Whether you have been recently diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, have been living with one or two of them for several years, or know someone with one, this short post is designed to provide some essential information to help manage and understand the conditions.
Knowledge about your illness is critical to understanding it and ensuring you are managing it effectively.
After all, with the right information, you can make informed decisions around your treatment options and how to best cope with different symptoms as they come about. These facts can also help prepare and protect against developing these diseases or lessen how quickly they develop. Lastly, this information can help your emotional and mental well-being while on your journey of living with an autoimmune condition.
Six essential facts about autoimmune diseases:
Females are More Likely to Develop an Autoimmune Disease
Females are three times more likely to develop an autoimmune condition during their lives, with the majority being diagnosed between the ages of fourteen to forty-five (the childbearing years). A recent medical estimate indicates that approximately twenty percent of adult women can expect to be diagnosed with an autoimmune condition.
Men and children have been diagnosed with these illnesses, but at a much lower percentage. One theory as to why there are such differences is the increase in estrogen and other female hormones causing inflammation within the body.
Getting the Right Diagnosis is Difficult and Time-Consuming
Getting to the right diagnosis is challenging and time-consuming. There are over one hundred different autoimmune conditions, some of which can have overlapping or vague symptoms. In addition, some of these conditions do not have a set of definitive blood tests to run, making it harder to decide how to treat the symptoms.
The need to run several combinations of tests often makes the diagnosis more complex and time-consuming. In addition, many doctors are often involved in the process, and some do not openly share the information. When multiple doctors are involved, there may be different ideas of the best treatment course. While this can be overwhelming to go through the diagnosis process, it is crucial to remember that making healthy lifestyle and diet changes can improve your symptoms.
Approximately Four Percent of the World Suffers from an Autoimmune Conditions
Autoimmune illnesses as a whole are relatively common. Two of the most common forms of these are type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. Other autoimmune conditions include Hashimoto’s, Celiac, Grave’s, Chron’s, ulcerative colitis, Sjogren syndrome, and lupus.
Over One Hundred Different Autoimmune Diseases Exist
Autoimmune illnesses are caused when the body’s immune system starts attacking its own healthy tissues and organs just as it would attack a virus or infection. This immune response and its effects on the body can lead to many symptoms.
While some conditions seem to be triggered by environmental factors, some diseases show a strong genetic factor, such as type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, and Addison’s disease.
Some Autoimmune Conditions Run in the Family
As mentioned above, genetics seems to be one of the factors in developing an autoimmune illness. If someone in your family has an autoimmune condition, other people in your family likely have undiagnosed conditions. It also means that you may have a greater risk of developing one.
There Are No Cures for Autoimmune Diseases
While there is no cure for an autoimmune condition, it doesn’t mean that your life is over. There are many ways you can control and manage your symptoms, from medication to lifestyle changes. Research is actively ongoing.
Knowing these facts can help you adopt habits and changes that may decrease your chances of developing an autoimmune illness or manage your symptoms better, so you can go on living beyond chronic illness.
Find the Right Support Today
If you need help managing your condition from symptom management to reframing your relationship with your condition, let’s connect and get you back to living life beyond chronic illness. Supportegy Wellness provides chronic illness support through various proven ways, including chronic illness support groups.