Autoimmune Disease In America

Currently there is approx. 80 different types of autoimmune diseases globally, then broadly grouped into two categories ‘organ specific’ (where the diseases effects one particular body part) and ‘non-organ specific’ (where no one organ is targeted, but maybe an entire system). One in twenty people are diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, however depending on the disease the number increases example a rare disease may affect one in a million people.

The immune system plays a vital role in helping the body to fight diseases, as well as pathogens, the disease-causing factors. It is mainly composed of the tonsils and adenoids, the lymph nodes and lymphatic vessels, the spleen, appendix, and bone marrow. The main purpose of the immune system is to assist the body in its struggle to maintain optimal health.

One in every 20 Americans suffer from at least one autoimmune disease. So there is a good chance that you or someone you know is suffering from one of these diseases right now.

Systematic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic, systemic, autoimmune disease. This condition causes the body to mistaken its own tissues and organs as foreign bodies and begins attacking them causing continuing inflammation and pain. (Huether & McCance, 2012) The cause of SLE still remains unknown, but it is possible that is inherited as a complex trait or caused by environmental stimuli. (S) Anyone is at risk for Lupus, but is more common among women than men and is more prevalent of African Americans and Asians. (National Library of Medicine 2010, para 2) This condition can be difficult to diagnose, as a patient must present a number of the recognizable symptoms. Depending on the location that Lupus presents itself in the body, the symptoms

healthy cells. Autoimmune diseases are on a sharp increase in the U.S., and they are

Imagine you have a normal life, a simple nine to five job, relax afterwards by going out with some friends or staying in to do some tidying up. Everything is easy and nothing is holding you back. Now, imagine doing all those same things while being in pain or with a visible rash across your face. You call out more often, have a hard time focusing on simple tasks such as cleaning, and socialize less often. This has become your new normal. Unfortunately, this is the crushing reality for those who suffer from the chronic symptoms associated with lupus. In the information to follow, it will discuss what lupus is and what it’s symptoms are, how to diagnose and treat lupus, and what can be done to live as normal a life as possible.

Lupus is an autoimmune disease in an overly active state that attacks healthy, functioning tissue. This disease is not well known mainly for two reasons, firstly, it is not given enough hype in social media. Secondly, many people show symptoms during the early stages of lupus however, the victims do not recognize its severity until the disease has afflicted permanent damage. This is usually because some symptoms are similar to other less threatening ailments. Lupus affects many systems of the body which include the gastrointestinal system, the cardiopulmonary system, the musculoskeletal system, the renal system, and the integumentary system. This disease is formerly caused by genetic inheritance however, there are a great number of factors that trigger the immediate onset of lupus, as it is not necessarily prevalent on a person who has the genes from birth. Although there is no known cure for lupus, efficacious forms of treatment are possible.

This controversy revolves around the idea of infection verses autoimmunity because one school of thought hold to the belief that short terms antibiotic are not effective in treating the disease while the other espouses the view that the disease is hard to contract but easy to cure. Lacey Miller and her daughters have greatly suffered from chronic Lyme disease. In an emotional video posted on YouTube video, when Lacey and her daughters were diagnosed with Lyme disease, they spent over 100,000 over a period of 8-years the right diagnosis for the whole

Lupus is still somewhat of a mystery to physicians and scientists today. Historically, the disease has stumped medical professionals. The first known discovery and identification of lupus, specifically systemic lupus erythematosus, was made by Hippocrates, a Greek physician, around the time of 400 BC. The disease became more well known after many years, and by the late 1700’s, two British dermatologists Robert Willan and Thomas Bateman had started to “use the term “lupus” to describe a destructive skin disease preferentially affecting the face and the nose” (Konya, 2016). Then the modern era of lupus began in 1923, when one doctor discovered four cases with similar symptoms. The physical details of the disease became more specific and by 1967, doctors were able to find a way to test for the antibodies that were associated with the disease. In the past, people thought the symptoms of lupus resembled a wolf bite, and some theorized the skin swelling and color changing was caused by werewolves. This theory has since been proven wrong, clearly. Because of this theory though, some people with the disease may have been wrongfully mistreated in the past. Today, lupus is a disease that allows people to receive help from the government under disability status. People with Lupus are not mistreated and in most places, are even protected by disability discrimination acts.

Inflammatory Diseases, in today's society pretty much everyone has heard of at least one of them. Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn's disease, the list of disorders goes on and on, and their effects can range from mild to life-altering. They all have one thing in common however, individuals with these diseases have overactive immune systems which then begin to attack the body's healthy cells. As the numbers of individuals with inflammatory diseases continues to rise the question then becomes, how did these disorders of the immune system begin in the first place? This article seeks to provide some answers to this question by detailing the work

To understand autoimmune diseases, the general characteristic of autoimmunity must be addressed. Autoimmunity is defined, in short, as “ misdirected immune response”. A healthy person is equipped with the mechanisms necessary to defend the body from pathogens within the immune system. When autoimmunity is present in an individual, something within the immune system is

Lupus Erythematosus, or Lupus, is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes the human body to attack itself. Autoimmune (meaning “self” immune) diseases result in the body being unable to distinguish between foreign threats and the body’s healthy tissues. Lupus has the potential to range from a mild aesthetic inconvenience to a life-threatening ailment. There is believed to be about five million people worldwide who are living with a form of Lupus (Ginzler & Tayar, 2015). While being a disease that transcends time, gender, age and ethnicity, significant medical progress was not made until the mid 20th century.

I sat in the hospital waiting room, biting my nails. They called my name. I looked toward the door to see a tall man in light blue scrubs smiling at me and I followed him down the hallways until we reached a sterile room with a large white tube-like machine. The man explained that the machine would take a detailed picture of my spine. I remained completely still as the machine made loud banging and beeping noises around me.

The immune system consists of a defense system that guards the body against invasion from infections and other diseases. Normally, a healthy person's immune system has the capability to differentiate between its own cells and cells that represent threats to the health of the body. (Craft and Kanter, 2002). Autoimmune disease refers to a broad range of over 80 acute, long-lasting diseases that affect nearly every organ in the body. (Wrong Diagnosis.com, 2000).

It seems that there has been a rise in specific disorders and medical diseases within the last 20 years. A record number of autism and ADD/ADHD diagnoses have been reported through medical journals and public journals. Wing (1999) states that there are a reported 1 in 150 cases of autism reported each year. ADD/ADHD diagnoses are on the rise as well. While it is possible that these types of disorders are just now beginning to be diagnosed instead of mis-diagnosed, there is another possibility. Kazan (2010) hypothesizes that “the pressures of human evolution could explain the apparent rise of disorders such as autoimmune disease and autism”. An interesting fact arose out of the same article as it relates to the how and why diseases and disorders evolve. As humans, scientists relate that” natural selection favors reproduction over health, biology evolves more slowly than culture, and pathogens evolve more quickly than humans” (Kazan, 2010). This will also account for the long-term consequences associated with disorders and illnesses that