Autoimmune defeat. The real causes of autoimmune diseases. What autoimmune diseases affect women and what are their symptoms

What are autoimmune diseases?

As the name suggests, autoimmune diseases are diseases caused by our own immune system. For some reason, white blood cells begin to consider a certain type of cell in our body as foreign and dangerous. That is why autoimmune diseases are complex or systemic. A whole organ or group of organs is affected at once. The human body launches, figuratively speaking, a program of self-destruction. Why is this happening, and is it possible to protect yourself from this disaster?

Among the lymphocytes, there is a special "caste" of orderly cells: they are tuned to the protein of the body's own tissues, and if any part of our cells dangerously changes, gets sick or dies, the orderlies will have to destroy this unnecessary garbage. At first glance, very useful feature, especially considering that special lymphocytes are under the strict control of the body. But alas, the situation sometimes develops, as if according to the scenario of an action-packed action movie: everything that can get out of control, gets out of it and takes up arms.

The causes of uncontrolled reproduction and aggression of paramedical lymphocytes can be divided into two types: internal and external.

Internal reasons:

Gene mutations of type I, when lymphocytes cease to identify a certain type of cells of the body. Having inherited such genetic baggage from their ancestors, a person is more likely to get sick with the same autoimmune disease that his immediate family had. And since the mutation concerns the cells of a particular organ or organ system, it will be, for example, toxic goiter or thyroiditis;

Type II gene mutations, when nurse lymphocytes multiply uncontrollably and cause a systemic autoimmune disease, such as lupus or multiple sclerosis. Such ailments are almost always hereditary.

External reasons:

Very heavy, lingering infectious diseases, after which immune cells begin to behave inappropriately;

Detrimental physical effects from the environment, such as radiation or solar radiation;

The "trick" of disease-causing cells that pretend to be very similar to our own, only diseased cells. Lymphocytes-orderlies cannot figure out who is who, and take up arms against both.

Since autoimmune diseases are very diverse, it is extremely difficult to identify common symptoms for them. But all diseases of this type develop gradually and pursue a person all his life. Very often, doctors are at a loss and cannot make a diagnosis, because the symptoms seem to be erased, or they turn out to be characteristic of many other, much more well-known and widespread diseases. But the success of treatment or even saving the patient's life depends on the timely diagnosis: autoimmune diseases can be very dangerous.

Consider the symptoms of some of them:

Rheumatoid arthritis affects the joints, especially the small ones in the hands. It manifests itself not only in pain, but also in swelling, numbness, high fever, a feeling of pressure in the chest and general muscle weakness;

Multiple sclerosis is a nerve cell disease that causes a person to experience strange tactile sensations, lose sensitivity, worse to see. Sclerosis is accompanied by muscle spasms and numbness, as well as memory impairment;

Type 1 diabetes makes a person dependent on insulin for life. And its first symptoms are frequent urination, constant thirst and wolfish appetite;

Vasculitis is a dangerous autoimmune disease that affects the circulatory system. Vessels become fragile, organs and tissues seem to collapse and bleed from the inside. The prognosis, alas, is unfavorable, and the symptoms are pronounced, so diagnosis rarely causes difficulties;

Lupus erythematosus is called systemic because it harms almost all organs. The patient experiences pain in the heart, cannot breathe normally, and is constantly tired. On the skin there are red rounded convex spots of irregular shape, which itch and become covered with a scab;

Pemphigus is a terrible autoimmune disease, the symptoms of which are huge blisters on the surface of the skin filled with lymph;

Hashimoto's thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease. thyroid gland. Its symptoms: drowsiness, coarsening of the skin, severe weight gain, fear of cold;

Hemolytic anemia is an autoimmune disease in which white blood cells turn against red ones. The lack of red blood cells leads to increased fatigue, lethargy, drowsiness, fainting;

Graves' disease is the opposite of Hashimoto's thyroiditis. With her thyroid begins to produce too much of the hormone thyroxine, so the symptoms are opposite: weight loss, heat intolerance, increased nervous excitability;

Myasthenia gravis strikes muscle tissue. As a result, a person is constantly tormented by weakness. The eye muscles get tired especially quickly. The symptoms of myasthenia gravis can be treated with special medications that increase muscle tone;

Scleroderma is a disease of connective tissues, and since such tissues are found in our body almost everywhere, the disease is called systemic, like lupus. The symptoms are very varied: occur degenerative changes joints, skin, blood vessels and internal organs.

A long and sad list of autoimmune diseases would hardly fit in our article. We will name the most common and well-known of them. According to the type of damage, autoimmune diseases are divided into:

Systemic;

Organ-specific;

Mixed.

Systemic autoimmune diseases include:

Lupus erythematosus;

scleroderma;

Some types of vasculitis;

Rheumatoid arthritis;

Behçet's disease;

polymyositis;

Sjögren's syndrome;

antiphospholipid syndrome.

Organ-specific, that is, affecting a specific organ or system of the body, autoimmune diseases include:

Joint diseases - spondyloarthropathy and rheumatoid arthritis;

Endocrine diseases - diffuse toxic goiter, Graves' syndrome, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, type 1 diabetes mellitus;

Nervous autoimmune diseases - myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis, Guillain-Bare syndrome;

Diseases of the liver and gastrointestinal tract - biliary cirrhosis of the liver, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, cholangitis, autoimmune hepatitis and pancreatitis, celiac disease;

Diseases of the circulatory system - neutropenia, hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenic purpura;

Autoimmune diseases kidneys - some types of vasculitis affecting the kidneys, Goodpasture's syndrome, glomerolupatia and glomerolnephritis (a whole group of diseases);

Skin ailments - vitiligo, psoriasis, lupus erythematosus and vasculitis with skin localization, pemphingoid, alopecia, autoimmune urticaria;

Pulmonary diseases - again, vasculitis with lung damage, as well as sarcoidosis and fibrosing alveolitis;

Autoimmune heart disease - myocarditis, vasculitis and rheumatic fever.

