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AutoImmune Disease Specialist

Morgan Hill Internal Medicine Our Services AutoImmune Disease

Morgan Hill Internal Medicine

Internal Medicine located in Morgan Hill, CA

An autoimmune disease occurs when your immune system starts to attack the healthy parts of your body. Devang Shah, MD, and Nimisha Shah, MD, at Morgan Hill Internal Medicine in Morgan Hill, California, are experts at diagnosing and treating your autoimmune disease. They also offer extreme personalized care to make sure you experience a turnaround for your health condition. To schedule an appointment, call the office, or use the online booking tool today.

AutoImmune Disease Q & A

What is an autoimmune disease?

When your body’s immune system harms healthy cells in your body, it’s called an autoimmune disease. It can affect your entire body or just certain parts of it.

Your immune system protects you from foreign invaders like bacteria or viruses that can cause you to get sick or not feel well. An autoimmune disease mistakenly identifies molecules in your body as harmful, causing your immune system to attack your healthy cells rather than protect them. 

Autoimmune diseases are thought to develop from a set of inherited genes that cause your immune system to be more active than average when exposed to unknown triggers that cause a reaction.

The team at Morgan Hill Internal Medicine knows how to treat your symptoms and help you feel better.

What are common autoimmune diseases?

It’s reported that 50 million Americans live with an autoimmune disease. The most common is rheumatoid arthritis, which attacks your joints, leading to pain and inflammation. If left untreated, you can experience permanent damage and be at risk for severe disability.

Other examples of autoimmune diseases include:

  • Systemic lupus erythematosus
  • Multiple sclerosis (MS) 
  • Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
  • Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
  • Type 1 diabetes mellitus 
  • Graves’ disease (hyperthyroidism)
  • Guillain-Barre syndrome
  • Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy
  • Psoriasis

Even though autoimmune diseases tend to be handed down through genetics, a specific type is not necessarily inherited. For example, four family members can have four different autoimmune diseases. 

Seeing your specialist at Morgan Hill Internal Medicine helps identify your condition, so you can begin treatment right away.

What are symptoms of autoimmune disease?

Symptoms of autoimmune disease include inflammation throughout your body. Some diseases have more specific symptoms such as dry eyes or dry mouth, and some can cause your joints to swell.

Other non-specific symptoms include:

  • Brain fog
  • Joint pain
  • Low-grade fever
  • Muscle aches
  • Fatigue
  • Insomnia
  • Skin rashes
  • Hair loss
  • Numbness and tingling in hands and feet

Some autoimmune diseases only attack one organ and others can affect the entire body. Your practitioner at Morgan Hill Internal Medicine consults with you about ways to combat your symptoms.

How do you treat autoimmune disease?

Treatment for autoimmune diseases focuses on reducing activity in the immune system. Your doctor spends time evaluating your symptoms and develops a customized treatment plan for you. 

Treatments include:

  • Medication
  • Diet plan
  • Stress-relieving plan
  • Exercise
  • Special therapy

The goal at Morgan Hill Internal Medicine is to prevent your disease flare-ups.

Reach out to the practice today for expert care and a personalized plan. Call or book an appointment online.