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What are autoimmune diseases?
Who is at risk for getting autoimmune diseases?
What are the most common symptoms of autoimmune diseases?
Are chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia autoimmune diseases?
What are flare ups?
Are there medicines to treat autoimmune diseases?
How can I manage my life now that I have an autoimmune disease?
What are some things I can do to feel better?
What kinds of doctors will I need to treat my autoimmune disease?
See also:
Our bodies have an immune system that protects us from disease and infection. But if you have an autoimmune disease, your immune system attacks itself by mistake, and you can get sick. Autoimmune diseases can affect connective tissue in your body (the tissue which binds together body tissues and organs). Autoimmune disease can affect many parts of your body, like your nerves, muscles, endocrine system (system that directs your body’s hormones and other chemicals), and digestive system.
Most autoimmune diseases occur in women, and most often during their childbearing years. Some of these diseases also affect African American, American Indian, and Latina women more than white women. These diseases tend to run in families, so your genes, along with the way your immune system responds to certain triggers or things in the environment, affect your chances of getting one of these diseases. If you think you may have an autoimmune disease, ask your family members if they have had symptoms like yours. The good news is that if you have an autoimmune disease, there ARE things you can do to feel better!
There are more than 80 types of autoimmune diseases. Learning the symptoms of some of the more common autoimmune diseases can help you recognize the signs if you get one. But some autoimmune diseases share similar symptoms. This makes it hard for doctors to find out if you really have one of these diseases, and which one it might be. This can make your trip to doctors long and stressful. But if you are having symptoms that bother you, you need to persist to make sure you get relief. Below are descriptions of some common autoimmune diseases.
Disease | Symptoms | Tests to help find out if you have it |
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Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (underactive thyroid) |
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Graves’ disease (overactive thyroid) |
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Lupus |
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Multiple sclerosis (MS) |
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Rheumatoid arthritis |
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Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia (FM) are not autoimmune diseases, but they often have symptoms—like being tired all the time and pain—that may seem like other autoimmune diseases.
Symptoms of autoimmune diseases can come and go, ranging in how bad they are, or all go away for a while (called remission). Flare-ups, or the sudden and severe onset of symptoms, can also happen. It’s best to work closely and often with your doctor and other members of your health care team to manage your illness. If you have a flare-up, it is best to first call your doctor. Don’t try a “cure” you heard about from a friend or relative.
You can take medicines to help your symptoms, which your doctor(s) will talk with you about. The type of medicine you take depends on which disease you have and what your symptoms are. Some people can take over-the-counter drugs, like aspirin and ibuprofen for pain. Others with more severe symptoms may have to take certain kinds of prescription drugs that can help with pain, swelling, depression, anxiety, sleep problems, fatigue, or rashes. You also might be able to take medicine to help slow the progress of your disease. New treatments for autoimmune diseases are being studied all the time.
Although there is no cure for autoimmune diseases, you can treat your symptoms and learn to manage your disease, so you can enjoy life! Women with autoimmune diseases lead full, active lives. Your life goals should not have to change. It is important, though, to see a doctor who specializes in these types of diseases.
If you are living with an autoimmune disease, there are things you can do each day to feel better:
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Juggling your health care needs among different doctors and other types of health care providers can be hard. But visiting other types of health care workers, along with your main doctor, may be helpful in managing some symptoms of your autoimmune disease. If you are visiting many types of health care workers, make sure you have a supportive main doctor to help you. Often, your family doctor may help you coordinate care. Here are some other kinds of health care workers that may be useful.
For more information about autoimmune diseases, contact the National Women’s Health Information Center at 1-800-994-9662 or the following organizations:
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), NIH, HHS
Phone: (877) 226-4267
Internet Address: http://www.nih.gov/about/almanac/organization/NIAMS.htm
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), NIH, HHS
Phone: (800) 352-9424
Internet Site: http://www.ninds.nih.gov
American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA), Inc.
Phone: (800) 598-4668
Internet Address: http://www.aarda.org
Lupus Foundation of America (LFA), Inc.
Phone: (800) 558-0121
Internet Site: http://www.lupus.org
January 2005
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