What is autoimmune disease?
Autoimmune disease is a disordered immune system that mistakenly attacks healthy cells, tissues or organs of the body, instead of just fighting against bacteria and viruses.
The consequence is chronic inflammation and prolonged damage to many organs such as joints, skin, thyroid, intestines, heart or nervous system. The disease often progresses silently, is difficult to detect early and cannot be completely cured, but can be controlled if diagnosed and treated promptly.
What causes autoimmune disease?
According to Dr. Brunda, senior consultant of Internal Medicine at Aster CMI Hospital (Bangalore, India), autoimmune disease does not originate from a single cause but is the result of many combined factors.
Genetic factors play an important role, as many autoimmune diseases tend to appear in the same family. In addition, viral or bacterial infections can disrupt the immune system, causing the body to develop inappropriate immune responses.
Factors such as environmental pollution, smoking, lack of sleep, prolonged stress, sedentary lifestyle and imbalance of the gut microbiome are also considered factors that increase the risk of autoimmune diseases.
Early warning signs easily overlooked
Autoimmune diseases often start silently, so they are easily confused with normal fatigue. Patients may feel prolonged fatigue, pain or stiffness in the morning, body aches of unknown cause. In some cases, rash, hair loss, sun sensitivity, and mild fever recur. Digestive disorders, weight changes, and numbness in limbs are also important warning signs.
Early examination can help prevent long-term damage to the body," Dr. Brunda emphasized.
Why are women more susceptible to autoimmune diseases?
Biological differences are key factors. Female hormones such as estrogen help the immune system respond more strongly to infections, but also increase the risk of overreaction. Hormone fluctuations during puberty, pregnancy and menopause can imbalance immunity.
In addition, many genes related to the immune system are on the X chromosome, while women with these two chromosomes have a higher risk of immune disorders. Some studies also show that women with autoimmune diseases have a higher risk of cardiovascular complications than men.
Does repression of emotions cause autoimmune diseases?
According to Dr. Brunda, emotional repression does not directly cause autoimmune diseases, but chronic emotional stress can negatively affect the immune system. When emotions such as anger, sadness or anxiety are suppressed, the body falls into a state of prolonged stress, increasing inflammation and making the immune system more prone to erratic reactions.
In particular, women are often under a lot of social pressure and tend to hold emotions inside. Over time, this can worsen the risk of the disease in people who already have genetic factors or unfavorable environments.
