Autoimmune Diseases That Every Woman Should Know About

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Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system turns against you and starts attacking your own healthy cells in the body. This can impact anyone.

But did you know that 80% of the people who are affected are women? Research suggests that this is because certain genes are expressed differently in females.

This is definitely bad news because autoimmune diseases are on the rise. There are at least 80 different autoimmune diseases out there.

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Though each disease is unique, they do share a lot of common symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, low-grade fever and inflammation.

The treatment largely depends on the disease and this involves drugs or medications that can suppress the immune system.

Natural factors like gaining traction reducing anti-inflammatory foods, flushing out toxins and healing of the gut can help.

So, continue reading this article to know the relation between women and autoimmune diseases. Read further about the autoimmune diseases that can specifically affect women.

1. Rheumatoid Arthritis:

This disease produces inflammatory joint symptoms throughout the body, including hands, hips, fingers, elbows and knees. Nearly 4% of women can be affected by this condition. This is one of the top autoimmune diseases that targets women.

2. Lupus:

Nine out of ten people with lupus are women. This is a disease that can damage the joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs and other parts of the body.

3. Hashimoto's Thyroiditis:

This occurs when the immune system attacks the thyroid, which is a gland present in the center of your neck. Hashimoto's can attack many number of women and it is a common type of a thyroid disorder.

4. Psoriasis:

This is a chronic condition that causes skin cells to grow too quickly. This might be the only autoimmune disease that equally occurs in both men and women.

5. Psoriatic Arthritis:

This type of inflammatory arthritis usually affects the large joints. In severe cases, it causes pain, stiffness, swelling and problems in and around the joints. This is one of the top autoimmune diseases that can occur in women.

6. Sjogren's Syndrome:

In this case, the immune system attacks the glands that make tears and saliva. This leads to conditions like dry eyes and dry mouth.

7. Scleroderma:

This condition is characterized by the abnormal growth of collagen. The skin becomes thickened and dark, making it very hard and difficult to move. This is one of the top autoimmune diseases that affects women.

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