Diagnosis of autoimmune diseases

Diagnosis can be made with special analysis blood. Doctors know which types of antibodies are indicative of a particular autoimmune disease. But the problem is that sometimes a person suffers and gets sick long years before the GP even thinks of sending the patient to a lab to be tested for autoimmune diseases. If you have appeared strange symptoms, be sure to consult several specialists with a high reputation at once. Do not rely on the opinion of one doctor, especially if he doubts the diagnosis and choice of treatment methods.

Which doctor treats autoimmune diseases?

As we said above, there are organ-specific autoimmune diseases that are treated by specialized doctors. But when it comes to systemic or mixed forms, you may need the help of several specialists at once:

Neurologist;

Hematologist;

Rheumatologist;

Gastroenterologist;

Cardiologist;

Nephrologist;

Pulmonologist;

Dermatologist;

Our body's immune system is a complex network special bodies and cells that protect our body from foreign agents. core immune system is the ability to distinguish "own" from "foreign". Sometimes a failure occurs in the body, which makes it impossible to recognize the markers of “its own” cells, and antibodies begin to be produced that mistakenly attack certain cells of its own body.

At the same time, regulatory T cells fail to do their job of maintaining the functions of the immune system, and the attack of their own cells begins. This leads to damage that is known as autoimmune disease. The type of damage determines which organ or part of the body is affected. More than eighty types of such diseases are known.

How common are autoimmune diseases?

Unfortunately, they are quite widespread. They affect more than 23.5 million people in our country alone, and this is one of the main causes of death and disability. Exist rare diseases, but there are some that many people suffer from, such as Hashimoto's disease.

For information on how the human immune system works, watch the video:

Who can get sick?

An autoimmune disease can affect anyone. However, there are groups of people at the highest risk:

Women of childbearing age. Women are more likely than men to suffer from autoimmune diseases that begin in their reproductive years.
Those who met in the family similar diseases. Some autoimmune diseases are genetic in nature (for example, ). Often different types of autoimmune diseases develop in several members of the same family. Hereditary predisposition plays a role, but other factors can also serve as the onset of the disease.
The presence of certain substances in the environment. Certain situations or environmental exposures can cause some autoimmune diseases or exacerbate existing ones. Among them: active sun, chemicals, viral and bacterial infections.
People of a particular race or ethnicity. For example, type 1 diabetes affects mostly white people. More severe systemic lupus erythematosus occurs in African Americans and Hispanics.

What autoimmune diseases affect women and what are their symptoms?

The diseases listed here are more common in women than in men.

Although each case is unique, the most common symptom markers are weakness, dizziness, and low-grade fever. Many autoimmune diseases have transient symptoms that can also vary in severity. When the symptoms go away for a while, this is called remission. They alternate with an unexpected and deep manifestation of symptoms - outbreaks, or exacerbations.

