What is Autoimmune Disease?

    Over time I've gathered some basic info that I've learned along the way to help explain to myself what is happening to my own body and what autoimmune disease is, how it affects, how it is  diagnosed and what treatments are there. 

     An autoimmune disease starts within your immune system. Our immune system defends our bodies from diseases but with an autoimmune disease it decides that our healthy cells are foreign. Once this happens our immune system starts to attack our healthy body cells. Depending on which autoimmune disease you have it can affect one or several types of body tissue.

     Here is a list of common autoimmune diseases:

rheumatoid arthritis

lupus 

multiple sclerosis

celiac sprue disease

scleroderma

psoriasis

inflammatory bowel disease

Hashimoto’s disease

Addison’s disease

Graves’ disease

reactive arthritis

Sjögren’s syndrome

Type 1 diabetes

     The actual cause of autoimmune disease is unknown. Studies show that if a family member of your has an autoimmune disease that you are more susceptible to developing one as well. Some possible theories as to what triggers an autoimmune diseases are:

A bacteria or virus

Drugs

Chemical or toxin irritants 

Environmental  irritants

     Since there are many different autoimmune diseases the symptoms can vary. Most all  autoimmune diseases causes fatigue, fever, and general malaise, feeling ill. When your in a flare up the symptoms worsen and the list can increase. An autoimmune diseases can affect many areas of the body. 

The most common affected organs and tissue are:

joints

muscles

skin

red blood cells

blood vessels

connective tissue

endocrine glands

     Usually our immune system produces antibodies that seek out and protect against harmful invaders in our bodies, like viruses, bacteria and parasites.  When someone has an autoimmune disease, their body produces antibodies against some of their own tissues. To diagnose an autoimmune disease it involves identifying the antibodies in which your body is producing.

Some tests use to diagnose an autoimmune disease are:

antinuclear antibody tests

autoantibody tests

complete blood count (CBC)

C-reactive protein (CRP)

erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)

     Sadly, autoimmune diseases are chronic conditions with no actual cure. Once diagnosed with one you will always have it. There are treatments to help to control the process of the disease and to decrease or if lucky eliminate the symptoms, especially during a flare-up. 

Here is a list of ways to try to help in feeling well with an autoimmune disease and aid in relieving the symptoms too: 

eat a balanced and healthy diet

exercise regularly

get plenty of rest

take vitamin supplements

take hormone replacement, if needed

take anti-inflammatory medication for joints if needed

take pain medication

take immunosuppressive medication

get physical therapy

decrease stress

limit sun exposure

avoid any known triggers of flare-ups

*There are other alternative therapies that also have shown to be helpful:

herbs, chiropractic, acupuncture, hypnosis

Personally for me, in order to be feeling my best I need to: avoid stress (that's a biggie), eat very clean (free of gluten, dairy, egg, soy & grains), be well rested, exercise regularly, thyroid med, take Vitamin D twice a day, plus add in multi vitamins daily and B12 & Biotin (a few days a week). 

I hope you found this helpful. 

((Hugs)), Prayers & Well Wishes

Janine