Autoimmune+Disorders

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Introduction
An autoimmune disorder is an occurrence within the human body that causes the immune system to act with hostility towards healthy body tissue. Autoimmune disorders shut down the distinction between native and foreign matter, forcing the immune system to attack both. This can occur for various types of bodily tissue and fluids including blood vessels, red blood cells, connective tissue, and muscle tissue. Diagnosis tends to be very difficult for autoimmune disorders due to the lack of any external instigator. Instead, diagnosis is achieved through the analysis of bodily fluids/composition. This process seeks to find signs of an attack from systems showing the proper symptoms.

Most autoimmune disorders tend to be chronic, occurring over cycles and in waves of intensity. When the intensity of the associated symptoms spikes, it is referred to as a flare up. Regardless of the particular autoimmune disorder, flare ups are difficult to predict as they require a close monitoring of symptoms for pattern changes as well as an established treatment system on standby. While current treatments seek to control irregularities caused by autoimmune disorders, the methodology changes based on the specific knowledge of the diagnosed autoimmune disorder. Treatments can either act as support for a system that is performing insufficiently or suppress overactive functions as occur. For cases that require support, only a basic management of internal chemistry is required via regularly scheduled medications and/or exercises routines. More severe disorders require greater scrutiny as they require extreme forms of treatment that often take a great toll on the patient.

Diseases
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 * //Addison's Disease //
 * //Diagnosis//
 * This disease is caused by the adrenal glands functioning poorly due to damage from a disorder attack and not producing enough of the hormone cortisol, and can be diagnosed through a regular series of tests on blood and urine over a period of time to look for any irregularities in hormonal levels
 * Several of the products from the cortex that are needed for a body to function will not be delivered due to damage suffered
 * Glucocorticoids, one of which cortisol is, assist in the conversion of food to energy usable by the body
 * Mineralocorticoids, which maintain blood pressure through controlling the balance between sodium and potassium
 * Androgens, which influence sexual development in males, as well as providing a sense of well-being in both genders
 * //Symptoms//
 * The skin gains a tan appearance without any additional exposure to sunlight
 * Following the tan appearance, blotches and freckling begin to spot the skin
 * Muscle strength will take a drop from the person suffering the disorder growing weak in their energy levels
 * Due to gastrointestinal issues of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea developing, a loss in appetite is generally expected
 * A craving for salty foods begins to form
 * The mood tends to decay into a despondent state
 * The depressed mood will make it difficult for stress to be handled, and eventually develop into irritability or moodiness
 * Temperatures that are either low or high will feel more intense, the person with the disorder feeling much more sensitive to changes in the temperature
 * The blood pressure will lower to dangerous levels, this particular symptom becoming more prominent whenever the person is standing up, an extended sense of dizziness overcoming them
 * //Prognosis//
 * Treating this disease at this point in time is actually very straightforward, simply replacing the hormones that have gone missing in the system. The person with the disorder must take a regular series of oral medications on a daily basis to keep the missing hormone at the proper levels
 * //Celiac Disease // *
 * //Diagnosis//
 * The damage happening from the disorder will be causing the loss of intestinal lining, meaning those with the disorder will be suffering advanced states of malnutrition due to being unable to correctly process food
 * Due to the condition causing a difficulty in absorbing necessary nutrients, tests may be run on bone density, levels of cholesterol, iron, or folate. A complete blood count may be performed to test for anemia, that being a possible result of this.
 * A comprehensive metabolic panel can be performed to test the entire system for any irregularities that would indicate the presence of celiac disease.
 * //Symptoms//
 * Gastrointestinal issues include abdominal pain or bloating, nausea, lactose intolerance, and excess diarrhea or vomiting
 * The person with the disorder undergoes an inexplicable amount of loss in body weight
 * //Prognosis//
 * The symptoms are a result of the destruction of intestinal lining, which is a response to ingesting any food product containing wheat, barley, rye, and on occasion, oats. Cutting these out and going on a gluten free diet will allow the intestinal lining to heal, given enough time on the diet.
 * The diet will have to be lifelong, or at least for however long the person in question doesn’t want to be suffering the aforementioned symptoms.
 * //Multiple Sclerosis // **
 * //Diagnosis//
 * The results of an attack would be damage to the protective membrane covering nerve cells called the myelin sheath, the inflammation being caused by the disorder occurring around the brain, optic nerve, and spinal cord.
 * Tests can be performed around the affected areas for telltale signs of damage
 * A lumbar puncture may be performed to examine the cerebrospinal fluid, though this is better known by most as a spinal tap
 * The brain can have an MRI scan taken to look for signs of damage to the cells composing the spine
 * //Symptoms//
 * Damage to the nerves would result in the muscle system behaving incorrectly, resulting in the loss of balance and coordination, tremors and spasms, and eventually weakness or numbness
 * The bowels suffer incorrect signals from damaged nerves through a difficulty to urinate or a need to urinate with high frequency, and either constipation or a leakage of stool
 * At the core of the damage, the nervous system itself exhibits instances of poor reasoning and problem solving, a decreased attention span, dizziness, poor hearing, and a level of depression
 * Sensory input has much more pain than it should, accompanied by a tingling or burning sensation in the arms and legs
 * The eyes begin to twitch and experience pain as well, sometimes giving double vision or even loss of vision
 * The sense of speech starts to slur
 * //Prognosis//
 * There are medications that can be taken to either slow or control the disease. Steroids are considered an option as they have shown to be able to reduce the severity of any flare ups. In the case of the other symptoms, medicine exists that can help control the symptoms outside of a flare up, such as the issues with the GI system, the muscle system, or temperament
 * People with multiple sclerosis also have the option of undertaking therapy so as to build back up anything lost from any attacks, having the choice to go through physical, occupational, or speech therapy, depending on what needs working on.
 * //Rheumatoid Arthritis // **
 * //Diagnosis//
 * The target of this disorder is the lining of joints, damaging the synovial fluids that surround them and causing them to inflame and swell
 * Analysis of bodily fluids can indicate the presence of the disorder
 * Performing a complete blood count, an analysis of the synovial fluids within the joints experiencing pain
 * Performing x-rays on the sore joints can show if any damage has occurred
 * In that same vein, an ultrasound or an MRI will also yield results that indicate whether or not damage has occurred from a flare up
 * //Symptoms//
 * Inflammation of joints, very sore feeling
 * Most commonly affected joints would be the fingers, wrists, feet, ankles, and knees
 * Tends to be felt on both sides of the body in the same joints
 * Joints might lose their range of motion due to deforming over the years on account of the disorder
 * Having morning stiffness that lasts over an hour
 * Breathing causing chest pains
 * Itching, burning, and discharge around the eyes[[image:scienceandsociety3030/arthritic_joints.jpg width="390" height="262" align="right" caption="A comparison between a regular joint and a joint affected by rheumatoid arthritis."]]
 * Tingling, burning, and numbness in the hands and feet
 * //Prognosis//
 * What is often the first resort for anyone with rheumatoid arthritis is taking a disease modifying antirheumatic drug
 * Includes methotrexate and sulfasalazine, the former being the most common
 * These are considered to have risky side effects, so anyone undertaking them needs to have constant testing to ensure nothing is going wrong
 * Antimalarial medications, usually taken alongside methotrexate, aiming to suppress the immune system
 * Standard anti-inflammatory medications will usually help with anyone suffering rheumatoid arthritis
 * Naproxen, ibuprofen, Celebrex (on a slightly riskier note due to its capacity to increase heart rates)
 * Medications that either modify or suppress the immune system, though these methods are usually resorted to after the aforementioned methods have failed due to these methods having less than desirable side effects that come alongside the treatment
 * They can either inhibit interleukin-6(IL-6), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), or modulate white blood cells
 * Following medications, physical therapy is also a common resort that gets used to restore any range of motion that has been lost, and by extension reverse any possible atrophy that’s occurred due to lack of use