Types of Autoimmune Diseases and Their Symptoms

Disease	Symptoms
alopecia areata The immune system attacks hair follicles(from which hair grows). This usually does not affect general condition health, but can significantly affect appearance.	Areas of lack of hair on the head, face and other parts of the body
The disease is associated with damage to the inner lining blood vessels as a result of thrombosis of arteries or veins.	Blood clots in arteries or veins Multiple spontaneous abortions Net rash on knees and wrists
autoimmune hepatitis The immune system attacks and destroys liver cells. This can lead to hardening, cirrhosis of the liver and liver failure.	Weakness Liver enlargement Yellowness of the skin and sclera Skin itching Joint pain Abdominal pain or indigestion
celiac disease Gluten intolerance disease, a substance found in grains, rice, barley, and some medicines. When people with celiac disease eat foods containing gluten, the immune system responds by attacking the lining of the small intestine.	Bloating and pain diarrhea or Weight gain or loss Weakness Itching and rash on the skin Infertility or miscarriages
Type 1 diabetes A disease in which the immune system attacks cells that produce insulin, a hormone to maintain blood sugar levels. Without insulin, blood sugar levels rise significantly. This can lead to damage to the eyes, kidneys, nerves, gums, and teeth. But the most serious problem is heart failure.	Constant thirst Feeling hungry and tired involuntary weight loss Poorly healing ulcers Dry skin, itching Loss of sensation in the legs or a tingling sensation Change in vision: the perceived image appears blurry
Graves' disease A disease in which the thyroid gland produces too many hormones.	Insomnia Irritability Weight loss Increased sensitivity to heat excessive sweating split ends muscle weakness minor periods bulging eyes Hand shake Sometimes asymptomatic
Julian-Barré syndrome The immune system attacks the nerves connecting the brain and spinal cord with body. Nerve damage makes signal transmission difficult. As a result, the muscles do not respond to signals from the brain. Symptoms often progress quite quickly, from days to weeks, and often both halves of the body are affected.	Weakness or tingling in the legs, may radiate up the body AT severe cases paralysis
Hashimoto's disease A disease in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones.	Weakness Fatigue Weight gain Sensitivity to cold Muscle pain and joint stiffness swelling of the face
The immune system destroys red blood cells. The body is not able to quickly produce the number of red blood cells that meets its needs. As a result, insufficient oxygen saturation occurs, the heart must work with increased load so that the delivery of oxygen with the blood does not suffer.	Fatigue Respiratory failure Cold hands and feet Pallor Yellowness of the skin and sclera Heart problems including
idiopathic The immune system destroys platelets, which are needed to form a blood clot.	Very heavy menstruation Small purple or red dots on the skin that may look like a rash Bleeding or mouth bleeding Stomach ache Diarrhea, sometimes with blood
Inflammatory Bowel Disease chronic inflammatory process in gastrointestinal tract. and - the most common forms of the disease.	rectal bleeding Fever Weight loss Fatigue Mouth ulcers (for Crohn's disease) Painful or difficult bowel movement (in ulcerative colitis)
Inflammatory myopathy A group of diseases that are characterized by muscle inflammation and weakness. Polymyositis and - the main two types are most common among women. Polymyositis affects the muscles that are involved in movement on both sides of the body. In dermatomyositis, a skin rash may precede or appear simultaneously with muscle weakness.	slowly progressive muscle weakness, starts with the muscles closest to the spine (usually the lumbar and sacral regions) It may also be noted: Fatigue when walking or standing Falls and fainting Muscle pain Difficulty swallowing and breathing
The immune system attacks the nerve sheath, causing damage to the spinal cord and brain. Symptoms and their severity vary from case to case and depend on the affected area.	Weakness and problems with coordination, balance, speech, and walking Paralysis Tremor Numbness and tingling sensation in the limbs
myasthenia gravis The immune system attacks the muscles and nerves throughout the body.	Bifurcation of the perceived image, problems with maintaining a look, drooping eyelids Difficulty swallowing frequent yawning or suffocation Weakness or paralysis Head down Difficulty climbing stairs and lifting objects Speech problems
Primary biliary cirrhosis The immune system slowly destroys the bile ducts in the liver. Bile is a substance that is produced by the liver. Through the biliary tract enters the digestive tract and promotes the digestion of food. When the bile ducts become damaged, bile accumulates in the liver and damages it. The liver thickens, scars appear, and eventually it stops working.	Fatigue Dry mouth Dry eyes Yellowness of the skin and sclera
Psoriasis The cause of the disease is that new skin cells that are produced in the deep layers grow too fast and pile up on its surface.	Rough, red, scaly patches typically appear on the head, elbows, and knees Itching and pain that prevents you from sleeping properly, walking freely and taking care of yourself Less common is a specific form of arthritis that affects the joints at the tips of the fingers and toes. Back pain if the sacrum is involved
Rheumatoid arthritis A disease in which the immune system attacks the lining of the joints throughout the body.	Painful, stiff, swollen and deformed joints Limitation of movements and functions May also be noted: Fatigue Fever Weight loss eye inflammation lung diseases Subcutaneous pineal masses, often on the elbows
scleroderma The disease is caused by abnormal growth connective tissue skin and blood vessels.	Finger color change (white, red, blue) depending on whether it is warm or cold Pain, limited mobility, swelling of the knuckles Skin thickening Shiny skin on hands and forearms Tight facial skin that looks like a mask Difficulty swallowing Weight loss Diarrhea or constipation short breath
The target of the immune system in this disease is the glands in which body fluids, such as saliva, tears, are produced.	Eyes dry or itchy Dry mouth, up to ulcers Swallowing problems Loss of taste sensitivity Multiple cavities in teeth Hoarse voice Fatigue Swelling or pain in the joints Swollen glands
The disease affects the joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs and other organs and systems.	Fever Weight loss Hair loss mouth ulcers Fatigue Rash in the form of a "butterfly" around the nose on the cheekbones Rash on other parts of the body Joint pain and swelling, muscle pain Sun sensitivity Chest pain Headache, dizziness, fainting, memory impairment, behavioral changes
Vitiligo The immune system destroys the cells that produce pigment and are responsible for skin color. It can also affect the tissues of the mouth and nose.	White spots on areas of the skin that are exposed to sunlight, as well as on the forearms, in the groin area early graying Discoloration of the mouth

Are Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia Autoimmune Diseases?

What about exacerbations (attacks)?

An exacerbation is a sudden and severe onset of symptoms. You may notice certain "triggers" - stress, hypothermia, exposure to the open sun, which increase the manifestation of symptoms of the disease. By knowing these factors and following a treatment plan, you and your doctor can help prevent or reduce flare-ups. If you feel an attack coming, call your doctor. Do not try to cope on your own, using the advice of friends or relatives.

What to do to feel better?

If you have an autoimmune disease, constantly follow a few simple rules, do this every day, and your well-being will be stable:

Nutrition should take into account the nature of the disease. Make sure you eat enough fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat dairy products, and vegetable proteins. Limit saturated fat, trans fats, cholesterol, salt and excess sugar. If you follow the principles healthy eating, then you will receive all the necessary substances with food.
Exercise regularly with medium degree . Talk to your doctor about what kind of physical activity you need. A gradual and gentle exercise program works well for people with prolonged muscle and joint pain. Some types of yoga and tai chi can help.
Rest Enough. Rest allows tissues and joints to recover. Dream - The best way relaxation for the body and brain. If you don't get enough sleep, your stress levels and symptom severity increase. When you are well rested, you are more efficient at dealing with your problems and reduce your risk of getting sick. Most people need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each day to rest.
Avoid frequent stress . Stress and anxiety can exacerbate some autoimmune diseases. Therefore, you need to look for ways to optimize your life in order to cope with daily stresses and improve your condition. Meditation, self-hypnosis, visualization, and simple relaxation techniques can help relieve stress, reduce pain, and deal with other aspects of your life with illness. You can learn this from tutorials, videos, or with the help of an instructor. Join a support group or talk to a psychologist, they will help you reduce your stress levels and manage your illness.

You have the power to relieve pain! Try using these images for 15 minutes, two or three times each day:

Put on your favorite soothing music.
Sit in your favorite armchair or sofa. If you are at work, you can sit back and relax in a chair.
Close your eyes.
Imagine your pain or discomfort.
Imagine something that opposes this pain and watch as your pain is "destroyed".

Which doctor to contact

If one or more of these symptoms appear, it would be more correct to consult a therapist or family doctor. After examination and primary diagnosis, the patient is referred to a specialized specialist, depending on the affected organs and systems. It can be a dermatologist, trichologist, hematologist, rheumatologist, hepatologist, gastroenterologist, endocrinologist, neurologist, gynecologist (in case of miscarriage). Additional help will be provided by a nutritionist, psychologist, psychotherapist. It is often necessary to consult a geneticist, especially when planning a pregnancy.

