WHEN THE BODY REBELS AGAINST ITSELF
by H Nixey Upper Sixth
Your immune system ‘rebels’ against all kinds of nasties, known as pathogens, including viruses, bacteria and fungi... ...But what happens if your immune system decides to turn on you, and ‘rebel’ against your own body? Answer:
Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy body cells because it mistakes them for foreign cells such as pathogens; for example, in Type 1 diabetes the body produces an autoimmune response against β cells, in the pancreas, damaging them and preventing them from producing insulin, a hormone that is responsible for controlling blood sugar. Other autoimmune diseases include Lupus, where the body produces far too many antibodies and Multiple Sclerosis (MS), where the immune system attacks the nervous system. More specifically, the immune system of an MS sufferer will attack a protective coating called the myelin sheath which surrounds the nerves. Consequently, this coating becomes damaged and, without this protective ‘shield’, the nerves themselves may also become damaged. It is this nerve damage which causes symptoms, as it causes nervous signals that would normally travel along the nerves to be slowed or disrupted. It’s often said that we are all different and unique; quotes such as “no one is you and that is your power” and “why fit in when you were born to stand out?” paint this individuality as a positive thing, which indeed it is. Our differences enrich us and besides, if everyone was the same, life would be boring, right? However, in terms of autoimmune
Autoimmune disease
diseases, the fact that no two people suffering from certain autoimmune disorders (like MS and Lupus) present in the same way, or with the same symptoms actually presents doctors with a big challenge. For example, although the two main symptoms of Lupus are extreme tiredness and joint and muscle pain, the severity of these symptoms can vary hugely, and other possible symptoms include (but are not limited to) headaches, anaemia, sensitivity to light which causes rashes, depression, hair loss, fever, and dry mouth and eyes…not everyone with Lupus will experience all of these symptoms but rather a unique combination of them. Furthermore, many of these symptoms are symptoms that are fairly common and can be caused by other illnesses or even lifestyle
