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Autoimmune Diseases
Reviewed by Medicinsk Expert•Last updated: 2026-10-22•Immune System

Autoimmune Diseases

Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's own healthy cells, tissues, and organs.

What are autoimmune diseases?

Your immune system protects you from disease and infection by attacking germs. If you have an autoimmune disease, your immune system attacks the healthy cells of your organs and tissues by mistake. There are more than 80 types of autoimmune diseases, which can affect almost any part of your body.

Causes and Risk Factors

No one is sure why autoimmune diseases happen, but you cannot catch them from other people. They tend to run in families, suggesting that certain genes may make some people more likely to develop a problem. Viruses, certain chemicals, and other environmental factors may trigger an autoimmune disease if you already have the genetic predisposition.

Millions of Americans of all ages have autoimmune diseases. Women develop many types of autoimmune diseases much more often than men. Additionally, if you have one autoimmune disease, you are more likely to get another.

Symptoms

Symptoms depend on the part of your body affected. Many types cause redness, swelling, heat, and pain, which are signs of inflammation. Symptoms can come and go:

  • Flare-up: Symptoms get severe for a while.
  • Remission: Symptoms get better or disappear for a period of time.

Diagnosis

Doctors often have a hard time diagnosing autoimmune diseases because there is usually not a specific test for every condition, and symptoms can be confusing or overlap with other illnesses. To help your doctor:

  • Learn about the health conditions in your family history and share this with your doctor.
  • Keep track of your symptoms, including how long they last and what makes them better or worse.
  • See a specialist who deals with the symptoms that bother you most, such as a dermatologist for rashes.

Treatment

Treatment depends on the disease. In most cases, the goal is to suppress your immune system and ease swelling, redness, and pain from inflammation. Your doctor may give you corticosteroids or other medicines to help you feel better. For some diseases, you may need treatment for the rest of your life.

Frequently Asked Questions

While a normal immune response typically resolves once the infection or irritant is cleared, an autoimmune flare-up often persists or worsens despite rest and standard care. Look for specific patterns such as joint stiffness that lasts more than 30 minutes after waking, unexplained fatigue that does not improve with sleep, or new skin rashes that appear without a clear external trigger. Keeping a detailed symptom diary that tracks these events alongside potential triggers like stress, diet, or illness can help you and your rheumatologist identify your personal flare-up patterns.
While lifestyle changes cannot cure autoimmune diseases, they can significantly reduce inflammation and improve quality of life. An anti-inflammatory diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains may help manage symptoms, while regular low-impact exercise like swimming or yoga can maintain joint flexibility and reduce pain. It is crucial to avoid fad diets that may lead to nutritional deficiencies, which can weaken the immune system further. Always consult your healthcare provider before making significant dietary changes, especially if you are on immunosuppressive medications.
Having a family history increases your risk due to shared genetic predispositions, but it does not guarantee you will develop the disease. Autoimmunity is often polygenic, meaning multiple genes contribute to the risk, and environmental factors such as viral infections, stress, or hormonal changes usually act as triggers in genetically susceptible individuals. If you have a first-degree relative with an autoimmune condition, you should be more vigilant about early symptoms and discuss preventive screening options with your doctor, but you are not destined to develop the same or a different autoimmune disorder.
Doctors commonly use the Antinuclear Antibody (ANA) test as a screening tool, but a positive ANA does not automatically mean you have an autoimmune disease, as it can be present in healthy individuals. More specific tests include Rheumatoid Factor (RF) for rheumatoid arthritis, Anti-CCP for rheumatoid arthritis, and Anti-DSDNA for lupus. Diagnosis usually requires a combination of these lab results, physical examination findings, and symptom history, as no single test is definitive for all autoimmune conditions.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine

MedlinePlus brings together authoritative health information from the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies and health-related organizations.

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