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Written by: Dr. Frannie Koe, MD

Edited by: Breanne Hughes

Some of you may already know that I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, or RA, which is an autoimmune disorder. Besides being a doctor, I am also a person and a patient. I share some of my personal struggles and health challenges, hoping to help my patients know they are not alone.

There are many types of autoimmune disorders. Physicians and scientists estimate that there are over 100 different disorders! You can find a list of the autoimmune diseases here: https://www.aarda.org/diseaselist/

Below are some of the most common types of autoimmune disorders, all of which I have seen in my clinic:

  • Rheumatoid arthritis: A chronic inflammatory disorder affecting many joints, including those in the hands and feet.
  • Lupus: An inflammatory disease caused when the immune system attacks its own tissues.
  • Celiac disease: An immune reaction to eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye.
  • Sjögren’s syndrome: An immune system disorder characterized by dry eyes and dry mouth.
  • Polymyalgia rheumatica: An inflammatory disorder causing muscle pain and stiffness around the shoulders and hips.
  • Multiple sclerosis: A disease in which the immune system eats away at the protective covering of nerves.
  • Ankylosing spondylitis: An inflammatory arthritis affecting the spine and large joints.
  • Type 1 diabetes: A chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin.
  • Alopecia areata: Sudden hair loss that starts with one or more circular bald patches that may overlap.
  • Vasculitis: An inflammation of the blood vessels that causes changes in the blood vessel walls.
  • Temporal arteritis: An inflammation of blood vessels, called arteries, in and around the scalp.

Because I have RA, and it is one of the most common autoimmune disorders, I will focus on an explanation of this disease. There are some rheumatologists that believe there is one main autoimmune disorder that manifests in different ways, depending on the person. For a more detailed explanation of rheumatoid arthritis, click on the link below:

https://www.healthline.com/health/rheumatoid-arthritis/facts-statistics-infographic#1

 

I hope to be able to help people more and more overcome some of the debilitating symptoms of autoimmune disorders and help people get their lives back!!  Please keep watching our posts and come to our classes and we will hopefully be able to address some of the health issues involved!

There are many types of autoimmune disorders. It is estimated there are over 100 different types of disorders!! https://www.aarda.org/diseaselist/

 
 
 
 
 
Below are the most common types of which I have seen all of these and more in my clinic!

  • Rheumatoid arthritis 

    A chronic inflammatory disorder affecting many joints, including those in the hands and feet.

  • Lupus 

    An inflammatory disease caused when the immune system attacks its own tissues.

  • Celiac disease 

    An immune reaction to eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye.

  • Sjögren’s syndrome 

    An immune system disorder characterized by dry eyes and dry mouth.

  • Polymyalgia rheumatica 

    An inflammatory disorder causing muscle pain and stiffness around the shoulders and hips.

  • Multiple sclerosis 

    A disease in which the immune system eats away at the protective covering of nerves.

  • Ankylosing spondylitis 

    An inflammatory arthritis affecting the spine and large joints.

  • Type 1 diabetes 

    A chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin.

  • Alopecia areata 

    Sudden hair loss that starts with one or more circular bald patches that may overlap.

  • Vasculitis 

    An inflammation of the blood vessels that causes changes in the blood vessel walls.

  • Temporal arteritis 

    An inflammation of blood vessels, called arteries, in and around the scalp.

Because I have RA, and it is one of the most common, I will focus on an explanation of this disease. There are some rheumatologists that believe there is one main autoimmune disorder that manifests in many ways, depending on the person.

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