Your body’s immune system is responsible to protect you from diseases and infections. But if you have an auto-immune disease, your immune system attacks and destroys healthy body tissues by mistake. It happens when it does not distinguish between healthy tissue and antigens. And then in the consequences starts destroying healthy tissues. There are more than 80 types of autoimmune diseases that affect many parts of the body.
Why Does The Immune System Attacks The Body?
You must be thinking that the immune system normally protects you against the germs, bacteria, and viruses, then why does it attack the body. Well! Doctors also haven’t found what causes the immune system misfire. Yet some people are more at risk to get an auto-immune disease than others. It’s quite common among women and often the disease starts during a woman’s childbearing years.
What Are The Common Auto-Immune Disorders?
As mentioned above there are different types of auto-immune disorders and a person may have more than one auto-immune disorder at the same time. Some of the common disorders include:
- Type I diabetes
- Celiac Disease
- Reactive arthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
- Dermatomyositis
- Graves disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Pernicious anemia
- Addison disease
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Myasthenia gravis
How Do You Know If You Have One Of These Diseases?
Although there are different types of auto-immune diseases, some have similar symptoms. This is what makes difficult for the doctor to know if you really have one of these diseases, and if you so then which one. However, some common and early symptoms include:
- Fatigue
- Achy muscles
- Swelling and redness
- Hair loss
- Skin rash
- Numbness and tingling in the hands and feet
- Trouble concentrating
- Low-grade fever
- Abdominal pain
- Digestive issues
- Swollen glands
Many people say it is so hard to get diagnosed. Moreover, it has no single test to diagnose auto-immune disease, that’s why in some cases tissue biopsy is done to be sure.
But it’s your body and you can keep a check on it. However, between taking care of yourself and your family and trying to manage many things going on in your life, it’s common for you to feel tired and fatigued. But if you’ve been healthy and suddenly you feel down, joint stiffness and achiness then don’t take it for granted. Immediately consult with the specialist and discuss your overall condition with him. He will look closer at your symptoms and may recommend some tests to identify either you have an auto-immune disease or not.
