Autoimmune diseases: What happens when the body attacks itself
Yahoo News Canada••health
Key Points:
- Autoimmune diseases affect nearly one in 10 Americans and often go undiagnosed for months or years due to nonspecific, fluctuating symptoms like fatigue, joint pain, and swelling.
- These diseases occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own tissues, leading to chronic inflammation and potential organ damage; common examples include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, and type 1 diabetes.
- Causes of autoimmune diseases involve a combination of genetic predisposition, environmental exposures (such as smoking and infections), hormonal changes, and disruptions to the gut microbiome.
- While autoimmune diseases cannot be cured, treatments focus on controlling symptoms and inflammation through medications like immunosuppressants and biologics, alongside lifestyle strategies such as stress management,
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