Autoimmune diseases: types, damage and things you need to know

Autoimmune diseases might never get diagnosed, but they cause a lot of symptoms

Autoimmune diseases are the umbrella term for conditions in which the immune system damages healthy cells in the body. This happens because the immune system mistakes healthy cells for bad cells and attacks its own cells instead. Such conditions can be challenging to diagnose because many symptoms of other conditions are similar.

Your immune system can usually tell the difference between foreign cells and your own healthy cells. However, an autoimmune condition means your immune system is messed up and acts differently. When autoantibodies are released to attack healthy cells, this can cause skin, joint, and organ issues^[1].

The worst part of having an autoimmune disease is that there is no cure for it, and your healthcare provider or specialized doctors have nothing to help you. Some treatments and medications can manage these symptoms, at least. However, there is no cure, and this is a life-long issue.

These conditions commonly affect joints, muscles, skin, the digestive or nervous system, the thyroid, or blood vessels. These diseases or disorders significantly affect lives because the body attacks instead of protecting it.

A chronic condition means your immune system is more active and working overtime. It also means that you will probably have to manage your condition and the symptoms that diseases cause for the rest of your life.

Understanding risk factors can help you take steps to protect your health

These conditions leave patients clueless, but doctors also do not know exactly what causes the immune system to misfire. Particular factors can cause people to get autoimmune diseases more likely, but no specific risk factors, just some things that correlate with the commonality of autoimmune diseases.

Your sex can be one of them. Women are more likely than men to develop autoimmune diseases, particularly those between the ages of 15 and 44. This is thought to be linked to hormonal differences, though researchers are still studying the exact reasons^[2].

If someone in your family has an autoimmune disease, you might also be more likely to develop one. Genetics plays a role, but environmental factors—like the things you’re exposed to daily—can also contribute. Things like sunlight, pollution, and certain chemicals (such as those used in agriculture) may increase your risk.

Even viruses like COVID-19 or Epstein-Barr can trigger autoimmune diseases in some people. Exposure to these environmental factors can sometimes trigger an autoimmune response. Your habits also influence health issues like this. Tobacco use is linked to many health problems, including the risk of autoimmune diseases.

Some autoimmune diseases are more common in certain ethnic groups. For example, autoimmune muscle diseases tend to affect White people from Europe or the United States more, while lupus is more common in African American, Hispanic, or Latino populations.

What you eat might influence your risk of developing an autoimmune disease. Certain nutrients and dietary habits can either protect or increase your chances of getting one, so it's important to maintain a healthy diet.

Conditions like obesity or already having one autoimmune disease can make you more susceptible to developing others. This is known as multiple autoimmune syndrome, where someone simultaneously develops more than one autoimmune disorder^[3].

There are more than 100 different autoimmune diseases

There are hundreds of different symptoms linked to these types of autoimmune conditions. The different disorders are related to a particular body part and are responsible for particular unpleasantries. Unfortunately, these symptoms can also be mistaken for other diseases and undermined.

Autoimmune diseases can affect nearly any part of the body. Here are some examples of conditions and where they affect you:

Joints and Muscles

• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
• Lupus
• Myositis

Skin and Blood Vessels

• Sjögren’s syndrome
• Psoriasis
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Dermatomyositis
• Scleroderma
• Vasculitis
• Rheumatoid vasculitis
• Urticarial vasculitis
• Vitiligo

Digestive System

• Crohn’s disease
• Celiac disease
• Ulcerative colitis
• Autoimmune gastritis

Endocrine System

• Type 1 diabetes
• Addison’s disease
• Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
• Graves’ disease

Nervous System

• Multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Myasthenia gravis (MG)
• Guillain-Barré syndrome
• Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIPD)

Fatigue, low-grade fever, dizziness or muscle aches, and swelling can be related to other things you are already dealing with. Trouble concentrating, numbness in your feet and hands, hair loss, and skin rashes can also be linked with autoimmune diseases.

It is pretty common for symptoms to come and go with these diseases. This is especially true with conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. These syndromes have particular flare-ups, a period when symptoms cause issues and then go away, transitioning into remission^[4].

Particular conditions can also have their own symptoms that depend on the body system they attack. This is the case with diseases like type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, or Hashimoto's. Diabetes triggers extreme thirst and weight loss; IBD can cause loading and diarrhea. Hashimoto's syndrome initially is autoimmune thyroiditis, the inflammation of the thyroid gland.

• Type 1 Diabetes: In type 1 diabetes, the immune system destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Insulin helps regulate blood sugar levels, so without it, high blood sugar can damage blood vessels and organs over time.
• Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): RA causes the immune system to attack the joints, leading to inflammation, pain, and stiffness. It is most common in older adults, but it can also develop in people as young as their 30s. A related condition, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, affects children.
• Psoriatic Arthritis: Psoriasis causes skin cells to multiply too quickly, creating patches of inflamed, scaly skin. About 30% of people with psoriasis also develop psoriatic arthritis, which affects the joints, causing pain and swelling.
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS): MS damages the protective layer around nerve cells, slowing down the communication between the brain and the rest of the body. It can cause issues with movement, including difficulty walking, and its severity varies from person to person.
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): IBD refers to conditions that cause inflammation in the intestines. There are two types: Crohn's disease, which can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract, and ulcerative colitis, which targets the large intestine and rectum.
• Graves’ Disease: Graves' disease affects the thyroid gland, causing it to produce too many hormones. This speeds up the body's metabolism, leading to symptoms like a rapid heart rate and unintended weight loss. Some people also experience skin or eye problems.
• Sjögren’s Disease: Sjögren’s attacks the glands that keep your eyes and mouth moist. Dry eyes and dry mouth are the main symptoms, but it can also affect the joints and skin.
• Myasthenia Gravis: Myasthenia gravis interferes with the nerve signals that control muscle movement. This leads to muscle weakness, which can worsen with activity and improve with rest.
• Celiac Disease: People with celiac disease cannot tolerate gluten, a protein found in wheat and other grains. Eating gluten triggers an immune response that damages the small intestine, leading to digestive issues.
• Pernicious Anemia: In pernicious anemia, the immune system attacks the cells that produce a substance needed for the body to absorb vitamin B12. Without enough B12, the body can't make enough red blood cells, leading to anemia.

While this list covers some of the most common autoimmune diseases, many others affect different organs and systems in the body. Researchers continue studying these conditions to understand their causes and improve treatments.