Autoimmune diseases- This is a group of diseases in which the destruction of organs and tissues of the body occurs under the influence of its own immune system.

The most common autoimmune diseases are scleroderma, systemic lupus erythematosus, autoimmune thyroiditis Hashimoto, diffuse toxic goiter, etc.

In addition, the development of many diseases (myocardial infarction, viral hepatitis, streptococcal, herpes, cytomegalovirus infections) may be complicated by the appearance of an autoimmune reaction.

The immune system

The immune system is the system that protects the body from external invasions, as well as ensures the functioning of the circulatory system and much more. Invading elements are recognized as foreign, and this causes a protective (immune) reaction.

Invading elements are called antigens. Viruses, bacteria, fungi, transplanted tissues and organs, pollen, chemical substances are all antigens. The immune system is made up of special organs and cells located throughout the body. In complexity, the immune system is slightly inferior to the nervous system.

The immune system that destroys all foreign microorganisms must be tolerant to the cells and tissues of its "master". The ability to distinguish "self" from "foreign" is the main property of the immune system.

But sometimes, like any multicomponent structure with fine regulatory mechanisms, it fails - it takes its own molecules and cells for others and attacks them. To date, more than 80 autoimmune diseases are known; and in the world hundreds of millions of people are sick with them.

Tolerance to its own molecules is not inherent in the body initially. It is formed during intrauterine development and immediately after birth, when the immune system is in the process of maturation and "training". If a foreign molecule or cell enters the body before birth, then it is perceived by the body for life as "its own".

At the same time, in the blood of every person, among the billions of lymphocytes, “traitors” periodically appear, which attack the body of their owner. Normally, such cells, called autoimmune or autoreactive, are quickly neutralized or destroyed.

The mechanism of development of autoimmune diseases

The mechanisms of development of autoimmune reactions are the same as in the case of an immune response to exposure to foreign agents, with the only difference being that specific antibodies and/or T-lymphocytes begin to be produced in the body, attacking and destroying the body's own tissues.

Why is this happening? To date, the causes of most autoimmune diseases remain unclear. "Under attack" can be both individual bodies and body systems.

Causes of Autoimmune Diseases

The production of pathological antibodies or pathological killer cells may be associated with infection of the body with such an infectious agent, the antigenic determinants (epitopes) of the most important proteins of which resemble the antigenic determinants of normal host tissues. It is by this mechanism that autoimmune glomerulonephritis develops after undergoing streptococcal infection, or autoimmune reactive arthritis after gonorrhea.

An autoimmune reaction may also be associated with the destruction or necrosis of tissues caused by an infectious agent, or a change in their antigenic structure so that the pathologically altered tissue becomes immunogenic for the host organism. It is by this mechanism that autoimmune chronic active hepatitis develops after hepatitis B.

The third possible cause of an autoimmune reaction is a violation of the integrity of tissue (histohematic) barriers that normally separate some organs and tissues from the blood and, accordingly, from the immune aggression of the host's lymphocytes.

At the same time, since normally the antigens of these tissues do not enter the blood at all, the thymus normally does not produce a negative selection (destruction) of autoaggressive lymphocytes against these tissues. But this does not interfere with the normal functioning of the organ as long as the tissue barrier separating this body from blood.

It is by this mechanism that chronic autoimmune prostatitis develops: normally, the prostate is separated from the blood by a hemato-prostatic barrier, prostate tissue antigens do not enter the bloodstream, and the thymus does not destroy “anti-prostatic” lymphocytes. But with inflammation, trauma or infection of the prostate, the integrity of the hemato-prostatic barrier is violated and auto-aggression against prostate tissue can begin.

Autoimmune thyroiditis develops according to a similar mechanism, since normally the colloid of the thyroid gland also does not enter the bloodstream (hemato-thyroid barrier), only thyroglobulin with its associated T3 and T4 is released into the blood.

There are cases when, after suffering a traumatic amputation of the eye, a person quickly loses the second eye: immune cells perceive the tissues of a healthy eye as an antigen, since before that they lysed the remnants of the tissues of the destroyed eye.

The fourth possible cause of the autoimmune reaction of the body is a hyperimmune state (pathologically enhanced immunity) or an immunological imbalance with a violation of the "selector", suppressing autoimmunity, thymus function or with a decrease in the activity of the T-suppressor subpopulation of cells and an increase in the activity of killer and helper subpopulations.

Symptoms of autoimmune diseases

The symptoms of autoimmune diseases can be very different, depending on the type of disease. Several blood tests are usually required to confirm that a person has an autoimmune disorder. Autoimmune diseases are treated with drugs that suppress the activity of the immune system.

Antigens can be found in cells or on the surface of cells (for example, bacteria, viruses, or cancer cells). Some antigens, such as pollen or food molecules, exist on their own.

Even healthy tissue cells can have antigens. Normally, the immune system reacts only to antigens of foreign or hazardous substances, however, as a result of some disorders, it can begin to produce antibodies to cells of normal tissues - autoantibodies.

An autoimmune reaction can lead to inflammation and tissue damage. Sometimes, however, autoantibodies are produced in such small amount that autoimmune diseases do not develop.

Diagnosis of autoimmune diseases

Diagnosis of autoimmune diseases is based on the determination of the immune factor, causing damage organs and tissues of the body. Such specific factors defined for most autoimmune diseases.

For example, in the diagnosis of rheumatism, rheumatoid factor is determined, in the diagnosis systemic lupus– LES cells, anti-nucleus (ANA) and anti-DNA antibodies, scleroderma Scl-70 antibodies.

Various laboratory immunological methods are used to determine these markers. Clinical development disease and disease symptoms can provide useful information for establishing a diagnosis of an autoimmune disease.

