. The list includes the likes of, muscle weakness, ataxia, problem in speech, fatigue, pain and also some emotional symptoms like depression and unstable mood. The treatment for this is disorder is nothing in particular. It mainly consists of therapies depending upon the symptoms. Medication for this includes corticosteroids. In acute cases plasmapheresis is done. More on Multiple Sclerosis.

Myasthenia Gravis: It is an autoimmune disorder related to the muscles. It is caused when there is a communication problem between the brain and the muscles. Simply stating: “Myasthenia gravis is caused by a defect in the transmission of nerve impulses to muscles”. Its unique symptom is the muscle weakness which is also termed as fatiguability. The muscles that are more prone to this are muscles related to facial expressions, eyelid movement and swallowing. Myasthenia gravisis treated by both medication and surgery. Medicines include the ones that directly improve muscle function and immunosuppressant drugs. The surgical method for its treatment is known as thymectomy. More on Myasthenia Gravis.

Narcolepsy: Narcolepsy is the disorder of the sleep and is most often confused with insomnia. It is defined by the disturbed sleep cycle, like being sleepless in night and feeling extremely drowsy in the day. One other problem faced by people suffering from narcolepsy is cataplexy, which is a type of muscular weakness. Daytime sleepiness is mostly the first and the most common symptom of narcolepsy followed by cataplexy, automatic behavior, sleep paralysis and hypnagogic hallucinations. Treatment of narcolepsy is based on the severeness of the symptoms and also the body type of the individual. Oral medication, life style changes and therapy are the treatment methods used for narcolepsy. More on Narcolepsy.

Neuromyotonia: Neuromyotonia is a suspected autoimmune disease and is also known as Isaacs’ Syndrome and is a disorder of neuromuscular activity. Its symptoms include muscle stiffness, continuous vibration and twitching in muscles, cramping, increased sweating and delay in muscle relaxation. All these symptoms occur even when the person is sleeping. This disease is both acquired and genetic. The acquired one is more common. There is no known treatment for Neuromyotonia, so, all a person can do is suppress the symptoms. Anticonvulsants are used to relieve muscle stiffness plasma exchange procedure gives some relief to the patients who have the acquired form of the disorder.

Pemphigus Vulgaris: is an autoimmune skin disorder which causes skin lesions which are often painful. It is mostly confused with impetigo and candidiasis. Its symptoms are skin blisters and skin disintegration. It is mostly treated with corticosteroids and other immunosuppressive drugs.

Pernicious Anaemia: It is a form of megaloblastic anemia and is caused due to the deficiency of vitamin B-12. The symptoms that indicate towards pernicious anaemia are fatigue, hypotension, brain fog, tachycardia, frequent diarrhea, pallor, jaundice and shortness of breath. There is no exact treatment for pernicious anemia and whatever exists varies geographically. The treatments that are currently in use majorly concentrate on the replacement of the vitamin B-12 and this is achieved by both oral medications and injections. More on Pernicious Anaemia.

Psoriasis: It is a suspected autoimmune disease and is a disorder of skin. It is defined as an “autoimmune disease that affects the skin and the joints”. It is a chronic recurring disorder and causes accumulation of skin around elbows and knees. It is also found in other areas of the body including fingernails. It has been divided into various types depending upon its severity and the area it has affected. There are a lot of treatments available for psoriasis but it is very difficult to successfully treat it as it is chronically recurring. It is generally treated using ointments, oral medicines and sometimes with exposure to ultra violet light.

Psoriatic Arthritis: It is suspected to be an autoimmune disease and mostly affects the people suffering from psoriasis. So, the one major symptom of psoriatic arthritis is psoriasis. It is a type of inflammatory arthritis. Hence, the treatments are majorly directed towards the reduction of the inflammation. It is treated using immunosuppressants and corticosteroids. More on Psoriatic Arthritis.

Polymyositis: Polymyositis is related to inflammatory muscle disorder and it literally means ‘many muscle inflammation’. Its symptoms include the likes of muscle weakness, dysphagia, fever, thickening of the skin on the fingers and hands. It is treated with the use of high dose steroids and immunosuppressants.

