Systemic Inflammatory and Autoimmune Diseases Unit

Autoimmune diseases are conditions in which the body's immune system attacks its own healthy tissues, cells, and organs. Depending on the cells or organs affected, it will give rise to a different variety of symptoms and conditions.

The cure for autoimmune diseases will depend on the type of condition and the parts of the body that are being attacked by the immune system. They are generally chronic and require long-term treatment. However, many patients can experience significant improvements in their symptoms and quality of life with appropriate treatment.

For further information, please contact our staff using this form or via the Systemic Inflammatory and Autoimmune Diseases Unit webpage.

The most common autoimmune diseases include systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and autoimmune hypothyroidism.

Although there is a genetic predisposition to developing autoimmune diseases, they are not hereditary in the sense that they are passed on from parents to children in the same way as some genetic diseases. Genetics can increase the likelihood of developing an autoimmune disease, but environmental factors also play an important role in its development.

Intestinal inflammation is a process in which the tissue of the intestine becomes inflamed due to various causes. Some of the autoimmune diseases that involve intestinal inflammation are Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

People suffering from autoimmune diseases generally feel tired all the time and experience muscle fatigue due to muscle weakness and pain. Similarly, due to fatigue, patients are likely to experience drowsiness. Depending on the type of autoimmune disease, the symptoms and manifestations experienced by the patient may range from weakness, muscle or joint pain, or even skin problems.