The development of scleroderma is characterized by skin lesions (foci of limited edema, which slowly undergo compaction and atrophy, the formation of wrinkles around the eyes, smoothing of the skin relief), damage to the esophagus with impaired swallowing, thinning of the terminal phalanges of the fingers, diffuse damage to the lungs, heart and kidneys.

Lupus erythematosus is characterized by the appearance on the skin of the face (on the back of the nose and under the eyes) of a specific redness in the form of a butterfly, joint damage, the presence of anemia and thrombocytopenia. Rheumatism is characterized by the appearance of arthritis after suffering a sore throat and the later formation of defects in the valvular apparatus of the heart.

Treatment of autoimmune diseases

Autoimmune disorders are treated with drugs that suppress the activity of the immune system. However, many of these medications interfere with the body's ability to fight disease. Immunosuppressants such as azathioprine, chlorambucil, cyclophosphamide, cyclosporine, mofetil, and methotrexate often need to be taken for a long time.

During such therapy, the risk of developing many diseases, including cancer, increases. Corticosteroids not only suppress the immune system, but also reduce inflammation. The course of taking corticosteroids should be as short as possible - with long-term use they cause many side effects.

Etanercept, infliximab, and adalimumab block the activity of tumor necrosis factor, a substance that can cause inflammation in the body. These drugs are very effective in the treatment rheumatoid arthritis, but they can be harmful if used to treat some other autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis.

Sometimes plasmapheresis is used to treat autoimmune diseases: abnormal antibodies are removed from the blood, after which the blood is transfused back to the person. Some autoimmune diseases go away as suddenly as they start over time. However, in most cases they are chronic and often require lifelong treatment.

Descriptions of autoimmune diseases

Questions and answers on the topic "Autoimmune diseases"

Question:Hello. I was diagnosed with PSA and prescribed Metojekt 10 times a week for 3 years. What risk to the body will I get by taking this medicine?

Answer: You can find this information in the instructions for use of the drug in the sections: " Side effects", "Contraindications" and "Special Instructions".

Question:Hello. How can I organize my life after being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease?

Answer: Hello. Although most autoimmune diseases will not go away completely, you can take symptomatic treatment to control the disease and continue to enjoy life! Your life goals should not change. It is very important to visit a specialist in this type of disease, follow the treatment plan and healthy lifestyle life.

Question:Hello. Relieves nasal congestion and malaise. AT immune status talk about the autoimmune process in the body. The same goes for chronic inflammation. In December, she was diagnosed with tonsillitis, cryodestruction of the tonsils was made - the problem remained. Should I continue to be treated by Laura or look for an immunologist? Whether it is possible to cure it in general?

Answer: Hello. In a situation where there is a chronic infection and changes in the immune status, it is necessary to be treated by both an immunologist and an ENT - each does his own thing, but in full agreement and understanding of the problem. In most cases, good results are achieved.

Question:Hello, I am 27 years old. I have been diagnosed with autoimmune thyroiditis for 7 years. She was prescribed to take L-thyroxin 50 mcg tablets regularly. But I have heard and read articles that this drug strongly plants the liver and that in the west doctors prescribe it for a course of 2 months no more. Please tell me, do I need to take L-thyroxin all the time or is it really better sometimes, in courses?

Answer: L-thyroxine completely safe drug approved for use in infants and pregnant women. I don't know what articles and where you read about negative effects L-thyroxine, but we prescribe it long-term use if needed. The decision is made based on the level of hormones.

Question:I'm 55 years old. 3 years no hair anywhere. The cause of universal alopecia could not be determined. Perhaps the reason is in the autoimmune process. What is it coming from? How to test for an autoimmune disease? What is the connection with alopecia? What tests to take, which specialist to contact?

Answer: Trichologists deal with hair diseases. You should probably contact such a specialist. To detect the presence of an autoimmune disease, one must pass ( minimum set examination) complete blood count, protein and protein fractions, make an immunogram (CD4, CD8, their ratio), based on the results of this examination, the doctor will decide whether to continue a more in-depth search for an autoimmune process. For your other questions, modern science there is no exact answer, there are only assumptions, let's go back to the beginning, trichologists are the best at understanding this problem.

AT modern world There are many types of autoimmune diseases. The whole point is that immune cells counteract the formation of their own cells and tissues of the human body. The main causes of autoimmune diseases are disturbances in the normal functioning of the body and, as a result, the formation of antigens.

As a result, the human body begins to produce more white blood cells, which, in turn, suppress foreign bodies.

The nature of the diseases

There are 2 series of diseases: organ-specific (affect only organs) and systemic (appear anywhere in the human body). There is another, more detailed classification. In it, the list of autoimmune diseases is divided into several groups:

First: it includes disorders that appeared in violation of histohematic protection. For example, if spermatozoa enter a place not intended for them, then the human immune system will begin to produce antibodies. Pancreatitis may occur diffuse infiltration, endophthalmitis, encephalomyelitis.
Second: the appearance of an autoimmune disease occurs due to tissue transformation. Often this is influenced by chemical, physical or viral factors. The body reacts to such a change in cells as to an alien intrusion into its work. Often, antigens or exoantigens accumulate in the tissues of the epidermis, which enter the body from the outside (viruses, drugs, bacteria). The body immediately reacts to them, but at the same time, the transformation of cells occurs, since antigenic complexes are present on their membrane. When viruses interact with the natural processes of the body, in some cases, antigens with hybrid properties may appear, which leads to the appearance of autoimmune diseases of the nervous system.
Third: it includes autoimmune diseases associated with the connection of body tissues with exoantigens, which causes natural reaction aimed at the affected areas.
Fourth: diseases caused by a genetic failure or the influence of a bad external environment. In this case, a rapid mutation of immune cells occurs, after which lupus erythematosus appears, which is included in the category of systemic autoimmune diseases.

