Rheumatology focuses on diagnosing and treating autoimmune diseases. These conditions can present with obvious symptoms, but often the symptoms end up being very subtle, quiet — potentially causing organ damage before we even recognize something is wrong.
What Does the Immune System Normally Do? And Where Does It Go Wrong?
The immune system normally protects us by fighting off viruses, bacteria, and fungi that could harm us. However, autoimmune disease occurs when that same immune system, which is meant to target the outside environment, decides to attack our own internal environment.
The immune system may attack the thyroid, red blood cells, liver, heart, and other organs. Some autoimmune damage is temporary (like Guillain-Barre syndrome), while others persist throughout life (like rheumatoid arthritis or systemic lupus).
Examples of Autoimmune Diseases
- Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (hypothyroidism)
- Multiple sclerosis
- Type 1 diabetes mellitus
- Psoriasis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
- Sjogren’s syndrome
- Polymyalgia rheumatica
- Vasculitis
- Sarcoidosis
What Are the Symptoms?
Symptoms depend on which organ system is attacked. However, five common symptoms appear across many autoimmune diseases:
- Fatigue
- Brain fog — cloudy thinking, short-term memory trouble
- General achiness without a clear cause
- Poor sleep
- Unexplained rashes
What to Do When “Everything Looks Normal”
We know our own bodies the best. If there is something out of sorts with us, and the symptoms persist over months despite normal test results — do you stop there? No! Continue seeking answers. Diagnoses can be extremely difficult despite modern testing capabilities. Consider seeking second opinions when initial evaluations don’t explain what you’re experiencing. Trust your body awareness and persist in investigation, because autoimmune diseases are notoriously tricky to pin down, especially early on.