An autoimmune disease is a condition in which immune system mistakenly attacks the body. Immune system disorders cause abnormally low activity or over activity of the immune system. In cases of immune system over activity, the body attacks and damages its own tissues.
In an autoimmune disease, the immune system mistakes part of the body, like joints or skin, as foreign. It releases proteins called auto antibodies that attack healthy cells.
Common autoimmune diseases
- Type 1 diabetes
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
- Psoriasis/psoriatic arthritis
- Multiple sclerosis
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Addison’s disease
- Graves’ disease
- Sjögren’s syndrome
- Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
- Myasthenia gravis
- Autoimmune vasculitis
- Pernicious anemia
- Celiac disease
Symptoms
- fatigue
- muscle aches
- swelling and redness
- low-grade fever
- trouble in concentrating
- numbness and tingling in the hands and feet
- hair loss
- skin rashes