What does a person feel

Symptoms of autoimmune diseases are versatile, often they are similar to the symptoms of SARS. On the initial stage the disease does not make itself felt and develops very slowly. After a person may feel pain in the muscles, dizziness. Gradually affected the cardiovascular system. An upset intestine appears, diseases of the joints, nervous system, kidneys, liver and lungs can occur. Often with an autoimmune disease, there are skin diseases and other types of ailments that complicate the diagnosis process.

Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease caused by spasm small vessels on fingers. Main symptom- This is a change in skin color under the influence of stress or low temperature. First, the limbs are affected, after which the disease is localized to other parts of the body and organs. The thyroid gland, lungs and stomach are most often affected.

Thyroiditis begins with an inflammatory process in the thyroid gland, which favors the formation of antibodies and lymphocytes, which then begin to fight the body.

Vasculitis occurs when the integrity of the blood vessels is damaged. The symptoms are as follows: lack of appetite, poor general well-being, the skin becomes pale.

Vitiligo - skin chronic illness. It manifests itself in the form of many white spots, in these places the skin is devoid of melanin. Such areas, in turn, can merge into one large spot.

Multiple sclerosis is another disease on the list of autoimmune diseases. She wears chronic and affects the nervous system, forming foci of destruction of the myelin sheath of the nerves of the spinal cord and brain. The surface of the CNS tissues also suffers: scars form on them, as neurons are replaced by connective tissue cells. In the world, 2 million people suffer from this disease.

Alopecia is a pathological hair loss. Bald or thinned areas appear on the body.

Autoimmune hepatitis: refers to the number of autoimmune diseases of the liver. It has a chronic inflammatory character.

Allergy is a reaction of the immune system to various allergens. In an enhanced mode, antibodies are produced, as a result of which characteristic rashes appear on the human body.

- a disease in which inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract periodically occurs.

The most common pathologies of autoimmune origin are: diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, thyroiditis, multiple sclerosis, pancreatitis, diffuse infiltration of the thyroid gland, vitiligo. According to statistics, the growth of these diseases is constantly increasing.

Who is at risk of getting sick and what are the complications

Autoimmune disease can manifest itself not only in an adult. A number of pathologies are often found in children:

ankylosing spondylitis (the spine suffers);
rheumatoid arthritis;
nodular periarthritis;
systemic lupus.

The first two types of disease affect the joints, are accompanied by inflammation of the cartilage and severe pain. Lupus erythematosus affects the internal organs, is accompanied by rashes, and periarthritis has Negative influence on the arteries.

Pregnant women are a special category of people prone to autoimmune disease. Women are naturally 5 times more likely to get sick than strong half and most often occurs during the reproductive years.

As a rule, pregnant women develop Hashimoto's disease, multiple sclerosis, and thyroid problems. During the period of bearing a child, some diseases tend to decrease and become chronic, and in the postpartum period they can sharply worsen. It is important to know that autoimmune diseases, the symptoms of which are described above, can cause significant harm to the mother and fetus.

Timely diagnosis and treatment of a woman during pregnancy planning will avoid severe pathologies and identify disease.

An interesting fact: not only people suffer from autoimmune diseases, but also pets. Dogs and cats are most commonly affected. They may have:

myasthenia gravis (affects the nerves and muscles);
systemic lupus erythematosus that can affect any organs;
pemphigus foliaceus;
joint disease - polyarthritis.

If a sick pet is not treated in time, for example, by piercing immunosuppressants or corticosteroids (to reduce the strong activity of the immune system), then he may die. Autoimmune diseases rarely occur on their own. As a rule, they appear due to the weakening of the body by other diseases: during or after myocardial infarction, tonsillitis, herpes, viral hepatitis, cytomegalovirus. Many autoimmune diseases are chronic and exacerbate from time to time, mainly during the favorable period for them in autumn and spring. Complications can be so serious that often the patient's organs are affected and he becomes disabled. If an autoimmune pathology arose as comorbidity, then it passes when the patient is cured of the underlying disease.

To date, science does not know exact reasons occurrence of autoimmune diseases. It is only known that internal and external factors that can disrupt the functioning of the immune system affect their appearance. External factors are stress and unfavorable environment.

Internal is the inability to distinguish between own and foreign cells by lymphocytes. Some lymphocytes are programmed to fight infections, and some are programmed to eliminate diseased cells. And when there is a malfunction in the work of the second part of the lymphocytes, the process of destruction of normal cells begins, and this becomes the cause of an autoimmune disease.

How to identify the disease and how to treat it

Diagnosis of autoimmune diseases is aimed primarily at determining the factor disease-causing. The healthcare system has whole list, in which all possible markers of autoimmune diseases are registered.

For example, if a doctor suspects a patient has rheumatism based on symptoms or other phenomena, then he prescribes a certain analysis. With the help of the Les cell marker test, configured to destroy the nucleus and DNA molecules, systemic lupus erythematosus can be detected, and the Sd-70 marker test determines scleroderma.

There are a lot of markers, they are classified on the basis of the direction of destruction and elimination of the target chosen by the antibodies (phospholipids, cells, etc.). In parallel, the patient is prescribed to take an analysis for rheumatic tests and biochemistry.

Moreover, with their help, it is possible to confirm the presence of rheumatoid arthritis by 90%, Sjögren's disease by 50%, and the presence of other diseases by 30-35%. autoimmune pathologies. The dynamics of the development of many of these diseases is of the same type.

In order for the doctor to be able to make a final diagnosis, you will also need to pass immunological tests and determine the amount and dynamics of antibody production in the body.

There is still no clear blueprint for how autoimmune diseases should be treated. But in medicine there are methods that help to remove the symptoms.

It is necessary to be treated only under the strict supervision of a specialist doctor, since taking the wrong medications can lead to the development of oncological or infectious diseases.

