Autoimmune Diseases Affects More Woman Than Men

Talking about autoimmune disease is an act that cannot be overlooked because it has a lot to do with the functionality of the immune system. The body is equipped with a protective gadget which detects harmful invasion of vectors, bacteria, and viruses and quickly guides against them. However, the immune system can get overzealous at some point, and work against the good invasion from beneficial bacteria as well.

When the immune system fails, over one hundred diseases will have a free pass into the body. That is when the patient will be said to have an autoimmune disease.

Putting more knowledge into this subject-matter is the president and director of the Autoimmune Disease and other Similar Deficiency Organization based in America, Ladd Virginia, who also doubles as a defender of autoimmune disease victims. He said autoimmune disease turns the immune system into a producer of harmful elements that work in disfavor of the body tissue.

Another medical professional, Noel Rose who is also an old timer in the study of the disease, said that autoimmune disease is fast becoming more popular among the people of America, with about 52 million citizens suffering from it and the majority of the population are females, according to a report released by Ladd’s organization. Researchers are suspecting that hormones may be one of the culprits.

Signs include inflammation in the form of aches, high temperature, coloring of the affected spot, etc. Others are weakness, pain in the joint and muscles.

Below are three diseases which are usually attached to autoimmune cases.

1. Vasculitis

Vasculitis is the name for a combination of diseases in which the immune system works against the body, causing inflammation to the blood vessels. This can stop blood to move freely all around the body, which is determined by the exact spots affected.

Factors/ causes

Researchers are not certain about the cause because of its rarity, but they believe lupus may be responsible, or vasculitis may be self-reproducing.

Vasculitis comes in different ways, which includes the giant cell arteritis, that occurs mostly in females than males, and it is common among adults age 50. Signs of vasculitis are weakness, loss of eyesight, fever, severe headache, pain in the jaw, lack of interest in food and loss in weight.

Another type of vasculitis is granulomatosis that has polyangiitis. It inflicts the kidneys, sinuses, and lungs.

Treatment

Medications include steroids like prednisone that lowers inflammation. Drugs that neutralize immunity are meant to deplete the activeness of the immune system.

Rituximab is also a useful medical procedure that kills vasculitis. It is used mainly for cancer patients but is also beneficial to autoimmune diseases.

2. Lupus

Lupus is an aggressive disease that produces inflammation after it must have affected blood vessels, organs inside the body, joint and skin. The major type of lupus disease is called ‘systemic lupus erythematosus’ (SLE).

More women are carriers of lupus.

Lupus disorder can be detected when the patient noticed swollen hands, legs, eyes, joint, weakness, fever, difficulty in breathing, pain, and rash breakouts in the form of a winged insect on the nose, cheeks and other open parts of the body, loss of hair, oral ulcer and anemia.

Factors/Causes

– Genetic disorder

– Environment

– Hormone.

– Ultraviolet light.

– Flu

– Body weakness

– Drugs such as tetracycline and sulfa pills.

Treatment

Medications such as acetaminophen, aspirin, and ibuprofen are administered to the patient for the purpose of combating swelling and pain. Antimalarial, corticosteroids and anti-inflammation medications may be given used as well.

3. Psoriasis

Psoriasis has more than one type, but the plaque is the most popular. Some of its symptoms are parts of the skin inflamed with scales, abscessed, prickling and skin parts covered in red.

The areas of the body inflicted by psoriasis are knees, feet, scalp, elbows, armpits, palms, pubic skin and the nethermost region of the back.

Psoriasis is prevalent in the U.S.A.

Factors/Causes

– Environment

– Flu

– Wounds on the skin

– Heredity (occasionally)

– Tiredness

– Some allergic drugs.

Treatment

Depending on the level of psoriasis, doctors sometimes recommend treatment with therapeutic light which hampers the development of skin cells. Other curable measures are injections and the use of drugs.

3. Multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is currently inflicting more than 2.5 million victims worldwide with the USA having a large share of about 420,000.

Multiple sclerosis attacks the immune system directly, precisely the parts where guarding covering which shields the nerve fibers and the main nervous system is located, otherwise known as ‘myelin.’ As a result, there will be detrimental effects such as various wounds in the tissue which causes interaction breakdown between the brain and the body.

Factors/causes

There is no clear proof of MS cause, but researchers believe environmental implications may be one of them, affecting the strength of immunity in genetically vulnerable people.

Signs of multiple sclerosis are problems of excretory organs, weakness, muscle numbness, itchy skin, problems involved in walking and eye problems.

One of the attributes of MS is that most of the patients suffering from it usually go through recurring abatement.

Fortunately, the fatality in MS has not stopped people from outliving it due to the cultivation of healthy living, medical advancement, and development. This was a report from the National Multiple Sclerosis Foundation.

Treatment

Dr. Rose explains that victims of MS in the present day can be taken care of effectively with injectable medications called ‘beta interferons.’ She said that beta interferon is a sign of modern-day invention which is better than the drugs used about two decades ago. The drugs help to neutralize MS by passing through the brain boundary.