Can autoimmune disease be treated?

Autoimmune disease occurs when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks itself instead of pathogens. Stay with us until the end of this article for more information about this disease.

What is an autoimmune disease?

Autoimmune disease is a condition in which the body’s immune system attacks the body. The immune system protects the human body against bacteria and viruses. In fact, when foreign invaders attack the body, the body sends out an army of fighter cells to attack them. Usually, the body’s immune system can distinguish between foreign cells and its own cells.

In an autoimmune disease, the immune system mistakes a part of your body, such as joints or skin, as a foreign agent and releases proteins called autoantibodies that attack healthy cells. Some autoimmune diseases target only one organ. For example, type 1 diabetes only damages the pancreas. Other autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, can affect the entire body.

Why does the immune system attack the body itself?

For researchers, it is still unclear what exactly causes the immune system to fail. However, some people are more susceptible to autoimmune disease than others.

A 2014 study found that women are twice as likely to develop autoimmune disease as men. This disease was more evident in women between the ages of 15 and 44.

Some autoimmune diseases are more common in certain ethnic groups. For example, lupus is more common in African Americans or Hispanics. Some other autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and lupus are more common in some families. All family members do not necessarily have the same disease, but it is as if they inherit the susceptibility to an autoimmune disease.

As the prevalence of autoimmune diseases is increasing, researchers suspect that environmental factors such as infections and exposure to chemicals or solvents may also be involved. People who use fast foods in their diet are more prone to autoimmune diseases than others. Eating high-fat foods, or foods that are high in sugar or processed, are thought to be associated with increased risk of inflammation and can increase the risk of autoimmune disease. But this issue has not been scientifically proven.

Attention: Researchers do not know exactly what causes autoimmune disease. Genetics, diet, infections, and chemical exposure may play a role.

The most common types of autoimmune disease

You may be interested to know that there are more than 80 types of autoimmune diseases. Here we mention the most common ones:

Type 1 diabetes

In type 1 diabetes, the immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. As a result, blood sugar rises and there is a possibility of damage to many organs of the body such as heart, kidney and eyes.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

It is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks the joints. As a result, pain, stiffness and redness will be seen in the joints.

• Unlike osteoarthritis, which usually affects people as they age, rheumatoid arthritis can start at age 30 or earlier.

Psoriasis

Psoriasis causes skin cells to multiply too quickly. As a result of this disease, extra cells are created and form red and inflamed spots. About 30% of people with psoriasis experience swelling, stiffness and pain in their joints, which is called psoriatic arthritis.

Multiple sclerosis or MS

In this autoimmune disease, the myelin sheath is damaged. Damage to the myelin sheath slows the transmission of messages between the brain and spinal cord, as well as to other organs. This damage can lead to numbness, weakness, balance problems and difficulty walking.

Other autoimmune diseases include inflammatory bowel disease, Addison’s disease, Graves’ disease, Sjogren’s syndrome, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, myasthenia gravis, vasculitis, celiac disease, etc.

Autoimmune eye disease

Neuromyelitis optica is an autoimmune disorder that affects the nerves of the eye and the central nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal cord. This disease is also called Dwick’s syndrome. The cause of this disease is unknown, but it can be controlled with some solutions.

What are the symptoms of autoimmune disease?

The initial symptoms of many autoimmune diseases are very similar. These signs include:

• muscles pain
• tiredness
• Swelling and redness
• Low grade fever
• Difficulty concentrating
• Numbness and tingling in hands and feet
• hair loss
• skin rash

Of course, each disease can have its own unique symptoms. For example, type 1 diabetes causes extreme thirst, weight loss, and fatigue. In some other autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis, symptoms may appear and disappear.

The way to deal with autoimmune disease

The treatments prescribed for autoimmune diseases cannot completely cure the autoimmune disease, but they can control the immune response, reduce inflammation and thus relieve symptoms such as pain. Commonly used drugs include:

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and naproxen
• Immunosuppressive drugs

Often, treatments are also recommended to relieve symptoms such as pain, swelling, fatigue, and rashes. A healthy and appropriate diet as well as exercise can be very effective in improving autoimmune disease.

The main treatment for autoimmune diseases is with drugs that reduce inflammation and control the body’s immune response. Most prescription treatments help reduce symptoms but do not completely eliminate the cause of the disease.

Life expectancy of autoimmune patients

Fortunately, in most cases, none of the autoimmune diseases are fatal and do not endanger life. A person with an autoimmune disease can expect to live like a normal person and have the same lifespan as others. Of course, due to the difficulties caused by these types of diseases, they have their own difficulties and create problems for the patient’s life, which are sometimes very difficult to bear.

final word

Autoimmune disease is a result of the immune system attacking itself, and the cause of this problem, which actually goes wrong, is unknown. There are more than 80 types of autoimmune diseases, none of which can be completely cured. For example, you about MS Dwick’s syndrome You can only relieve the symptoms of the disease and prevent the progression of the disease.

There is no other way to prevent these types of diseases except to adopt a healthy lifestyle and eat a healthy diet. If you suspect the symptoms mentioned in this article, be sure to see a doctor as soon as possible.