What are autoimmune diseases and how to spot the signs

Updated August 2024 | 5 min read
Expert contributor Dr Karen Coates, integrative medical doctor
Words by Charmaine Yabsley

There are more than 80 types of autoimmune diseases, and they affect around 5% of Aussies. But what are they?

Your immune system is your body’s number-one defender, a power-packed network of tissues, proteins, organs and cells. They work together to protect you against disease-causing organisms like bacteria and viruses.

White blood cells are the body’s foot soldiers. They seek out bacteria, viruses and infections and destroy them.

Problems arise when your immune system wrongly identifies something good in our body as harmful and tries to remove it.

What is an autoimmune disease?

An autoimmune disease is a condition where your immune system mistakenly attacks your body but it’s not clear why, says Dr Karen Coates, integrative medical doctor.

Genetics and environmental factors can increase your susceptibility to these conditions. “You need to have the potential for autoimmunity in your DNA,” says Dr Coates. Studies show you’re more susceptible to autoimmune disease if your mother has had one. While women are also four times more likely than men to develop autoimmune disease.

There are no cures for autoimmune diseases, but you can manage the symptoms. “It’s possible to reduce autoimmune disease triggers through medication, diet, exercise and limiting stress,” explains Dr Coates.

Although there are many different types of autoimmune diseases, here we take a closer look at three: multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.

Multiple sclerosis (MS)

MS Australia describes multiple sclerosis as the body’s immune system mistakenly attacking and damaging myelin, the fatty material around the nerves. Myelin is important for protecting and insulating nerves so the electrical messages the brain sends to the rest of the body travel quickly and efficiently.

During an MS attack, patches of nerves become exposed, and then scarred, stopping the nerves communicating messages to the brain properly. This means the brain can’t talk to the other parts of the body. Symptoms may include:

• loss of leg, hand or arm function
• loss of sensation
• pins and needles
• vertigo
• visual disturbances
• memory loss
• cognitive difficulties.

There are approximately 33,000 Aussies living with MS, and three out of four people diagnosed are women.

“MS can be a very hard disease to diagnose early on, as the symptoms are similar to those from stress,” says Dr Coates. “As the symptoms can come and go, by the time you’ve seen a doctor they may have settled down. This is because the nerve becomes inflamed, then settles, because your body has reduced the inflammation caused by the disease.”

Diagnosis of MS involves an MRI scan of the brain and spine to detect lesions caused by multiple sclerosis in the central nervous system.

MS Australia says managing the disease may involve medication, exercise, dietary changes and quitting smoking (if you’re a smoker).

Rheumatoid arthritis

According to Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, almost 2% of Aussies report having rheumatoid arthritis.

The tissue lining a healthy joint, called the synovial membrane, is very thin and produces fluid that lubricates and nourishes the joint. “In rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system attacks the synovial membrane, causing inflammation, pain, swelling and stiffness,” says Dr Coates.

Other symptoms include redness around the joints and problems with the heart, respiratory system, nerves and eyes.

“Rheumatoid arthritis can destroy joints, so you need to start managing it quickly, through diet, lifestyle change and medication,” says Coates.

Lifestyle changes to consider include:

• not smoking
• weight loss (if advised)
• eating a balanced diet of fresh fruit and vegetables and lean proteins, especially fish.

Physical activity can also help relieve the joints, so consider swimming, yoga or walking.

Lupus

Lupus can affect many different parts of the body. The exact cause isn’t known, but it’s thought to be a combination of genes and risk factors including certain medications, hormones and infections.

Lupus is rare, affecting approximately 20,000 people in Australia. About 90% of people with lupus are women and the majority develop the condition between 15 and 45 years of age. It’s difficult to diagnose as symptoms can mimic many other illnesses.

Symptoms may include:

• fatigue
• joint pain and swelling
• hair loss
• fever
• skin rash.

Diagnosis can take some time, and usually involves tracking your symptoms, as well as blood and urine tests.

Most people with lupus can manage the disease and enjoy a good quality of life with effective treatments including medications, and by following a healthy lifestyle.

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