Autoimmunity FAQS - How Are Autoimmune Diseases Diagnosed?
Adapted by Tracee Cornforth
Autoimmune diseases often don't show a clear pattern of symptoms at first. So diagnosing them can be hard. But with time, a diagnosis can usually be made by using:
- Medical
history--The doctor will ask about your symptoms and how long
you have had them. Your symptoms may not point to one disease. But
they can be a starting point for your doctor. You should tell your
doctor if you have a family member with autoimmune disease. You
may not have the same disease as your family member. But having a
family history of any autoimmune disease makes you more likely to
have one.
- Physical
exam--During the exam, the doctor will check for any signs.
Inflamed joints, swollen lymph nodes, or discolored skin might
give clues.
- Medical
tests--No one test will show that you have an autoimmune
disease. But doctors may find clues in a blood sample. For
example, people with lupus or rheumatoid arthritis often have
certain autoantibodies in their blood. Autoantibodies are blood
proteins formed against the body's own parts.
Not all people with these diseases have these autoantibodies. And some people without autoimmune disease do have them. So blood tests alone may not always help. But if a person has disease symptoms and autoantibodies, the doctor can be more sure of a diagnosis.
The key is patience. Your doctor may be able to diagnose your condition quickly based on your history, exam, and test results. But the process often takes time. It may take several visits to find out exactly what's wrong and the best way to treat it.
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Suggested Reading: Living Well With Autoimmune Disease: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You... That You Need To Know by Mary J. Shomon
Adapted
from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal
and Skin Diseases NIAMS/National Institutes of Health (NIH)
1 AMS Circle
Bethesda, MD 20892-3675
NIH Publication No. 02-4858
