If anyone asked you what genre of diseases is the second most common cause of chronic illness in the U.S., what would your answer be? Hopefully you'd get the correct answer and say autoimmune disease, but I have a feeling that is very unlikely. It seems that while more and more people are being diagnosed with autoimmune illnesses, there is still a huge lack of understanding and awareness of this plethora of diseases.
What is autoimmune disease? If we break down the word, you can see that it starts with "aut," which comes from the ancient Greek word for "self." I would hope you know that "immune" refers to the body's immune system. So, autoimmune or "self-immune-system" diseases are those in which a patient's immune system is attacking itself. The body's mechanisms can no longer differentiate between foreign bodies and friendly bodies. Normally, the system's white blood cells help protect the body, but the immune response in autoimmune patients destroys normal body tissue and foreign tissue alike. Think of it as friendly fire on a very minute scale.
Your next question might be to ask why the body is attacking itself. The answer is simple: We don't know. There are theories that some bacteria or virii might trigger the autoimmune response in patients who are genetically predisposed, but nothing has been confirmed. The simple fact is that doctors and medical researchers have very few answers as to why the immune system is switched on full-time in autoimmune patients, nor do they have any idea how to switch off the specific mechanism causing the immune system anomaly.
Because drug companies have not been able to target the specific characteristic of the immune system that makes it attack friendly cells, the treatment for autoimmune illness until as of late has been to, in effect, beat down the entire immune system -- good and bad parts alike. It's sort of like using a sledgehammer to put in a thumbtack. Yes, the job will get done, but everything around the thumbtack will be destroyed in the process. Immuno-suppressant medications function in a very similar fashion, shutting off the entire immune system instead of just the broken parts. The patient does obtain relief from the symptoms of the disease but also becomes susceptible to any illness that comes along. Since the immune response is next to nothing, a common cold could mean a hospital trip.
Lately, though, there have been a slew of "bio-drugs," also called disease modifying agents, which target a very specific group of molecules in the body. These molecules are thought to be the cause of autoimmune disease, but there is no way to tell which one of the possible culprits is responsible for the autoimmune disease in the specific patient in question. Discovering this individual molecule type is a matter of trial and error. As of now, the only way to discover which possible molecule is causing a patient's arthritis is to wait and see if a certain bio-drug works for the patient. If the symptoms lessen, then it is assumed that the patient has the specific form of autoimmune disease that the drug is designed for. Talk about circular logic!
Part of the reason that so little is known about autoimmune disease is because until recently, there has not been much media time devoted to any of the illnesses. Within the last few months, though, that has changed. Two cases of autoimmune disease have unfortunately afflicted two very public sports stars. They are suffering from different afflictions, but both are classified as autoimmune diseases.
About a year ago, Phil Mickelson, one of the top professional golfers in the world, was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis. Psoriatic arthritis is a form of arthritis that affects some people who have psoriasis. Psoriasis is a condition which produces red, flaky patches of skin that eventually develop silvery scales. Skin lesions develop early in the disease, but joint pain and swelling can occur before any lesions appear at all. The arthritis can affect any part of the body, including the spine and the fingertips, and can be severe enough to seriously constrict movement -- not a good thing for a pro golfer. There is no cure, as with most autoimmune diseases, and treatment is to control the symptoms only.
Within the last month, another sports star has announced that they have been afflicted with an autoimmune disease. Venus Williams, one of the best tennis players in the world, revealed that she has been diagnosed with Sjogren's Syndrome. Sjogren's mainly affects the moisture glands of the eye and mouth. These glands are attacked by the body's own immune system, and because of this the mucus production is seriously curtailed. Sjogren's can occur in patients without any other autoimmune illness, but it is common for patients who have another autoimmune disease to develop Sjogren's. Besides the glands, other parts of the body can be affected as well. Pain and stiffness in the joints along with mild swelling can occur, as in Venus Williams' case.
To help spread information about autoimmune illnesses and to help protect yourself, it is smart to familiarize yourself with some of the facts of this genre of diseases. For instance, more women than men are affected by autoimmune disease -- the specific amount varies with the actual diagnosis. Many autoimmune diseases present gradually and are usually shrugged off as injury or a passing illness, such as the flu. Joint pain and stiffness are characteristic for a great many autoimmune diseases, and that including fingers, toes, feet, the spine and the collarbones. Fever and general fatigue are also prevalent in most of the autoimmune afflictions. If you suffer from any of these symptoms and they are as-yet-unexplained, it may be time to see a rheumatologist.
