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Under normal conditions, the immune system will eradicate bacteria and viruses that harm the body. However, when experiencing autoimmune diseases, the body's cells are attacked because it is considered as a threat.
There are many types of autoimmune diseases. This difference arises because there are different types of cells or parts of the body that are attacked. Therefore many variations are depending on it.
When healthy body cells are attacked, the body becomes vulnerable to disease and infection. Collected from various sources, here are 10 of the most common autoimmune diseases.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that attacks the joints and even to the eyes, skin or heart. Rheumatoid arthritis causes the immune system to attack its own tissues and cause complaints such as joint pain, swelling, and severe stiffness.
Conditions that occur due to this disease can result in permanent joint damage and deformity. Because many cause inflammation, it is advisable to take anti-inflammatory drugs to overcome this problem.
Giant Cell Myocarditis
According to research conducted in New Jersey in 2000, Giant Cell Myocarditis is the most fatal autoimmune disease. Symptoms of Giant Cell Myocarditis (GCM) are swelling in the ankles, chest pain, palpitations, fatigue, and shortness of breath.
Lupus
Lupus is an autoimmune disease that makes the body's immune system attack its own cells and tissues. The immune system is a complex network of cells that work in harmony to defend the body against the attack of foreign substances that are harmful to the body.
When the immune system is attacked, microbes can cause infections (bacteria, parasites, fungi). When the immune system fails to do its job properly, the body produces T cells and antibodies to anti-genes in their own cells and tissues.
Granulomatosis with polyangiitis
This disease, also called Wegener Granulomatosis, causes inflammation of the blood vessels in your nose, sinuses, throat, lungs, and kidneys.
Symptoms of granulomatosis with polyangiitis make the legs numb, the appearance of blood in the urine, cough with phlegm, fever, shortness of breath, bruised skin, and fatigue.
Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple Sclerosis is a long-term disease that can affect the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerve in the eye. This condition can cause problems with vision, balance, muscle control, and basic bodily functions.
The effects of Multiple Sclerosis are often different for each person who suffers. Some experience mild symptoms and do not require serious treatment. Others will even have difficulty moving and doing daily activities.
MS occurs when the immune system attacks a fatty material called myelin, which wraps nerve fibers to protect them. Without the outer layer, your nerves can be damaged and scar tissue can form.
Addisons Disease
Addison's Disease has several classifications. One of them is Primary Adrenal Insufficiency where the immune system attacks the adrenal glands. Healthline reports that this disease makes the glands in the kidneys secrete many hormones that cause weakness in muscles, dark skin, decreased heart rate or blood pressure, and fatigue.
Type 1 Diabetes
People with type 1 diabetes are in a condition when the body does not make insulin at all. The cause is type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease.
A person can be born with this condition and usually develops from the age of children. The absence of insulin makes the body does not have enough energy every day. To overcome this, it is recommended to inject insulin regularly.
Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a long-term or chronic disease that attacks the skin. At first, this disease was only in the form of a reddish rash that could be cured, but in fact, the symptoms were a sign of an overactive immune system.
These symptoms sometimes feel itchy or sore and can appear in all parts of the body. But it generally appears on the knees, lower back, elbows, or scalp.
Alopecia
Actually, alopecia is a medical term used to refer to hair loss. Usually, a person experiences alopecia when exposed to stress. Research shows that 70 percent of 500 alopecia patients experience stress.
Reporting from WebMD, this health problem is said to arise when the body attacks the hair follicles. Damage that occurs is not permanent but can not cause baldness, thinning hair, or broken.
Graves Disease
Graves' Disease is an autoimmune disease caused by excessive activity throughout the thyroid gland. According to the American Thyroid Association, Gravesâ symptoms include hyperthyroidism, eye disease, and skin problems.
If this disease is left untreated, it can cause life-threatening complications including the emergence of diseases such as heart disease, thyroid storm (where heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature rise to dangerous levels), pregnancy problems, to osteoporosis.
Several autoimmune diseases are quite common among people. Pay attention to your health problems because every autoimmune disease has different treatments and treatments.
