Autoimmune Diseases - Autoimmune Diseases Arise From An Overactive Immune Response Of The Body

Autoimmune Diseases arise from an overactive immune response system of the body and hence they also lead to various kinds of side effects and health problems. Basically the term autoimmunity is known as the failure of an organism, where it is not able to recognize its own constituent parts as self. This results in an immune response against the body's own cells and tissues and the disease, which arises as a result of the same, is known as autoimmune disease.

The aberrant immune response is termed an autoimmune disease and some of the other examples of these diseases are Coeliac disease, diabetes mellitus type 1, Sjögren's syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus, Churg-Strauss Syndrome, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Graves' disease, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, and rheumatoid arthritis which are related to the same. There is a general misconception that the individual's immune system is totally incapable of recognizing self antigens.

Some of the scientists had proposed the concept of horror autotoxicus where the normal body does not mount an immune response against its tissues. Hence any autoimmune response has been perceived to be abnormal and postulated, in connection with the human diseases. But it has now been accepted that autoimmune responses are a vital part of vertebrate immune systems.

These are also termed as natural autoimmunity, which is normally preventing the causes of disease by the phenomenon of immunological tolerance, and also includes self-antigens. But it should be remembered that autoimmunity should not be confused with allo-immunity and these are different terms. There are certain individuals who are genetically susceptible to these diseases and hence they develop the autoimmune diseases easily. The susceptibility to such diseases has been associated with multiple genes plus other risk factors.

The genetically predisposed people are not always the ones who always develop autoimmune diseases. There are three main sets of genes, which are susceptible to autoimmune diseases and these genes are related to immunoglobulins, T-cell receptors and major histo- compatibility complexes. Some of the major causes and risk factors involved with these kinds of diseases include multiple factors like environmental toxins, viruses, heredity, and certain drugs that result in causing these diseases.

Apart from these factors there are various other causes of these kinds of diseases and these include, stress, poor diet, abuse of alcohol, lack of exercise, lack of sleep, and use of tobacco that weaken the immune system. Some of the most common symptoms of the Autoimmune Diseases and Disorders depend on the type of disease. The diagnoses of these diseases require a complete medical history and a check up or a physical examination including blood tests, radiological studies, and other studies.

There are also instances when the doctor may also order tests to rule out specific autoimmune diseases. There are examples like the rheumatoid factor test for rheumatoid arthritis and thyroid tests for thyroid disorders that help to rule out certain kinds of autoimmune diseases and help to provide for proper medication for the same. The autoimmune diseases require proper diagnosis and treatment to ensure that they are cured and the disease does not get worse with time.

• Felicia Byrnes
• 22/04/2009, 6:59 PM
• 0 Comments