Women are about 3 times as likely as men to suffer from autoimmune disorders (however, in some disorders, such as MS, men appear to have a more severe disease pattern).
Some of the common autoimmune disorders are outlined below.
Connective Tissue Diseases
The most prevalent autoimmune disorders are connective tissue diseases, accounting for nearly half of all the cases; rheumatoid arthritis is the dominant one. The main connective tissue diseases are:
Rheumatoid Arthritis
This is a systemic disorder in which immune cells attack and inflame the membrane around joints (it also can affect the heart, lungs, and eyes, though rarely). The incidence in women is far higher than men for younger individuals, but the difference is less with disease onset after age 50. Symptoms: Inflamed and/or deformed joints, loss of strength, swelling, pain.
This is a systemic disorder in which immune cells attack and inflame the membrane around joints (it also can affect the heart, lungs, and eyes, though rarely). The incidence in women is far higher than men for younger individuals, but the difference is less with disease onset after age 50. Symptoms: Inflamed and/or deformed joints, loss of strength, swelling, pain.
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)
It can affect virtually any organ system, producing inflammation. It is up to 9 times more common in women than men and occurs in black women 3 times as often as white women. Symptoms: 90% of patients experience joint inflammation similar to rheumatoid arthritis. Fifty percent develop a classic “butterfly” rash on the nose and cheeks. Raynaud's phenomenon (extreme sensitivity to cold in the hands and feet) appears in about 20 percent of people with SLE. Other symptoms include fever, weight loss, hair loss, mouth/nose sores, malaise, fatigue, and brain disorders. Exposure to UV light can promote the disease process.
Systemic Sclerosis (Sclerodema)Sjogren's Syndrome
Systemic Sclerosis (Sclerodema)Sjogren's Syndrome
Scleroderma results from attack of immune cells that produce scar tissue in the skin, internal organs, and small blood vessels. It affects women three times more often than men overall, but increases to a rate 15 times greater for women during childbearing years, and appears to be more common among black women. Symptoms: In most patients, the first symptoms are Raynaud’s phenomenon and swelling and puffiness of the fingers or hands. Skin thickening follows a few months later. Other symptoms include skin ulcers on the fingers, joint stiffness in the hands, pain, sore throat, and diarrhea.
Neuromuscular Disease
Musculer Sclerosis
Myasthenia Gravis
Endocrine Disease
Hashimoto's Thyroidism
Grave's Disease
Insulin Dependent (Type 1 )Diabetes
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
TCM Approach to treating autoimmune diseases
Over the centuries, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) led to a focus on treating patients individually according to the “signs and symptoms” (syndrome) rather than according to a disease name.
The chief mechanisms of treating underlying symptoms with herbs are with these steps :-
clearing, regulating, revitalsing , supporting and maintaining to prevent onset of recurrences.
From the wholistic point of view the disease process is intimately related to the entire integrated defense mechanism of the body.
TCM treatments seek to identify the syndrome and target it; whilst modern medicine can only suppress symptoms.
A group of immunostimulant, anti inflammatory herbs are used fundamentally.
To reduce blood stasis and qi deficiencies, blood nourishing & qi enhancing herbs are formulated to treat these discomforts:-
inflammation of connective tissues, joint pain, numbness, muscle weakness, fatique, weight loss, skin lesions, dryness, sorethroats, fever, arthtitic pain, diarrhea, constipation & so on.
Sjögren's syndrome
Is chronic, slowly progressing with inability to secrete saliva and tears, and is usually a late-onset disease. It can occur alone or with rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, or SLE. About 90% of cases occur in women, most often at or around the menopausal years. Symptoms: Dryness of the eyes and mouth, swollen neck glands, difficulty swallowing or talking, unusual tastes or smells, thirst, tongue ulcers, and severe dental caries (which occur because of the lack of saliva). There are other autoimmune diseases that fall into several groupings, among the most common are-
Is chronic, slowly progressing with inability to secrete saliva and tears, and is usually a late-onset disease. It can occur alone or with rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, or SLE. About 90% of cases occur in women, most often at or around the menopausal years. Symptoms: Dryness of the eyes and mouth, swollen neck glands, difficulty swallowing or talking, unusual tastes or smells, thirst, tongue ulcers, and severe dental caries (which occur because of the lack of saliva). There are other autoimmune diseases that fall into several groupings, among the most common are-
Neuromuscular Disease
Musculer Sclerosis
Myasthenia Gravis
Endocrine Disease
Hashimoto's Thyroidism
Grave's Disease
Insulin Dependent (Type 1 )Diabetes
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
TCM Approach to treating autoimmune diseases
Over the centuries, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) led to a focus on treating patients individually according to the “signs and symptoms” (syndrome) rather than according to a disease name.
The chief mechanisms of treating underlying symptoms with herbs are with these steps :-
clearing, regulating, revitalsing , supporting and maintaining to prevent onset of recurrences.
From the wholistic point of view the disease process is intimately related to the entire integrated defense mechanism of the body.
TCM treatments seek to identify the syndrome and target it; whilst modern medicine can only suppress symptoms.
A group of immunostimulant, anti inflammatory herbs are used fundamentally.
To reduce blood stasis and qi deficiencies, blood nourishing & qi enhancing herbs are formulated to treat these discomforts:-
inflammation of connective tissues, joint pain, numbness, muscle weakness, fatique, weight loss, skin lesions, dryness, sorethroats, fever, arthtitic pain, diarrhea, constipation & so on.