Possible Solutions
At this point in time, autoimmune disorders are thought of as irreversible conditions that require life-time care by those afflicted. Many of the current forms of treatment are manageable and can keep the autoimmune disorder under control through a series of daily medications taken in small dosages. Other more extreme treatments can require difficult upkeep, leaving many wanting a less dangerous, if not permanent solution.

However, there are signs of more effective treatments on the horizon. Current forms of treatment are constantly advancing, improving methodology and performance. The possibility of a permanent fix is also beginning to receive attention, as researchers are working vigorously toward potential cures. However, until further research becomes both concrete and viable, the treatments previous mentioned are the best available for individuals afflicted with an autoimmune disorder.

Conclusion
The exact conditions for a condition to qualify as an autoimmune disorder are “direct evidence from transfer of pathogenic antibody or pathogenic T cells; indirect evidence based on reproduction of the autoimmune disease in experimental animals; and circumstantial evidence from clinical clues”.

When foreign objects enter the body, they carry antigens with them. An immune system is supposed to produce antibodies in response to said antigens, which will allow it to react and destroy anything it views as being harmful. An immune system suffering from a disorder will lose its sense of distinction and cause it to attack certain parts of the body.

The source of the change is currently unknown. Scientists have yet to deduce whether autoimmune disorders are hereditary or the result of infections. However, a theorized source for autoimmune disorders is a strain of bacteria or virus that causes changes in the body which confuse the immune system. A link between family members could be the result of a genetic disposition that makes it more likely for them to be infected by the mystery pathogen
 * [1] **.

Autoimmune disorders are receiving attention and care from the medical field as a whole, with a number of treatments available to choose from. As it stands, the most that can be done in terms of supporting those that suffer through autoimmune disorders at this point is to simply remain consistent in both studying them and searching for a cure. For those that are suffering from any autoimmune disorder, it would be in their best interest to take up a healthy lifestyle in order to minimize the negative effects and damage commonly associated with such disorders.