The direction for treatment should be to suppress the immune system and prescribe immunosuppressants, anti-inflammatory non-steroidal and steroid drugs. At the same time, doctors are starting to regulate metabolic processes tissues and prescribe the procedure of plasmapheresis (removal of plasma from the blood).

The patient should tune in to the fact that the treatment process is long, but it is impossible to do without it.

Hello my dear readers! The immune system of the human body protects cells, organs from the harmful effects of infections, viruses and bacteria. Due to the influence of external internal factors, malfunctions in the immune system occur, so its system reacts to its cells and tissues as if they were foreign. It is important to understand what autoimmune disorders are, to learn about their signs and causes, and methods of treatment.

What are autoimmune diseases

It is obliged to constantly protect a person from various invasions, ensure the activity of the circulatory system, and so on. Elements that penetrate the body are perceived as pathogenic agents - antigens. As a result, a protective or immune reaction occurs. Antigens include:

fungus;
pollen;
bacteria;
viruses;
chemical components;
organs, tissues - transplanted.

Immunity includes a list of relevant cells, organs that are found throughout the body. Given that the body's defense system exists in order to neutralize pathogenic microorganisms, it must be favorable to the tissues, organs, and cells of its own "owner".

The main property of the immune system is to distinguish between “foreign”, “own”. Sometimes there are failures and malfunctions in such complex mechanism, therefore, own cells and molecules are perceived as foreign. That is why the system attacks them and tries to eliminate them. Currently, there are about eighty such diseases that affect millions of people around the world.

In simple words, autoimmune diseases are diseases that occur as a result of excessive activity of the immune system in relation to its cells. The immune system damages them because it considers them foreign agents.

Appearance mechanism this disease similar to that under the influence of pathogenic microorganisms. The only difference is that special antibodies are produced in the body, the purpose of which is to destroy their own tissues and organs. Not only individual cells are at risk, but the whole organism as a whole.

Symptoms of autoimmune diseases

Signs can be various manifestations associated with the form and stage of the disease. To make an accurate and reliable diagnosis, you will need to take a blood test. The autoimmune reaction to one's own cells can be different, it can cause serious inflammation and tissue damage.

Typical symptoms for most autoimmune diseases:

Weight loss for no reason. This symptom is the most common and early, indicating this disorder. Regardless of the ailment, weight loss is not natural if a person does not adhere to a diet, does not make a lot of physical effort for this. The symptom is typical for such complications: Graves' disease, intestinal inflammation, celiac disease.
Mental abilities deteriorate. A person becomes distracted, it is difficult for him to concentrate and concentrate, there is a clouded consciousness. Similar manifestations are characteristic of myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis.
Weight gain, fatigue: hepatitis, celiac disease.
Pain in the joints, muscles.
Loss of sensation. The manifestation is considered to be quickly identifiable, narrow, as this indicates an overactive immune system. The patient loses sensitivity, numbness is felt in the legs and arms.
Baldness. Sometimes disorders of the immune system make themselves felt by hair loss, for example, with alopecia areata. The disease affects the hair follicles, which causes baldness.
Problems of the gastrointestinal tract, pain.

In this case, it is important to notice the symptoms in time to confirm or refute the diagnosis.

Causes of Autoimmune Diseases

Circulatory system human contains special sanitary cells - lymphocytes. This group targets the protein of organic tissues. They enter the active phase of activity in the event that the cells get sick, transform, die. The purpose of lymphocytes is to get rid of the debris that has appeared in the human body. This function is extremely important and useful, as it allows you to eliminate most problems. If lymphocytes cease to work fully, all processes occur in reverse, therefore, autoimmune diseases develop.

Lymphocytes become aggressive towards "their" cells, there are two main reasons for this:

internal;
external.

As for internal causes, in this case, mutations in the genes are observed. Those that belong to the first type are not recognized by their own cells. If a person has genetic predisposition increases the risk of getting sick. Mutation affects not only one specific organ, but entire systems. For good example such an ailment as: toxic goiter, thyroiditis is suitable. If gene mutations are of the second type, instant multiplication of lymphocytes begins. A similar phenomenon is considered the cause of such autoimmune disorders as: multiple sclerosis, lupus.

To external reasons one can safely attribute diseases that are too long, as a result of which, lymphocytes become extremely aggressive. To external factors include and pernicious influence environment. Exposure to radiation, radiation from the sun are the main causes of an irreversible process. Some pathogens go to the trick, disguising themselves as those cells of the body that are sick. In this case, lymphocytes are not able to understand who is “ours” and who is “alien”, therefore, they show aggression towards everyone.

This problem is aggravated by the fact that a person suffers from an illness for a long time, but does not visit a doctor. Sometimes it is observed by a therapist, undergoes a course of treatment, but there are no results. An appropriate blood test will help determine the presence of an autoimmune disease.

By performing a diagnosis, you can determine which antibodies are in the body. If you have unusual symptoms - do not wait, you need to undergo a medical examination.

How are autoimmune diseases diagnosed?

Establishing a diagnosis is not easy, as it is a stressful, lengthy process. Although each type of immune system disorder is considered unique, most of disease proceeds with similar symptoms. Given that the symptoms are similar to common diseases, accurate diagnosis is much more difficult.

To help your doctor make a diagnosis, try to find out the cause of your discomfort:

write down in a notebook a list of all the symptoms, ailments that you experience;
collect the medical history of your close relatives to show to your doctor;
it is advisable to contact a specialist. If you are suffering from signs of gastrointestinal diseases, you need to visit a gastroenterologist.

Diagnosis is based on confirmation of the autoimmune factor that caused the malfunction of the organs. To accurately determine the marker of the disease, you will need special laboratory research blood

List of autoimmune diseases

Despite the uniqueness of the diseases, they occur with similar symptoms: fainting and dizziness, fast fatiguability, heat body. It is important to understand what autoimmune diseases are and their main symptoms in order to suspect a problem in time.