As you can see, autoimmune disease is more than just a minor annoyance. Now that two very public, very successful individuals have been diagnosed with autoimmune illnesses, hopefully more information about the entire class of diseases will trickle down to the public at large. Finding a cure begins with money, and to discover the reason the body is attacking itself we need as much exposure as possible. I, myself, have rheumatoid arthritis, so this is a subject that is close to my heart. Many of us have renewed hope that a cure or better treatments will be found now that autoimmune illness is in the media's crosshairs, at least for the time being. If you want more information you can check out CreakyJoints.org, OnCourseWithPhil.com, ArthritisFoundation.org and Sjogrens.org.
Follow Daniel P. Malito on Twitter: www.twitter.com/danielpmalito
Mark Hyman, MD: Why Your Genes Don't Determine Your Health
Alan Silman: It's World Arthritis Day on Wednesday 12th October - Did you know?
Jon Lovitz: Seriously, I Have Psoriasis!
Deepak Chopra: Weekly Health Tip: Understanding Celiac Disease
Autoimmune Diseases: MedlinePlus
Autoimmune disorders: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia
U.S. Open: Venus Williams reveals she has an autoimmune disease ...
Vaccines - in this case I believe that women and men would be about the same in the number of cases.
Exercise/Diet - Shouldn't every unhealthy person have an autoimmune disease?
Low vit D - Every person that works in an office all day, will have an autoimmune disease.
That's just aside from all the very intelligent, well researched counterpoints that have been presented already.
With that being said, wouldn't doctors and researchers have figured this out already too, and would be able to provide us with reasons, and treatments by reversing what caused it. Sorry, but it just doesn't work that way. More than half the time, researchers etc don't even know what the autoimmune disease is doing, we have symptoms but the biology of it is a mystery. Every case of every autoimmune disease is different, how it starts, progress, etc.
Advice from someone who's been there: if you're getting the runaround from doctors who keep blowing you off, calling you a hypochondriac, or whatever, demand a sed rate test. The sed rate is not specific - it can be elevated for many reasons, from autoimmune disease, bacterial infection, or cancer. But it WILL prove that there is something really wrong and it's not all in your head, it's quick, and it's inexpensive. Once your doctor is taking you seriously, it's much easier to go forward together
The choice of fresh foods(fruit/blossom/leaf/root) is dependent upon the underlying physiological condition-(see Hauschka)
I must say it seems to work for me - ? Would welcome any other experience/comments?
Ive also heard some people have success with colostrum supplements.??
I know when I eat healthier I seem to feel a little better, but who doesn't feel better from eating better?
I also know people with autoimmune diseases should stay away from things that boost the immune system, say vit C, echinacea, etc.
Jim Moss
Gainesville
Florida
http://members.cox.net/jimmoss/index.htm
Many are fairly popular-known by most-MS is an autoimmune Disease, for instance...Also, it is also thought that this type of chronic disease can be triggered by stress...Educate yourself and your family!!!!!!
http://www.novaccine.com/vaccine-ingredients/results.asp?sc=27
The body is not actively trying to target itself. For instance, it may have been targeting a small area of Protein A that is found on some pathogen...like a bacteria. It may actually have antibodies to several areas of that protein, most of which don't affect us at all. But one corner of Protein A just happens to be similar to another corner of Protein B, which is found naturally in our connective tissue. It doesn't have to be exact, just similar enough to allow significant antibody binding. Next thing you know, the antibodies are inadvertently attacking our connective tissue. An obviously, this would vary from person to person, based on the exact make up of their Protein B; and would vary according to what pathogen was trying to be fought off.
Nicely done lay article.
Thank you for another great article. I appreciate that you explained what auto-immune disease means and with all due respect to the other commenters - this article is geared to explaining what is happening in the bodies of many millions of people, myself included. I have Ankylosing Spondylitis and auto-immune disease that primarily affects the spine leading to possible complete fusion. I also have psoriasis and uevitis(which attacks the eyes.) For people like myself, my immediate goal has been to get better, to get my life back from the years of unexplained pain and fatigue. I have been one of the "lucky ones" you describe above, where my Rheumatologist and I found a biologic drug that works for me. I lead a healthy life, I don't eat meat, I don't eat gluten - the trigger was set off in my body years ago and I don't believe that I can do anything with exercise or diet that can reverse the fact that it happened. I'd like to ask Lindsay if she believes that once cancer has started that you can simply turn it off with your diet? The level of misunderstanding of auto-immune disease is staggering. Thank you again Daniel for all of the education you do with your articles.
