What is an autoimmune disease?

Autoimmune disease occurs when the immune system is overactive, leading to tissue damage.. Normally, your immune system makes proteins called antibodies that protect you from toxins, cancer cells, and viruses. If you have an autoimmune disease, the immune system does not know the difference between healthy cells and a foreign or invading agent. There are different types of this disease and its cause is not known.. usually the goal of treatment is to focus on reducing the activity of the immune system. familiarity with types of autoimmune diseases We will explain some examples of this disease to you below: ### Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) The body's immune system produces antibodies that bind to the joint....Despite this complication, the cells of the immune system attack the joints and lead to pain, swelling and inflammation. If rheumatoid arthritis is not treated, permanent damage will gradually occur. The goal of treatment is to reduce the activity of the immune system. ### Lupus If you have lupus, the body produces antibodies that affect tissues throughout the body. Lupus usually attacks the lungs, joints, blood cells, kidneys, and nerves. ### Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) In this condition, the body's immune system attacks the intestinal lining and causes problems such as rectal bleeding, bowel movements, abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever and weight loss. ### MS (MS) The immune system attacks the nerve cells and causes symptoms such as weakness, pain, muscle spasms, imbalance, etc... Usually, the treatment solution considered for MS is immunosuppression. ### Type 1 diabetes Antibodies attack the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas and destroy it.. People who have this type of diabetes need insulin injections to continue living. ### Guillen-Barre syndrome (GBS) In Guillen Barre syndrome the body's immune system attacks the nerves that control the muscles of the legs, sometimes the muscles of the arms and the upper body in general. ### Psoriasis If you suffer from this disease, the blood cells of the immune system called T accumulate in the skin.. The immune system stimulates the skin cells to multiply rapidly and eventually you will notice a complication in the form of scaly scales on your skin. ### Graves' disease In this disease, the immune system produces antibodies that cause the thyroid gland to secrete many hormones into the blood and eventually cause hyperthyroidism. Symptoms of this disease include weight loss, increased heart rate, bulging eyes, hair loss, nervousness, etc. ### Hashimoto's thyroid In this disease, the immune system's antibodies attack the thyroid gland and the thyroid-producing cells are slowly destroyed... Low thyroid hormone levels or hypothyroidism usually develop over months and years. The symptoms of this disease include constipation, fatigue, weight gain, sensitivity to cold, dry skin and depression... ### myasthenia gravis During this disease, the antibodies stick to the nerves and eventually the muscles are not stimulated properly.. The main symptom of this disease is weakness that worsens with activity. ### Scleroderma This disease causes inflammation of the skin and other parts of the body....following this disease, it produces a lot of collagen....This condition causes visible tightening of the skin, damage to blood vessels and organs such as lungs, heart and kidneys. There is no cure for it, the goal of treatment is to relieve the patient's symptoms. ### Vasculitis The immune system attacks the blood vessels and causes damage.... may involve any part of the body following this disease; Therefore, each person's symptoms can be different. What is the most common autoimmune disease? Doctors usually do not agree on the most common type of this disease, but in general, it can be said that the most common are type 1 diabetes, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes, MS, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and Crohn's disease. What is the cause of autoimmune disease? There is no exact reason; But there are different theories in this field that we will explain: ### Specific drugs Some drugs may cause changes in the body that confuse the immune system. ### Genetics Some autoimmune diseases run in families... If you have a family history of this disease, you will be at greater risk. ### infection Sometimes viruses and bacteria can make changes that cause you to develop an autoimmune disease... If you are genetically predisposed to developing immune system diseases, this possibility increases. Some risk factors increase the possibility of developing an autoimmune disease: - smoking - Obesity - exposure to toxins - Air pollution or dangerous chemicals - Female gender What are the symptoms? Depending on the type of disease and the affected area, you experience different symptoms, but the common symptoms are: - fatigue - glandular swelling - Frequent fever - stomach pain or digestive problems - Skin problems such as redness - Joint pain and swelling How is it diagnosed? In some cases, diagnosis may take months or years.. Because some types of autoimmune diseases are similar to other diseases. Generally, your doctor will ask you questions about your medical history and symptoms, and may also recommend tests. ### Blood test A blood test is recommended to check for the following: - self-antibody - antinuclear antibody test - urine test - reactive protein - Complete blood count - Red blood cell sedimentation rate - Comprehensive Metabolic Panel ### Imaging This test is recommended to look for visible signs of an autoimmune disease.. For example, with the help of ultrasound and X-rays, joint problems can be detected.... MRI shows deeper injuries in the body. What treatment methods are there? Although there is no cure for autoimmune disease, various treatment strategies have been proposed to help control symptoms. ### Pharmaceutical treatment Based on the type of disorder and the severity of the disease, the doctor prescribes the best drugs according to your conditions... Possible treatment methods include the following: - steroids - anti-inflammatory drugs Effective drugs to control symptoms are as follows: - hypnotism - insulin injection - Medications for anxiety and depression - housing - plasma exchange - intravenous immunoglobulin - change of lifestyle In addition to medication, the doctor often recommends lifestyle changes.. Exercise or physical therapy is highly recommended for diseases that affect the muscles, such as MS. Also, other people with autoimmune and vascular diseases are also affected, so quitting smoking can be very helpful. familiarity with the triggering factors in the development of autoimmune disease Some of the things that can contribute to complications are as follows: - exposure to the sun - smoking - specific viruses - Obesity - use of certain drugs - Certain types of chemicals - exposure to toxins - Genetics - tissue damage Is eczema an autoimmune disease? While the immune system plays a role in the occurrence of eczema and the use of immunosuppressive drugs helps to treat it... but it is not considered an autoimmune disease.