There are times, however, when the immune system gets confused. It can no longer distinguish your own good tissue from harmful foreign invaders. It mistakenly directs inflammation against your own tissue causing damage and disease. This damage can occur in your joints, muscles, blood vessels, kidneys, and virtually any tissue in your body.
Illnesses from this type of damage are called autoimmune self- immune diseases. They include rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus, and vasculitis to name a few. Why the immune system goes awry is not entirely clear. In some of these illnesses, the blood vessels are innocent bystanders. As our bodies are fighting a virus e. The antibodies and virus particles get stuck together and get deposited into the walls of the blood vessels creating inflammation. This can result in activation of the immune system that can cause inflammation, damage, and narrowing of blood vessels which can go on to cut off blood supply causing even more damage.
Another risk factor for autoimmune self-immune disease is genetics. This is a blood test but it is not typically run as it can be nonspecific. For example, some patients have this gene but never develop rheumatoid arthritis. We have learned through much research that genetics are only part of the story. Environmental stimuli such as viruses and smoking can also influence the immune system to react in an unhelpful way to cause autoimmune disease instead of protecting your body.
It typically takes both the genetic makeup and environmental exposures together to lead your immune system towards an autoimmune self-immune state. Similar processes occur in systemic lupus erythematosus. Team Of Specialists: Dr. Sumeet Agrawal. View Profile. Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology is a super-speciality of medical science which deals with diseases arising out of disturbances in the immune system of the body. Our immune system is meant to protect us like police safeguarding a city.
However when the immune system goes wrong, rather than protecting, it starts damaging the cells and tissues of the body and result in diseases which are broadly known as autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune diseases can range from mild to severe and sometimes fatal diseases. Most of the times it affects multiple systems of the body and therefore to diagnose and treat them properly, a wholesome approach is required.
For example, an autoimmune disease can simultaneously affect our skin, joints causing arthritis , muscles causing weakness , lung and kidney. Only a well-trained specialist can put these together into perspective and design appropriate therapy for managing the patient.
Unlike previously thought, autoimmune diseases are fairly common. It is just that they are under diagnosed because of low awareness resulting in substantial delay in treatment. A research immunologist may work in a large research hospital or for a pharmaceutical company developing autoimmune treatments.
Some immunologists and rheumatologists turn to academia and become medical school teachers. Fortunately patients don't have to figure out which kind of doctor they want to see. As the doctors are specialists, patients arrive with a recommendation from their primary care physician.
Fraser Sherman has written about every aspect of working life: the importance of professional ethics, the challenges of business communication, workers' rights and how to cope with bullying bosses.
He lives in Durham NC with his awesome wife and two wonderful dogs. You can find him online at frasersherman. Work Careers Other Jobs. By Fraser Sherman Updated January 29, What Is the Role of a Reproductive Endocrinologist?
An Endocrinologist Vs. Autoimmune disease happens when a glitch makes the immune system stop working. Cancer cells aren't affected by the immune system. Cancer immunotherapy works to change that. Allergy research and treatment is a branch of immunology. Allergies happen when the immune system reacts to harmless substances such as pollen as if they were invading organisms.
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