How do individuals develop autoimmune diseases?

Answer 1

Since the area surrounding Autoimmune diseases are so uncertain and not very well understood, it is hard to say for certain what triggers autoimmune diseases as a whole or even seperately. There have been some theories that the Epstein-Barr virus (mononucleosis) play a role in setting it off but there are also other theories ranging from job related repeated vibrations setting off Scleroderma to the coxsackie virus being a risk factor for having Type 1 Diabetes (insulin dependent). Though there are many theories, they are still under consideration and being tested.

Answer 2

That is an extremely broad questions. In a very simple explanation autoimmune diseases are mostly genetic. Mutations in genes encoding for particular components of the immune system cause the body to fail in its job to stop its own immune system from recognizing itself and mounting an attack.

Answer 3

Autoimmune disorders occur when the body's immune system mistakenly identifies the body's own tissue as foreign, and attacks those tissues, as if trying to rid the body of an invader (such as a bacteria, virus, or fungi).

Answer 4

There is no cure for autoimmune disease. 23.5 million Americans have one or more autoimmune diseases. Medically, autoimmune diseases are treated with immunosuppressive medications. In addition, a healthy diet that is high in fiber and low in fat, low in hormones and pesticides, and stress reduction techniques help in keeping these conditions under control.

Answer 5

An autoimmune disorder diagnosis doesn't signal the end of your productive working days. Though you may have to advocate for yourself just as you would with any chronic illness, you can stay in the work force for many years with an autoimmune disorder. "There are no laws that can keep people from working," says chronic illness career coach Rosalind Joffe, MEd, author ofWomen, Work, and Autoimmune Disorder: Keep Working, Girlfriend! (Demos Health, 2008). Joffe has been living with multiple sclerosis (MS) and ulcerative colitis for several decades.

Autoimmune Disorders and Workplace Rights

Existing laws protect your right to keep working, even if you need to make reasonable accommodations, such as:

• Learning new skills so you can be assigned to other tasks
• Developing a schedule that focuses on your best times to work
• Changing your workspace to accommodate wheelchairs, braces, canes, or other assistive devices

Staying on the Job with a Chronic Illness

Early planning is the key to staying at work for a long time, says Joffe. Here are some ideas:

• Talk to your supervisor. If you have a supportive supervisor who is aware of what you're coping with, you will be able to achieve more at work. Symptoms of autoimmune disorders such as fatigue and joint pain are invisible, so communication is very important.
• Identify steps that will help you be productive. "Don't complain," advises Joffe. "Just say it in a very matter-of-fact way: This is the story, this is what's going on, and if this happens, this is what I am going to need. The need could be to have other people trained in what I do for back-up, to be able to delegate in certain ways, to change deadlines at certain times. But let them know in advance, so you don't create a record of bad performance without people knowing why."
• Seek training for a new position. Washington, D.C., resident Karen Jackson had worked as an athletic trainer in an orthopedic surgeon's office for nearly 20 years when she found out she had MS. "I was able to start looking and thinking about what I needed to do and how I could transition and still have my hand in the medical field," she says. Eventually she moved into an administrative slot, a position that has become even more suited to her needs with the advent of electronic medical records.
• Ask about modifications. Jackson's current supervisor has modified the office so that she can get around easily with her scooter. She is also able to use a specialized computer and is able to work in the office three days a week and from home for two days, when she can catch up on her rest and self-care.
• Learn about your options for disability leave or insurance. Find out if you're eligible for short-term (three to six months) or long-term paid disability leave. Talk to your supervisor or human resources representative about these options if you're comfortable doing so, says Joffe.
• Get financial planning advice. If you have an autoimmune disorder, you need to have your finances in order to cover times when you're not able to work.

When to Take Disability Leave

When the time comes to take disability, you'll know. "You know because you can't get to work or you're really doing such a bad job that you no longer can do the job well in any way," says Joffe, adding that some people take disability only to find that their workplace was contributing to their poor health. It can be an eye-opening, healing time that kick-starts your ability to plan for the future in a new way.

Staying in the workforce with a chronic illness requires thinking ahead and making some adjustments. If you have an autoimmune disorder, it's a good idea to do some creative planning now, for your future.

Answer 6

overactive immune response to you own body there are genetic and environmental factors that may cause the disease it depends on which disease

Answer 7

when the white blood cells fight against diseases.

Answer 8

pernitious anameia