Primary Biliary Cirrhosis: It is an autoimmune disease related o the liver. This disorder causes the destruction of the small bile ducts that are present in the liver. This process finally leads to the damage in the liver tissues. Its symptoms are fatigue, jaundice, itchy skin, cirrhosis and portal hypertension (hypertension in portal veins). It is divided into stages depending on the condition the patient and the liver is in. There is no actual cure for primary biliary cirrhosis, all that can be done is slow down the progress rate of the disease and medication can help suppress and treat the symptoms.

Rheumatoid Arthritis: It is an autoimmune disease and as the name suggests is a form of arthritis. It mainly affects the joints which often leads to the destruction of all the cartilages and ankylosis of the respective joint. It is also known to cause inflammation in the lungs, pericardium, pleura and sclera which spreads outwards. Its symptoms include inflammation and immobility in the joints. The symptoms mostly differ from person to person and may also include inflammation in shoulders and other joints like hands, feet and the spine. A person who gets it suffers a lot of discomfort, pain and joint deformities. It also affects the lungs, kidneys and the heart, and causes related symptoms. The treatment for rheumatoid arthritis totally focuses on suppressing the symptoms and slowing down the process. We can safely and unfortunately say, that it is not curable. All a doctor can do is help the patient by suppressing the pain using cortisone and slowing down the process using antirheumatic drugs and anti-inflammatory drugs. More on Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Schizophrenia: It is a suspected autoimmune disease and is a mental disorder that causes abnormalities in the perception of the affected person. It may tend to affect five senses i-e. sight, hearing, sight, smell and touch. The common symptoms of schizophrenia are auditory hallucinations, delusions, disorganized and unusual thinking and speech. Social isolation is also a common symptom. There are no known clinical diagnosis for schizophrenia. Diagnosis is mostly dependent on the observations of the person suffering from it. More on Schizophrenia.

Scleroderma: It is a chronic autoimmune disease of the connective tissue. It occurs with the formation of fibrosis in the skin and the various organs of the body. It is classified according to the degree and the location of the skin affected. It is broadly divided in 2 groups, diffuse and limited. Scleroderma is found throughout the world and research has suggested that women are more prone to this than men. It mainly affects the hands, arms and face. Internally it affects the small blood vessels of all the organs and causes damage to them. As the cause behind scleroderma is not known, the treatment is totally symptomatic and person specific. Drugs are prescribed according to the area that has been affected by the disease. More on Scleroderma.

Sjögren’s Syndrome: It is an autoimmune disease, in which the immune system of the body attacks the exocrine glands that are responsible for the production of tears and saliva. Its main symptoms are the dryness of mouth and eyes. In some case it also leads to the dryness of vagina. This syndrome is known to affect organs like kidney, pancreas, lungs and even the blood vessels. Treatment for Sjögren’s syndrome is not known and is very specific to the symptoms. In the case of dry eyes, tear glands of the patient are mostly supplemented with artificial tears so as to help the dryness. And for salivary glands there are a lot of drugs available, that help in providing some relief.

Stiff Person Syndrome: Stiff person syndrome is a suspected autoimmune disease. It is a neurological disease characterized by progressive rigidity in the muscles. There are various stages of stiffness associated with this disease and so are the symptoms. The stages vary from initial ones consisting of back pain to the extreme cases with complaints of skeletal fractures and muscular ruptures. Stiff person syndrome is also found in babies and is known as stiff baby syndrome. In babies, this syndrome is known to have been fatal in many cases. It is associated with many diseases like, cerebral ataxia, epilepsy, breast cancer and diabetes mellitus. Treatment for stiff person syndrome includes Plasmapheresis, intravenous immunoglobulin, physical therapy, occupational therapy and antispastic agent, depending on the seriousness of the syndrome.

Temporal Arteritis: Temporal Arteritis is an inflammatory disease affecting the blood vessels. It also goes with the name Giant Cells Arteritis. This disease is mostly found in women and the ratio for men versus women is as high as 3:1. It is known to mostly occur in the old age, as late as 70′s. The common symptoms that a person suffering from temporal arteritis shows are fever, headache, tongue claudication, visual loss, double vision, acute tinnitus and sensitivity on the scalp. The treatment for temporal arteritis is totally based on the consumption of corticosteroids and oral and intravenous steroids.

