Autoimmune Diseases: The Effects On Your Health


An autoimmune disease is a type of disease which triggers the production of antibodies that attack the tissues of the body thereby damaging and destroying the tissue.

List of autoimmune diseases:

  1. Rheumatoid arthritis which is the inflammation in joints and nearby tissues.
  2. Type 1 diabetes
  3. Bowel diseases: inflammatory disease in the digestive system of a body.
  4. Psoriasis: This is a disease of the skin which causes sore patches on the skin.
  5. Lupus: This is a chronic inflammatory disease. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is the most serious type of lupus which affects organs in the body. Discoid lupus and drug induced lupus are further two types of this disease.

The health effects of such diseases are given below:

  • There are significant changes in organ function including abnormal growth.
  • Body tissue is destroyed by autoimmune diseases
  • Vision of the patient is affected by certain types of autoimmune diseases. A severe case of type 1 diabetes can lead to blindness. Similarly, rheumatoid arthritis can cause the cornea to become thin.
  • Depending on the type of disease, lungs can be affected by autoimmune diseases such as lupus. Inflammation of blood vessels in lungs and chest pain is common with diseases associated with the lungs.
  • A general feeling of being weak and fatigue is one of the most common systems of this type of disease.
  • Oral health problems including choking and increase in dental cavities is caused by autoimmune diseases.
  • A weakened immune system leading to frequent infections and illnesses is another effect of diseases of the immune system.
  • Liver is damaged by autoimmune hepatitis which is a disease causing swelling of the liver.
  • An increase in blood pressure is another health effect.
  • Damage to the kidney or even kidney failure in extreme cases are a result of autoimmune diseases such as good pastures syndrome.

It can be seen that autoimmune diseases can affect the health in a number of ways. The extent of the affect on health depends on the type and severity of the disease. The symptoms of this category of diseases are similar to other illnesses which make it difficult to diagnose.

Antibody tests and blood count are some of the techniques used in diagnosis. These diseases are chronic with no cure but efforts are made to control progressive nature of the disease and reduce symptoms during flare-ups.