This immune disorder can affect various parts of a person's body. So many, recorded there are 80 types of autoimmune diseases with some of the same symptoms.
This makes it difficult to know whether a person suffers from this disorder or not, and in which type. Meanwhile, the cause of autoimmune disease is still not certain.
The Most Common Autoimmune Diseases
Of the many types of autoimmune diseases, some of the autoimmune diseases below are the most frequently encountered:
Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a common autoimmune disease. The immune system produces antibodies that attack the lining of the joints.
The result of this antibody attack is inflammation, swelling, and pain in the joints. A severe inflammatory reaction can also cause damage to other parts of the body, such as the skin, eyes, and lungs.
If left untreated, this disease will cause permanent damage to the joints. To prevent this, rheumatoid arthritis sufferers will usually be given oral or injectable drugs that function to reduce the activity of the immune system.
Lupus
Disease systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or lupus causes the formation of antibodies that can attack virtually all body tissues of patients.
Some of the body parts that are most often attacked are the joints, lungs, kidneys, skin, connective tissue, blood vessels, bone marrow, and nervous tissue.
Until now there is no drug that can cure lupus. Lupus treatment generally aims to suppress the immune system, thereby reducing inflammation and preventing further organ damage.
Diabetes type 1
Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in childhood or young adulthood. This disease is caused by the immune system attacks the cells of the pancreas that have the task of producing insulin.
This causes disruption of insulin production so that the body is unable to control blood sugar levels. If not stopped, this risks causing damage to the kidneys, eyes, brain, heart, or blood vessels.
For treatment, people with type 1 diabetes will be given insulin injections. In addition, patients are also required to monitor blood sugar levels, apply a healthy diet, and exercise regularly.
Multiple sclerosis (MS)
When a person's immune system attacks its own nerve cells, some dire symptoms can arise as a result. This condition is commonly known as multiple sclerosis aka MS .
Some of the symptoms that can arise are pain, blindness, impaired body coordination , and muscle spasms. Other symptoms that may arise are tremors, numbness in the leg area, paralysis, difficulty speaking, or difficulty walking.
To treat it, certain drugs can be used to suppress the immune system. Physiotherapy and occupational therapy can be used to help MS patients perform daily activities.
Graves' disease
Graves' disease is an autoimmune disease that causes the thyroid gland to become overactive. People suffering from this disease are likely to experience a variety of symptoms that can interfere with daily activities.
Difficulty sleeping, easily aroused by emotions, weight loss for no reason, and protruding eyes are some of the symptoms. Other symptoms that may arise are neck swelling, sensitivity to heat, muscle weakness, or tremors.
To treat Graves' disease, patients may be given radioactive iodine pills. These pills are used to kill the overactive cells of the thyroid gland.
Patients can also be given anti-thyroid drugs, beta blocker hypertension drugs, and corticosteroids. Some cases of Graves' disease need to be treated with a surgical procedure.
Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a condition where the immune system is overactive, causing the skin to produce more quickly. This condition is caused by one of the blood cells in the immune system that is overactive, namely the T-cell.
The accumulation of T-cells in the skin stimulates the skin to grow faster than it should. The main symptoms of psoriasis are the appearance of scaly patches on the skin and flaking of the skin that leaves a shiny white layer.
To treat it, the doctor will give drugs that suppress the immune system, such as corticosteroids, as well as light therapy.
Autoimmune Disease Risk Factors
So far, the cause of autoimmune diseases is still unknown. However, there are several factors that cause a person to be more at risk of suffering from autoimmune diseases, namely:
- Heredity
The main risk factors for autoimmune diseases are genetic or hereditary factors. However, this factor is not the only one that can trigger an immune reaction to attack healthy body cells. - Environmental
factors also influence in triggering autoimmune diseases. Environmental factors include exposure to toxic chemicals, such as asbestos, mercury, cigarette smoke, and an unhealthy diet. - Hormonal changes
Several autoimmune diseases often attack postpartum women. This leads to an assumption that autoimmune diseases are related to hormonal changes, such as during pregnancy, childbirth, or menopause . - Infections
Several autoimmune diseases are often associated with infection. This is natural because some of the symptoms of autoimmune diseases are exacerbated by certain infections.
Beware of autoimmune diseases by avoiding the various risk factors above. Immediately consult a doctor if you experience the symptoms of the diseases above. The sooner an autoimmune disease is diagnosed and treated, the more likely it is that its complications can be avoided.