Major autoimmune diseases:

Sjögren's syndrome - damage to the lacrimal and salivary glands. Manifested by: itching and unbearable dryness of the eyes, fatigue and a hoarse voice, cloudy eyes and swollen tonsils, tooth decay, dry mouth, and swollen joints.
Vitiligo is the destruction of skin pigment cells. Symptoms: color is lost in the mouth, hair turns gray too early, white spots appear on the skin cover.
SLE (systemic lupus erythematosus) - causes damage to many internal organs, skin, joints. Manifested in the form of: baldness, ulcers and dry mouth, a butterfly rash on the nose and cheeks, fever, weight loss and headaches, seizures, increased sensitivity to the sun, chest pain.
Scleroderma - contributes to the incomprehensible, rapid growth of connective tissue located in the skin, blood vessels. Signs of the disease: the skin thickens, swallowing becomes more difficult, wounds appear on the arms and legs, the skin turns white, reddens and turns blue, shortness of breath and swelling, constipation.
Biliary cirrhosis primary - gradual destruction bile ducts, bile accumulates in the liver, which is very dangerous, as it causes dystrophy of the organ. It makes itself felt with such signs: itching of the skin, fatigue and dry mouth, the whites of the eyes and skin turn yellow.
Myasthenia gravis - at risk of muscles, nerves of everything human body. Manifest the following symptoms: paralysis or weakness, speech is disturbed, it is difficult to hold your head and walk up the stairs, choking and belching, double vision, eyelids drooping.
Multiple sclerosis - the immune system damages the protective sheath of the nerves, so the spinal cord and brain suffer. Symptoms: tremor, weakness and paralysis, poor coordination when walking, tingling and numbness in the limbs.
IBD - inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract is observed, manifested in the form of ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease. Symptoms of the disease: diarrhea (sometimes with blood), pain in the abdomen, weakness and weight loss, rectal bleeding and high fever, sores appear in the mouth.
Werlhof's disease - platelets involved in blood clotting are destroyed. Signs of damage: blood from the mouth and nose, severe and painful menstruation, the skin is covered with small dots of a red or purple hue, the presence of bruising.
Hemolytic anemia - the destruction of red blood cells, there is a lack of oxygen in the body, which puts a strain on the heart muscle. Symptoms: pallor and weakness, shortness of breath, migraine and dizziness, yellow skin and whites of the eyes, feet and hands too cold.
Thyroiditis - the thyroid gland is affected, so there is a failure in the production of hormones. Manifested as follows: constipation and weakness, stiff joints, swelling of the face, obesity and high sensitivity to cold, pain in the muscles.
Graves' disease - the thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone, which makes itself felt: irritability, bad dream and weight loss, brittle hair and menstrual irregularities in women, excessive sweating, bulging eyes and shaking hands.
Celiac disease - there is a rejection of gluten found in wheat and rye. Symptoms: constipation or diarrhea, itching, frequent miscarriages, as well as infertility, flatulence, weakness.
Type 1 diabetes is an attack on the cells that produce insulin. This hormone controls blood sugar levels. Signs: thirst and hunger, blurred vision, dry skin and frequent urination, weight loss, numb and tingling feet.
Autoimmune hepatitis is the destruction of liver cells, which causes seals, scars, and insufficiency. It manifests itself in the form of: itching and fatigue, indigestion, yellowness, the liver increases in size, joints hurt.
APS - affects the lining of blood vessels with inside which causes blood clots. Symptoms: multiple miscarriages, lacy rash on knees and wrists, blood clots.

If symptoms are found, it is urgent to seek medical advice.

Treatment of autoimmune diseases

For therapeutic therapy, special medications are used that will help suppress the excessive activity of lymphocytes. Very effective method treatment is a dietary method that will relieve encephalitis, Hashimoto's disease. The purpose of the method is to restore cell membranes.

To restore cells, you need to take:

healthy fats - after eating;
Dietary supplement Ginkgo Biloba - on an empty stomach.

The diet should contain: lecithin, omega-3 and fish fat, fish caviar, oils containing phospholipids.

essence drug therapy– pacify the aggression of lymphocytes, restore normal work immune system. For these purposes, apply:

Azathioprine;
Prednisolone;
Methotrexate;
Cyclophosphamide.

Which doctors treat autoimmune diseases

Having found any symptoms, it is important to know which specialist to contact. The following doctors are involved in the treatment of autoimmune ailments:

Neurologist - will help to deal with the problems of the nervous system, treats myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis;
A nephrologist treats the kidneys. Helps cure FAC;
Endocrinologist - treats hormonal diseases, thyroid gland, for example: diabetes mellitus;
Rheumatologist - medical therapy rheumatic diseases and arthritis (lupus erythematosus, scleroderma);
Dermatologist - deals with problems of the skin, hair, nails: SWR, psoriasis;
Gastroenterologist - treatment of the gastrointestinal tract: intestinal inflammation;
Physiotherapist - specializes in physical activity, helps with paralysis, muscle weakness;
Audiologist - solves hearing problems;
Psychologist - help find right ways for the treatment of an autoimmune disease, will overcome your disappointments, fears.

Turning to a doctor for help, you can find the cause of the disease in time, start qualified treatment.

How to prevent autoimmune diseases

To prevent the development of such a disorder of the immune system, it is important to monitor your health and maintain immunity. Given the progressiveness of the disease, it is important to visit a doctor regularly and undergo an examination, especially if there is a genetic predisposition.

Particular attention must be paid to a balanced, healthy and rational nutrition. The diet should contain fresh fruits, vegetables and berries, juices, dairy products. Eliminate fatty, fried and too salty, sweet foods.

Strengthen your immunity in a timely manner, this will help you:

active lifestyle;
walks on fresh air daily;
healthy intestines;
relaxation;
absence .

Autoimmune diseases are insidious and dangerous, so it is important to take care of yourself and monitor your health in order to avoid such problems.