Autoimmune diseases can be understood one way, on the surface, by grouping them based on the parts of the body they affect, the types of immune responses involved, or their underlying mechanisms. Here are some common categories:

1. Organ-Specific Autoimmune Diseases

These diseases primarily target a specific organ or tissue in the body.

• Thyroid: Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, Graves’ Disease
• Pancreas: Type 1 Diabetes, Autoimmune Pancreatitis
• Gastrointestinal Tract: Celiac Disease, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), Autoimmune Hepatitis
• Skin: Psoriasis, Vitiligo, Pemphigus
• Nervous System: Multiple Sclerosis, Guillain-Barré Syndrome, Myasthenia Gravis
• Adrenal Glands: Addison’s Disease
• Liver: Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC), Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC)
• Blood: Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia

2. Systemic Autoimmune Diseases

These diseases affect multiple organs or systems throughout the body.

• Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Sjögren’s Syndrome
• Scleroderma (Systemic Sclerosis)
• Mixed Connective Tissue Disease
• Behçet’s Disease
• Wegener’s Granulomatosis (Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis)

3. Inflammatory Autoimmune Diseases

These conditions are characterized by chronic inflammation, often affecting multiple organs.

• Ankylosing Spondylitis
• Polymyalgia Rheumatica
• Giant Cell Arteritis (Temporal Arteritis)
• Takayasu’s Arteritis

4. Neurological Autoimmune Diseases

These affect the central or peripheral nervous system.

• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
• Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP)
• Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS)
• Autoimmune Encephalitis
• Narcolepsy with Cataplexy

5. Blood and Vascular Autoimmune Diseases

These involve the blood vessels or blood cells.

• Antiphospholipid Syndrome
• Polyarteritis Nodosa
• Goodpasture Syndrome
• Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia

6. Autoimmune Connective Tissue Diseases

These diseases primarily affect connective tissues, including joints, skin, and organs.

• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Scleroderma
• Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)
• Dermatomyositis
• Polymyositis

7. Endocrine Autoimmune Diseases

These involve the endocrine glands, which produce hormones.

• Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
• Graves’ Disease
• Type 1 Diabetes
• Addison’s Disease
• Autoimmune Polyendocrine Syndromes (APS)

8. Autoimmune Skin Diseases

These primarily affect the skin, causing rashes, blisters, or other skin abnormalities.

• Psoriasis
• Pemphigus
• Vitiligo
• Alopecia Areata
• Autoimmune Urticaria (Chronic Hives)

9. Autoimmune Gastrointestinal Diseases

These affect the digestive tract, from the esophagus to the intestines.

• Celiac Disease
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
• Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE)
• Autoimmune Hepatitis

10. Autoimmune Muscle Diseases

These conditions involve muscle inflammation and weakness.

• Polymyositis
• Dermatomyositis
• Myasthenia Gravis

These categories help in understanding the focus of each autoimmune disease and guiding treatment strategies. However, many autoimmune diseases can fit into multiple categories, reflecting their complex and overlapping nature.

Don’t Lose Hope

Today’s medical system is so focused on specific parts of the body that they tend to lose sight of the whole. It reminds me of the story of the blind men and the elephant.

The story of the blind men describing an elephant is a well-known parable that originates from ancient Indian traditions. It illustrates the concept of subjective experience and the limits of individual perception. Here’s how the story goes:

The Story

A group of blind men heard that a strange animal, called an elephant, had been brought to their town, but none of them were aware of its shape and form. Out of curiosity, they said, “We must inspect and know it by touch, of which we are capable.”

So, they sought out the elephant and each of them began to touch it.

• The first man, who touched the elephant’s side, said, “An elephant is like a wall.”
• The second man, who touched the tusk, said, “No, an elephant is like a spear.”
• The third man, who touched the trunk, said, “You’re both wrong. An elephant is like a snake.”
• The fourth man, who touched the leg, said, “It’s clear that the elephant is like a tree.”
• The fifth man, who touched the ear, said, “No, an elephant is like a fan.”
• The sixth man, who touched the tail, said, “You’re all mistaken. The elephant is like a rope.”

Each of the blind men was certain about what they had perceived, but they could not agree with each other. They began to argue, each insisting that they were correct, based on their own limited experience.

The Moral

The story highlights that each person may have a part of the truth based on their limited perspective, but they may not see the whole picture. It teaches the importance of considering multiple perspectives and being aware of the limitations of one’s own knowledge. The parable is often used to illustrate the idea that truth can be complex and multifaceted, and that different people can have different interpretations of the same reality based on their experiences and viewpoints.

So it is the same with how doctors are taught today. They are encouraged to specialize to make more money. They aren’t taught to see us as a whole body and what affects one part affects the whole. Keep aware, think, and stand up for yourself.