What is an Autoimmune Disease?

An autoimmune disease occurs when the immune system can not distinguish between the body's cells and the foreign cells.

The immune system defends the body from germ particles like bacteria and viruses. Whenever a foreign invader tries to enter the body, the immune system is activated automatically to kill the germs.

In an autoimmune disease, the immune system misinterprets a patient's body parts as foreign and releases proteins that attack healthy cells called autoantibodies.

How does the Immune System Attack the Body?

The exact cause of the autoimmune disease is still unknown.

According to a study conducted in 2014, compared to men, women get autoimmune diseases at a rate of about 2 to 1, which means 6.4 percent of women versus 2.7 percent of men. In women, the infection starts at the age of 15 to 44.

In certain ethnic groups, different types of autoimmune diseases are common. For instance, the effect of lupus is more common in African-American and Hispanic people than Caucasians.

Some people inherit a susceptibility to an autoimmune condition due to the disease running in the family genes.

Due to the rise in autoimmune disorders, researchers assume environmental factors might also be a cause. Infections and exposure to chemicals or solvents are types of environmental factors.

Other studies show that the Western diet is another assumed risk factor for developing an autoimmune disease. Intake of high-fat, high-sugar, and processed foods causes inflammation leading to an immune response.

Autoimmune Disease Symptoms

The initial symptoms of many autoimmune disease symptoms include the following:

● Weariness

● Pain in muscles

● Inflammation and redness

● Fever

● Difficulty concentrating

● Paralysis and shivering in the hands and feet

● Loss of hair

● Skin outbreaks

There are unique symptoms for every disease, such as type 1 diabetes includes excessive thirst, fatigue, and weight loss. Inflammatory bowel disease comprises pain in the belly, bloating, and diarrhea.

Common Autoimmune Diseases

There are more than 80 autoimmune diseases. Some of them are discussed below:

Type 1 Diabetes

The pancreas produces insulin, which helps regulate sugar levels in the blood. In type 1 diabetes mellitus, the cells which produce insulin in the pancreas are destroyed by the immune system attacks.

High levels of sugar in the blood can destroy the vessels and organs like the heart, eyes, kidneys, and nerves.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the immune system causes damage to the joints. It leads to redness, fever, soreness, and stiffness in the joints of the patient.

Rheumatoid Arthritis can occur in people in their 30s or sooner.

Psoriasis/psoriatic Arthritis

The growing and shedding of skin cells happen simultaneously. When cells are no longer needed, they're shed from the skin leading to the growth of new cells. Psoriasis is a disease in which cells in the skin increase at a much faster rate. The layer of extra cells over the skin build-up and cause inflamed red patches, usually with silver-white coverings of plaque.

According to research, almost 30 percent of people with psoriasis experience swelling, pain, and stiffness in their joints. It is known as psoriatic arthritis.

Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) destroys the myelin sheath (protective coating that surrounds nerve cells) in the body's central nervous system, which slows the transmission speed of messages between the brain and spinal cord.

Symptoms of multiple sclerosis may include paralysis, instability, weakness, and difficulty in walking. There are many forms of Multiple sclerosis based on the progression of the disease. According to a study conducted in 2012, 5 out of 10 people with Multiple sclerosis need support walking within 15 years after the disease begins.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)

In 1800, lupus was described as a skin rash. The systemic form affects many organs, such as the kidneys, joints, brain, and heart.

Common symptoms are as follows:

● Joint pain

● Fatigue

● Rashes

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) defines specific conditions that cause inflammation in the intestinal wall lining. Different types of IBD affect other parts of the GI tract.

● Crohn's Disease

In this disease, any part of the GI tract (mouth to anus) gets inflamed.

● Ulcerative Colitis

Affects the lining of the large intestine (colon) and rectum.

Addison's Disease

Addison's disease is a type that affects the adrenal glands, which produce the following hormones:

● Cortisol

● Aldosterone

● Androgen.

The deficiency of cortisol can affect many bodily functions, such as the use and storage of carbohydrates and sugar (glucose). The shortage of aldosterone will cause a loss of sodium and an excess of potassium in the bloodstream.

Symptoms include:

● Dizziness

● Fatigue

● Weight loss

● Low blood sugar

Graves' Disease

Graves' disease affects the thyroid gland present in the neck, forcing it to produce hormones in an excessive amount. The function of Thyroid hormones is to control the usage of energy, known as metabolism.

If these hormones are present in an increased amount, they can speed up the activities, producing symptoms like nervousness, tachycardia, temperature intolerance, and weight loss.

One possible symptom of this disease is swelling eyes, known as exophthalmos. According to a study conducted in 1993, this symptom occurs in about 30 percent of those who have Graves' disease.

Sjögren's Syndrome

This condition affects the glands which produce lubrication in the mouth and eyes. The symptoms of Sjögren's syndrome include dry eyes and dry mouth.

How are Autoimmune Diseases Treated at Silver Cancer Institute and Center for Chronic Disease?

At SCI, autoantibodies are evaluated against heavy metals, infections, toxins, and foods to cure autoimmune diseases curable. The levels of toxic exposures are minimized by improving the intestinal barrier function.

Single nucleotide polymorphism evaluation is also conducted to study parental genes to provide the best possible treatment.

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