Guide To The Most Common Autoimmune Diseases

Autoimmune diseases are a category of conditions where an individual's immune system goes into overdrive and becomes abnormally over-active, attacking and destroying healthy tissues by mistake. Many known and unknown triggers can cause an individual's body to start making components referred to as antibodies. Usually, antibodies help the body fight off infections, but in patients with an autoimmune disease, they attack the body's healthy tissues instead. Diagnoses of autoimmune diseases are made with the use of physical examination, thorough medical history, tests on the blood, tests on the urine, and tissue biopsies. Treatment for individuals affected by autoimmune diseases focuses on reducing the activity of the immune system, preventing complications, and management of symptoms that may interfere with an individual's everyday life.