There’s been a rise in autoimmune disorders over the past 50 years, from type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis to celiac disease and asthma. The first step toward a cure is understanding and controlling the causes.
No one is sure what causes autoimmune diseases. Your body’s immune system protects you from disease and infection. But if you have an autoimmune disease, your immune system attacks healthy cells in your body by mistake. Autoimmune diseases can affect many parts of the body.
Some common autoimmune disease include celiac disease, diabetes mellitus type 1, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus. The diagnosis can be difficult to determine.
Treatment depends on the type and severity of the condition.
