Autoimmune Disorders – A to Z

Are you familiar with autoimmune disorders? March is National Autoimmune Awareness Month, offering an opportunity to learn more about this serious health issue. An autoimmune disease or disorder is a condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own healthy cells, tissues, and organs, causing chronic inflammation and damage.

The exact cause is often unclear, but it appears to involve a combination of genetic predisposition, environmental triggers, such as chemicals or viruses, and immune system impairment or dysfunction. There are many kinds of autoimmune disorders, all of which affect the body in different ways. From A-Z, these include:

Addison’s disease – Affects adrenal glands.

Autoimmune hepatitis – Attacks the liver.

Celiac Disease – An immune reaction to gluten that damages the lining of the small intestine.

Graves’ Disease – The immune system attacks the thyroid, causing it to overproduce hormones (hyperthyroidism).

Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis – The immune system attacks the thyroid gland, leading to low hormone production (hypothyroidism).

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) – Chronic inflammation of the digestive tract, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

Lupus – A systemic disease that can affect skin, joints, kidneys, heart, lungs, and brain.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) – The immune system attacks the protective sheath (myelin) covering nerve cells, disrupting communication between the brain and body.

Psoriasis – Causes skin cells to multiply too quickly, resulting in inflamed, scaly patches.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) – The immune system attacks the joints, causing inflammation, pain, and potential deformity.

Type 1 Diabetes – The immune system destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.

Sjögren’s Syndrome – Attacks glands that produce tears and saliva, leading to dry eyes and mouth.