Auto-immune disorder is a condition that occurs when the body’s immune system cannot differentiate between self and non-self. Thus it attacks its own normal cells by mistake and causes damage to its own healthy tissue. There are 80 different types of auto-immune disorders. Some like Type-1 diabetes are common whereas others like Hashimoto’s disease are rare. They are a leading cause of death and disability around the world. They may affect blood vessels, muscles, nerves, glands, joints and various organs.
Anybody can develop auto-immune disorder. The risk factors for autoimmune disorders are:
- Family history
- Exposure to certain chemicals in the environment
- Infection with certain bacteria and viruses
- Ethnic background
- Women in child bearing age
A person may develop two or more types of auto-immune disorders at the same time. Moreover an autoimmune disorder may affect more than one tissue or organ.
Symptoms vary depending upon the type of auto-immune disorder and the body tissue it affects. General symptoms common to all auto-immune disorders include feeling a lack of well-being, low grade fever and tiredness. The symptoms for most auto-immune disorders reduce, go away or flare up suddenly.
Mostly of the various auto-immune disorders are chronic conditions meaning they cannot be cured, only the symptoms are managed through treatment.