Frequently Asked Questions About Autoimmune Diseases

Autoimmune diseases are conditions where your body's immune system attacks its own healthy tissue. In the US, autoimmune diseases affect more than 50 million people, including 1 in every 13 women and 1 in 33 men. Autoimmune diseases are caused by a combination of genetics and environmental factors that trigger an abnormal reaction by the immune system.

What is an autoimmune disease?

An autoimmune disease is caused by your body attacking itself. This can happen because the immune system is confused, or because something in your body triggers it to act on its own. Autoimmune diseases include Hashimoto's thyroiditis and rheumatoid arthritis, among others.

Autoimmune diseases are not contagious, so you can't catch them from someone else. However, some people may be genetically predisposed to developing an autoimmune condition if they have family members who have been diagnosed with one.

Autoimmune disorders require specific treatment plans that take into account what's going on in your body and why you have developed an autoimmune disorder at all—that's where functional medicine comes into play!

What are some other autoimmune diseases or conditions?

Hashimoto's thyroiditis is an autoimmune condition that affects the thyroid gland, which produces hormones to regulate metabolism.

Graves' disease is another autoimmune condition affecting the thyroid gland, but this one causes it to overproduce hormones.

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) develops when your pancreas stops producing insulin - a hormone that helps your body turn sugar into energy. It's an autoimmune disease where your own immune system destroys cells in many parts of your body.

Lupus is an autoimmune disease that can affect almost any part of your body, including skin and joints - its name comes from the Latin words for "wolf" and "rage," as those affected with lupus often experience extreme fatigue and pain during flare-ups.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) attacks myelin - fatty tissue around nerves in the brain and spinal cord that protects them from damage by surrounding tissues like cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), blood vessels, etc.. MS causes demyelination within these areas leading to reduced nerve function due to disruption of electrical impulses along neurons carrying information between different parts of our brains/spines."

Autoimmune Diseases are caused by your body attacking itself.

Autoimmune diseases are caused by your body attacking itself, rather than a foreign invader. The immune system is confused and doesn't know what to do, so it attacks healthy cells in the body instead of germs or bacteria.

Autoimmune diseases are not contagious; you cannot pass on an autoimmune disease to a healthy person. Autoimmune diseases are also not inherited, meaning that they have nothing to do with genetics (though genetics can play a role in whether or not someone will develop an autoimmune condition).

Conclusion

In conclusion, autoimmune diseases are a serious condition that affect millions of people every year. Although there is currently no cure for these diseases, there are medications available to treat symptoms and prevent flare-ups as well as lifestyle changes you can make to help lower your risk. If you have any questions about autoimmunity or want more information on how we can help you manage your condition, please contact us today!