Autoimmune Disease

When your body’s immune system attacks your body mistakenly, the condition is said to be an autoimmune disease. Normally, the immune system protects the body against viruses, bacteria and germs. When the immune system senses that these foreign bodies are invading the body, it sends out cells to attack and destroy them.

In normal circumstances, the immune system can differentiate between the body’s cells and foreign ones. But in an autoimmune disease, the immune system sees a part of your body to be foreign and releases autoantibodies or proteins that attack the body’s healthy cells.

Autoimmune disease can affect any part of the body. For instance, autoimmune hepatitis can affect the liver. This is the inflammation of the liver that sets in when the immune system works against liver cells. If left untreated, autoimmune disease can damage the liver and cause cirrhosis and, ultimately, liver failure.

Causes

The cause of autoimmune disease is not known, but the theories that cause it to malfunction include the following:

• Drugs
• Bacteria or virus
• Environmental or chemical irritants

Symptoms

In the early stages of autoimmune disease, the symptoms are:

• Swelling and inflammation
• Fatigue
• Aching muscles
• Lack of focus
• Low fever
• Tingling and numbness in the hands and feet
• Skin rash
• Hair loss

Diagnosis

Your doctor will diagnose autoimmune disease by asking you to undergo an antinuclear antibody test (ANA), followed by Autoantibody tests, blood exam, C-reactive protein (CRP) to check for inflammation, Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) to measure the inflammation level and urine tests.

Treatment

Treating autoimmune disease can only control the hyperactive immune response and reduce the level of inflammation and pain, but not cure it completely. To treat this condition, drugs may be advised, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), immune-suppressing drugs, and medication for swelling, skin rash and fatigue.

By eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly, you can feel better. You can also go in for physical therapy, Hormone replacement and blood transfusions.

Why Rela Hospital

Advantages/Expertise

A hospital dedicated to liver ailments can tell you how far gone liver disease is in India. Realizing the need to set up a hospital dedicated to serving liver disease patients, Dr Rela instituted the Rela Hospital, Chennai.

Today, after many years of honest and dedicated care for liver patients, it is seen as one of the top liver transplant hospitals in India. With the able support of trained doctors with international exposure and modern technology, the liver diseases specialists in Chennai give a new lease of life to patients suffering from liver ailments at their varying stages.

So, it’s not surprising that our years of hard work in this niche area has borne fruit: The fruit of being known as the autoimmune liver disease treatment hospital to go to when in need.

To know more about us and our systems, call for an appointment on +91 9384681770