Ulcerative Colitis: This is an inflammatory bowel disease. It is a form of colitis, which is a disease related to intestine. It affects specifically the large intestine and causes sores and ulcers in the colon. This leads to diarrhea combined with blood. As already mentioned the basic symptom is diarrhea accompanied with blood and mucus. The person also shows signs of weight loss and blood from the rectum. The treatment for ulcerative colitis totally depends on the severity of the disease. The drugs that are used for the treatment are corticosteroids and immunosuppressants as is the case with most of the autoimmune diseases. More on Ulcerative Colitis.

Vasculitis: This is a group of disorders that are defined by the destruction of the blood vessels. The destruction happens due to excessive inflammation and affects both the arteries and the veins. Vasculitis is associated with various other diseases like Kawasaki disease and Giant cell arteritis. Its common symptoms are fever, weight loss, skin disoders, nervous system disorders like stroke, ringing ear, acute visual loss, respiratory tract disorders and also kidney diseases. The treatment for Vasculitis concentrates on controlling the inflammation and also the immune system. For achieving this, cortisones and immune suppression drugs are used.

Vitiligo: Vitiligo is a suspected autoimmune disease. It is a type of skin disorder which causes depigmentation of the skin. The skin turns visibly patchy and is most prominent on the face, hands and wrist. The basic symptom is the depigmentation of the skin and skin lesions. Vitiligo is also known to have an affect on the mental health of the person suffering from it. It is treated according to the area it has affected and the severity of the disorder. In mild cases, it is possible to hide it using make up and avoiding sun exposure. For more serious cases, phototherapy is a very common approach. Skin creams are also prescribed by the doctors to control and treat vitiligo. There is also an option of a surgery that helps treat vitiligo. It was first performed in 2004 and is now practiced widely.

Wegener’s Granulomatosis: This is the last disease on the autoimmune diseases list. Wegener’s granulomatosis is a version of vasculitis (inflammation of the blood vessels). It is considered to be a serious disease because of the impact it causes. Its symptoms are rhinitis, upper airway, eye and ear problems. It also causes trachea, lung problems, kidney disorders, arthritis and several skin disorders. Some rarely affected organs are heart, nervous system and brain. Wegener’s Granulomatosis is initially treated using corticosteroids and oral CYC. The treatment is further changed to immunosuppressants.

Though this is not a complete list of autoimmune diseases, it still is a comprehensive list of autoimmune diseases, that will help you understand the reasons and the cures for these sometimes deadly diseases. It’s really strange to learn that our body is capable of harming itself and that too fatally many a times. It is always said that prevention is better than cure but when it comes to autoimmune disease prevention is mostly impossible. So, all that can be suggested is stay healthy and do not ignore any health problem just like that. Do get yourself checked regularly and stay in touch with your physician.

By Eladio Rivera from TRANSFER FACTORS

The immune system is a complex network of special cells and organs that defends the body from germs and other foreign invaders. His highest ability is to tell the difference between yours and stranger or foreign. Autoimmune diseases jumps when auto antibodies attack normal cells by mistake. Then immune system special cells called regulatory T cells fail to do their job of keeping the immune system in line. As result is a misguided attack on your own body.

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Autoimmune diseases is defined by Wikipedia as “arise from an overactive immune response of the body against substances and tissues normally present in the body. In other words, the body actually attacks its own cells. The immune system mistakes some part of the body as a pathogen and attacks it. This may be restricted to certain organs  (thyroiditis) or involve a particular tissue in different places (e.g. Goodpasture’s disease  which may affect the basement membrane in both the lung and the kidney). The treatment of autoimmune diseases is typically with immuno suppression—medication which decreases the immune response.”

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Autoimmune diseases is a common health issue wich statistically more than 23 million Americans cases . It’s the top reason of death and disability. Some autoimmune diseases are rare, but others affect many people (as thyroiditis, diabetes, etc) .

Doctors aids autoimmune disease patients suffering consequences of the autoimmune disease, as Type 1 diabetes with insulin controlling blood sugar levels. With diseases such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, medication will slow or stop it’s immune system’s malfunction of the kidneys or joints.