Here we’ll discuss the most common autoimmune diseases in India. You might have known some diseases. But the fact is lots of people in India are suffering from these autoimmune diseases & dying due to this cause. The most common autoimmune disease is Type 1 Diabetes. 

You might not have heard of many common diseases in India, but some are the most common, and you didn’t know earlier that this disease is also an autoimmune disease.

What is An Autoimmune disease?

When your immune system mistakenly attacks your own body, it results in organs damage and causes some disease. 

The immune system works typically against the foreign microbes like bacteria and pathogens like viruses. When the immune system senses any foreign invader inside your body, it sends fighter cells to attack the foreign invader.  

Usually, the immune system recognizes foreign cells and their cell. But in an autoimmune disease, the immune system can not recognize the difference between its own and foreign particles, and it damages its own healthy cells. 

Some autoimmune disease targets only one organ-like in Type 1 diabetes affects the pancreas only, and some diseases affect the whole body like lupus erythematosus(SLE)

Most Common Autoimmune Diseases In India:

Here are listed some of the most prevalence and most common autoimmune disease in India.

Rheumatoid Arthritis:

Rheumatoid arthritis, or RA, is an autoimmune and inflammatory disease. In RA, your immune system mistakenly attacks your own healthy cell of the body, mainly attacks the joints. 

In RA, hand joints, wrist joints and knee joints are mainly affected. This damage to the tissues results in prolonged-lasting chronic pain, lack of balance and deformity.

The prevalence varies between 0.3% to 1% and is more common in women and developed countries. Mostly strikes at the adulthood of age 20 to 40, which is the most productive year of adulthood.

However, the prevalence of Rheumatoid arthritis in India is still not evident. There are some studies but outdated.

New surveys and research are needed to know the prevalence of Rheumatoid arthritis in India.

Type 1 Diabetes:

Type 1 Diabetes is one of the most common autoimmune diseases in India and most prevalent. Type 1 diabetes is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin in the body.

Type 1 diabetes is also known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes.

According to the National Diabetes And Diabetic Retinopathy, the government survey showed an 11.8% prevalence of diabetes in India. 

Read More: Diabetes: Type 1 & 2, Gestational, Causes, Treatments, Insulin, Symptoms

Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy:

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy or CIDP is a disorder in which the immune system attacks the nerves causing nerve swelling and irritation(inflammation).

This swelling and inflammation results in loss of strength or sensation. About 30% of patients can become wheelchair users if not diagnosed and treated early.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus:

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the most common type of lupus. SLE is a disorder in which the immune system mistakenly attacks its own healthy body tissues or organs, causing widespread inflammation and diseases in the organs. Joins, skins, brain, lungs, kidneys and blood vessels are mainly affected.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease:

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a disorder that involves chronic inflammation of your digestive tract. Two types of IBD are involved. 

Ulcerative colitis: Involves inflammation and sores or ulcers along the superficial lining of your large intestine(colon) and rectum.

Crohn’s Disease: Inflammation of the lining of your digestive tract often can involve the deeper layer of the digestive tract.

Psoriasis:

Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune condition that causes the rapid buildup of skin cells. It is a skin disease that causes red, itchy, scaly patches, most commonly on the knees, elbows, trunk and scalp. 

There are several types of psoriasis. The most common type of psoriasis is plaque psoriasis. Types of psoriasis are Guttate psoriasis, Pustular psoriasis, Inverse psoriasis, Erythrodermic psoriasis, Nail psoriasis and Plaque psoriasis.

Graves’ disease:

In this disorder, your immune system produces antibodies that stimulate the thyroid gland to release excess amounts of thyroid hormone into the blood. This is a case of hyperthyroidism.

Read More: Thyroid Disorder: Symptoms Of Thyroid, Treatments, Types & Causes

Also Read: TSH T4 T3 Normal Range: 6 Helpful Things You Need to Know Right Now

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis

This is a case of hypothyroidism. In this disorder, the immune system produces antibodies that attack the thyroid gland and slowly destroy the cells. This results in low levels of thyroid hormone production. 

The Bottom Line:

We’ve discussed the most common autoimmune diseases in India. These diseases are caused by the immune system becasue the fighter cells mistakenly attacks own healthy cells. This causes damage to the cells or tissues of the organs.

For more information about each and every diseases go through the references or Subsribe our newsletter for more updates in all the autoimmune diseases.