What Should You Know About Autoimmune Diseases?

As Americans, we’re programmed to see certain things as inevitable when they don’t have to. For example, we think our lives always have to be fast-paced and stressful. We believe that certain health symptoms and red flags are just the norm, and we believe that we can treat our symptoms with medications rather than dealing with root causes. 

Sometimes, letting health-related red flags go unchecked can lead to not only health complications but lifestyle implications. For example, according to the CDC, truck drivers are more likely to drive while fatigued. That fatigue that they’re experiencing could be a symptom of something like an autoimmune condition. 

In addition to people with these symptoms not getting the care and treatment they need, they’re also potentially putting others at risk in certain situations. 

It becomes very complex, and autoimmune diseases are a leading cause of fatigue and many other symptoms Americans deal with every day, including joint pain, inflammation, gut health problems, depression and anxiety. 

With those things in mind, the following are some other facts to know about autoimmune diseases and how they affect us individually, as well as on a societal level. 

What Is An Autoimmune Disease?

An autoimmune disease is one in which your own immune system attacks your body by mistake. 

Typically, our immune system’s role is to protect us from harmful invaders, like viruses and bacteria. If your body senses a foreign invader, it will send out cells to attack them. The immune system should if it’s functioning correctly, be able to make the distinction between your cells and foreign cells. 

If you have an autoimmune disease, proteins called autoantibodies are sent out to attack healthy cells in different parts of your body, like your skin or joints. 

Some autoimmune diseases affect only one organ, and others can affect your entire body. For example, if you have type 1 diabetes, it damages just your pancreas. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) affects your whole body. 

Frequent Symptoms

While the specifics of these disorders can vary, many of the symptoms are similar among them. Frequently seen symptoms of autoimmune diseases include:

■ Fatigue

■ Joint pain

■ Swelling of the joints

■ Skin issues

■ Recurring fever

■ Swollen glands

■ Digestive issues

■ Stomach pain

Risk factors for autoimmune diseases include:

■ Genetics: Sometimes, these disorders run in families. It doesn’t mean if you have a close relative with an autoimmune condition, you’ll automatically develop one, but it is one risk factor among others. 

■ Weight: If you’re overweight or obese, it raises the risk of some types of autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers aren’t entirely sure why, but they believe that it could be related to fat tissue making a substance causing more inflammation. 

■ Smoking: Smoking has been linked with RA, multiple sclerosis, and hyperthyroidism. 

Common Autoimmune Diseases

There are dozens of autoimmune disorders, with some of the more common being:

■ Rheumatoid arthritis: RA causes your immune system to attack your joints, leading to stiffness, soreness and warmth. RA doesn’t have anything to do with aging, unlike osteoarthritis, which tends to be more common as you age. 

■ Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis: These skin-related conditions cause your skin cells to multiply too quickly. If you have psoriasis, you might also develop psoriatic arthritis, leading to pain, swelling, and stiffness in your joints. 

■ Multiple sclerosis: MS damages something called the myelin sheath, which is a coating that protects your nerve cells in the central nervous system. When there’s damage to the myelin sheath, it slows down how quickly messages can travel between your brain and spinal cord throughout the rest of your body. Symptoms of MS include numbness, problems walking, and balance issues. 

■ Systematic lupus erythematosus: SLE was initially thought only to be a skin disease. Now, we know that it affects many of your major organs. SLE can affect the brain, heart, joints and kidneys. Rashes, fatigue and joint pain are common. 

■ Inflammatory bowel disease: IBD causes inflammation in the lining of your intestinal wall. There are different types of IBD, each of which affects varying parts of the GI tract. Crohn’s disease can impact any area of your GI system, from your mouth to your anus, while ulcerative colitis affects the lining of the colon and rectum. 

■ Hashimoto’s thyroiditis: This disorder causes your thyroid hormone production to slow. You may experience symptoms like swelling of the thyroid, known as goiter, cold sensitivity, fatigue, and hair loss. 

■ Sjogren’s syndrome: This condition causes dry eyes and mouth and affects your skin and joints. 

■ Celiac disease: This serious disorder causes severe symptoms if you eat foods with gluten. Gluten is a protein in grain products. When the gluten goes to your small intestine, your immune system attacks this part of your GI tract, leading to inflammation. 

Seeing a Doctor

Diagnosing an autoimmune disorder is challenging, and it can take some time. This is because the symptoms can be general and overlap with so many other conditions. For example, fatigue is not just a common symptom of autoimmune disease but nearly every other major illness. 

If you do see your doctor, they may recommend you go to a specialist, depending on your symptoms. 

A rheumatologist treats diseases related to the joints, like SLE. 

Gastroenterologists treat GI tract diseases like Crohn’s, and endocrinologists treated gland-related diseases. 

There’s not one single test that can be done to make a diagnosis, so a doctor will usually review your symptoms and use a combination of tests. 

One of the first tests your doctor may do if there’s a suspected autoimmune disease is the antinuclear antibody test or ANA. If you have a positive test, it shows you have some type of autoimmune disorder, but it’s not specific for which one. 

If you’re diagnosed, your healthcare provider will work to reduce inflammation and control your overactive immune response but aren’t cures for autoimmune diseases. Lifestyle changes might also be recommended to keep your symptoms under control and improve your quality of life.

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