Jennifer Visscher
http://thefeedingedge.com
My point is that people in our society have been taught to wait to treat a problem that's full blown rather than living a healthy and more natural, and therefore PREVENTATIVE, lifestyle. The people that are perpetuating this "disease management" way of life are often those that profit from it, and that comes at the expense of the well being of the population. It's similar behavior that resulted in our current economic crisis, housing crisis, and global standing-- let's wait for as long as possible to react to a problem rather than invest in methods that will work to keep EVERYONE healthy and happy.
You have evidence to support this claim? Or is it similar to your vaccine claims and full of misinformation?
"because cancer is accelerateÂd and uncontrollÂed cell growth often coming from poor diet and lack of exercise"
Of course you have evidence that cancer is caused by a lack of exercise, right?
"The people that are perpetuatiÂng this "disease managementÂ" way of life are often those that profit from it,"
And then you provide, as evidence of your claims, a link to a website that makes its money off "preventative" care, regardless of whether there is evidence to support that preventative care or not. Dietary supplements do not need to be tested for safety or efficacy prior to their use in people. Why would you support any industry that sells products that are not tested for either safety nor efficacy prior to sale to people for use?
-poor diet consisting of processed foods and drowning in high fructose corn syrup and excessive gluten, in effect clogging up the body and keeping it from being able to work properly
-lack of proper exercise to rid the body of toxins it doesn't need
-vaccines consisting of mercury, anti-freeze, cow's blood, formaldehyde, and MUCH more (check the CDC website for ingredients-- they must publish that info BY LAW)
-ignoring the health of the spine, which influences and protects the spinal cord, which is how information is sent from our brains to our nervous system, and by extension, tells every limb, structure, and organ in our body how to function
-taking drugs to fix a problem that was most likely influenced by drugs in the first place
-incorrect diagnosis from medical doctors, who, contrary to popular belief, are not modern deities, and are often funded by drug companies in the first place and regulated by insurance companies in the second place, both of which are profit driven, meaning their recommendations are biased to serve the needs of those companies and NOT always to the betterment of their patients
-excessive and hasty media attention, generating more confusion around an already murky topic
Yeah, I can't understand how autoimmune diseases come about AT ALL.
*enormous sarcastic eye roll*
Why must you lie? I'm sure you have been informed before how incorrect this sort of comment is, so why continue to repeat the same misinformation?
No vaccine contains anti-freeze. Anti-freeze is ethylene glycol. Some vaccines contain polyethylene glycol, but that isn't the same as ethylene glycol, now is it? See, to anyone who understands basic chemistry, when you change the name of a chemical, you also change it's chemical formula and, therefore, its chemical properties. Perhaps you should consider repeating Chemistry 101 since you obviously failed it.
If you are concerned about formaldehyde in vaccines, then you must be very anxious to know that your body produces more than 10x the amount contained in a vaccine every day. Let me repeat that so it soaks in. Your body (let's estimate 60kg) currently has approximately 1.275 mg of formaldehyde floating around in it which is more than what would be found in 100 vaccinations. Your body produces formaldehyde as part of normal metabolic processes of producing amino acids and DNA and is more than capable of handling the miniscule amounts found within a vaccine.
"Yeah, I can't understand how autoimmune diseases come about AT ALL."
I don't think the sarcasm was needed. Given your gross misrepresentation of facts, it appears that you can't understand much related to biology.
I would appreciate it if you could reply without as much anger directed towards me and insulting me, and if you continue this conversation with these tones, I will continue to flag your comments as abusive. Be constructive in your criticism, and it will be heard.
And your example did not explain how gluten causes the body's immune system to start specifically targeting the gut itself, rather than just the gut contents. An autoimmune disease is a direct immunological response to our own tissues. If it only attacks guy contents, that may cause problems, but it's not autoimmune.
Seriously, where did you come up with is nonsense?