What Are Common Symptoms of Autoimmune Disease?

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Between taking intendance of yourself and family members and trying to manage a social life and career, it'south common for women to feel tired and achy. Simply are these symptoms of a stressful life, or could they exist tied to an underlying condition like autoimmune disease?

Ana-Maria Orbai, G.D., G.H.S., is a rheumatologist at the Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center. Rheumatologists specialize in diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal diseases and autoimmune weather (rheumatic disease). Orbai talks about how to recognize mutual autoimmune affliction symptoms and when you should see a doc.

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Autoimmune Disease Basics

Autoimmune disease happens when the torso's natural defense system can't tell the deviation between your own cells and strange cells, causing the body to mistakenly attack normal cells. At that place are more fourscore types of autoimmune diseases that affect a wide range of torso parts.

The most mutual autoimmune diseases in women are:

  • Rheumatoid arthritis, a class of arthritis that attacks the joints
  • Psoriasis, a condition marked by thick, scaly patches of skin
  • Psoriatic arthritis, a blazon of arthritis affecting some people with psoriasis
  • Lupus, a disease that damages areas of the body that include joints, skin and organs
  • Thyroid diseases, including Graves' affliction, where the body makes too much thyroid hormone (hyperthyroidism), and Hashimoto's thyroiditis, where it doesn't make plenty (hypothyroidism) of the hormone

Symptoms of autoimmune disease may be astringent in some people and mild in others. "In that location are different degrees of autoimmune disease," says Orbai. "The symptoms a person gets likely chronicle to multiple factors that include genetics, environs and personal health."

Common Autoimmune Illness Symptoms

Despite the varying types of autoimmune disease, many of them share similar symptoms. Common symptoms of autoimmune disease include:

  • Fatigue
  • Joint hurting and swelling
  • Pare bug
  • Abdominal hurting or digestive issues
  • Recurring fever
  • Bloated glands

Many women say it'due south hard to become diagnosed, something that Orbai agrees with. "It's not black or white," she says. "At that place'south unremarkably no single test to diagnose autoimmune disease. You have to have certain symptoms combined with specific blood markers and in some cases, even a tissue biopsy. Information technology'south not but ane factor."

Diagnosis can also be difficult because these symptoms can come from other common conditions. Orbai says women should seek treatment when they discover new symptoms.

"If you've been healthy and suddenly you feel fatigue or joint stiffness, don't downplay that," she says. "Telling your doctor helps him or her to look closer at your symptoms and run tests to either place or rule out autoimmune illness."

autoimmune disease spelled out

Autoimmune Disease: Why Is My Immune System Attacking Itself?

Autoimmune disease affects 23.5 million Americans, and well-nigh 80 percent of those are women. If you're one of the millions of women affected by this group of diseases, which includes lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and thyroid disease, yous may be wondering why your allowed system is attacking itself.

Autoimmune Disease Adventure Factors

Researchers don't know what causes autoimmune disease, but several theories betoken to an overactive immune system attacking the trunk later an infection or injury. We do know that sure take a chance factors increment the chances of developing autoimmune disorders, including:

  • Genetics: Certain disorders such as lupus and multiple sclerosis (MS) tend to run in families. "Having a relative with autoimmune disease increases your chance, but it doesn't hateful you lot volition develop a affliction for certain," says Orbai.
  • Weight: Beingness overweight or obese raises your risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis. This could exist because more than weight puts greater stress on the joints or because fat tissue makes substances that encourage inflammation.
  • Smoking: Enquiry has linked smoking to a number of autoimmune diseases, including lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, hyperthyroidism and MS.
  • Certain medications: "Certain blood pressure medications or antibiotics tin can trigger drug-induced lupus, which is often a more benign form of lupus," Orbai says. "Our myositis center besides discovered that specific medications used to lower cholesterol, called statins, tin trigger statin-induced myopathy." Myopathy is a rare autoimmune disease that causes muscle weakness. Before starting or stopping any medications, nevertheless, make sure to talk to your dr..

Autoimmune Illness and Your Health

Having lupus, rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis raises your risk for heart disease. While taking steps to reduce eye disease is ever a good idea, it is fifty-fifty more than essential if you have 1 of these weather. Talk to your doctor about what you lot can do to keep your heart healthy and stiff. For example, keeping your blood pressure and cholesterol levels within healthy ranges, eating a nutritious nutrition and exercising regularly can be lifesaving.

These steps can also help reduce the symptoms of autoimmune disease. Orbai admits that making time for healthy living tin can be difficult, given women's fast-paced lives, only she insists that finding the balance is key to living with autoimmune disease.

"It's something that's going to involve delivery, and sometimes it's going to be tough," she says. "But learning to listen to your body and existence smart almost what triggers your disease is important. It's something you exercise for yourself."

A group of smiling adults stretch before exercising.

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