Types of Auto-Immune Diseases
The human anatomy consists of a complex immune system that comprises special chemicals, organs, and cells that specifically fight disease or infection causing agents such as viruses and diseases. In such an instance when these chemicals and cells target the host's cells and body cells mistakenly, then the host contracts the auto-immune diseases or disorders ("Autoimmune Diseases", 2017). Auto-immune diseases or disorders thus only appear when the host’s body is fighting against itself. More auto-immune diseases majorly affect the female gender but as well affecting the male gender. The immune diseases can further be subdivided into two categories; organic specific in which one specific organ is attacked or affected and non-organ specific diseases in which case more than one host’s organs or other body systems are affected. Either way, the main reason behind the immune system attacking the host’s body has remained elusive to the scientific and medical worlds for a long time.
There are an approximately eighty different auto-immune diseases and disorders affecting both women and men. The disorders and diseases range from disabling examples to some that are mild in nature. The severity of these diseases entirely depends on what body system or organ is potentially attacked and the level of degree of the attack. The fact that more auto-immune diseases affect largely the female gender than the male gender has remained elusive and thus the susceptibility of women has remained a mystery. More so, women become more susceptible to auto-immune diseases and disorders during their childbearing years. Generally, there is no cure for these diseases and disorders, but the corresponding symptoms are managed using different medicinal therapies.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Even though there are an approximately 80 auto-immune diseases and disorders, in reference to the research the following examples will be described in details with their corresponding symptoms and characteristics; celiac disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis, type-1 diabetes, Crohn’s disease, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Celiac Disease
When a person diagnosed with celiac disease consumes gluten, which is one of the types of protein majorly found in rye, barley, and wheat, their immune systems respond by sending an attack to their small intestines. The villi of the small intestines are damaged during these immune attacks thus potentially affecting the absorption of nutrients into the host’s body. This particular auto-immune disease is hereditary and the chances of a person with a first-degree relative developing the same disease have a risk factor of 1 in 10. Globally, it is estimated that one in every hundred people has the celiac disease ("What is Celiac Disease?, 2017).
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
The Lupus is a long-term or chronic disease that affects more women than men in a ratio of 1:10 (Paz, 2017). The disorder causes systemic inflammation of multiple host’s organs such as the skin and the joints. In addition, the disease can also affect the heart, brain, lungs, and kidneys. The main symptoms are fatigue, fever, and weight loss. The lupus disorder can vary greatly from mild symptoms to life-threatening. The disease can either be active or in remission which means that the symptoms are mostly quiet.
Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an auto-immune disease of the central nervous system affecting the spinal cord and the brain of a person. The disease can potentially disable the victim mainly because it disrupts the flow of information between the brain and the rest of the body. Such ineffective flow of information from the brain can thereby cause permanent damage to the nerves. There are great variations in the symptoms of a victim depending on the level of nerve deterioration with severe cases leading to the inability to walk. Moreover, the symptoms could range from limb numbness, double vision, loss of vision, fatigue, extreme pain in certain parts of the body and dizziness.
Type-1 Diabetes
Type-1 diabetes is mostly diagnosed in people at their tender ages, young adults, and children. Globally, the disease only accounts for an approximate 5% of all the people with diabetes (Isley & Molitch, 2005). Type-1 diabetes victim’s bodies are not able to produce insulin which aids the body in getting glucose into the bloodstream. Once a person consumes starches and sugars, they are broken down to produce glucose which is easily absorbable into the bloodstream and used for energy. Insulin, on the other hand, is a hormone that aids the body in the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream. This hormone is the missing element in victims of type-1 diabetes. Symptoms of the disease include; frequent urination, blurred vision, weight loss, fatigue, increased thirst, and extreme hunger.
Crohn’s Disease
Crohn’s disease causes inflammations of the bowel and digestive tract. The inflammations lead to severe diarrhea, intense abdominal pain, weight loss, fatigue, and malnutrition. However, the inflammations affect different regions of the digestive tract in different people. The disease can either remain in remission or escalate to a life-threatening level and with no known cure, medicinal therapies target the reduction of the symptoms and signs. Some of the disease’s symptoms include; fever, fatigue, diarrhea, blood in the stool, mouth sores, weight loss, and anal pain.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a long-term or chronic disorder that majorly causes inflammations of the joints. However, the disorder can lead to effective damage of other body systems and organs such as the eyes, skin, heart, blood vessels, and the heart. The disorder can potentially lead to bone erosion and deformity of the joints. The symptoms of the disorder include; weight loss, swollen joints, fatigue, joint stiffness, and fever.
References
Autoimmune Diseases . (2017). National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases . Retrieved 10 October 2017, from https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/autoimmune-diseases
Isley, W., & Molitch, M. (2005). Type 1 Diabetes. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism , 90 (1), E2. http://dx.doi.org/10.1210/jcem.90.1.9996
Paz, Z. (2017). Lupus . Rheumatology.org . Retrieved 10 October 2017, from https://www.rheumatology.org/I-Am-A/Patient-Caregiver/Diseases-Conditions/Lupus
What is Celiac Disease? (2017). Celiac Disease Foundation . Retrieved 10 October 2017, from https://celiac.org/celiac-disease/understanding-celiac-disease-2/what-is-celiac-disease/
