i. Background
In autoimmune disease the body’s immune system starts attacking its own
cells.
There are about 121 documented autoimmune diseases.
(Google search
with “list of autoimmune diseases – Wikipedia”)
Examples:
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), Type 1 Diabetes, Leucoderma, Psoriasis, Asthma.
ii. Investigation
About a dozen
blood tests are done for autoimmune disease. The physician suspects which of
the 121 diseases is the patient suffering from. He/she orders that suspected
disease tests for immunity. In some diseases like psoriasis there is no
specific immunity test. For RA (gathiya) the immunity test is Rose-Waaler test.
Even this is not positive in all RA patients. The dozen blood tests start from
ESR, CBC, ANA etc. In RA patients Xray, scanning may be needed.
iii. How
mainstream doctors are managing autoimmune diseases
There is no cure for any known disease in allopathy. Diseases including
autoimmune diseases are managed. Medicines include:
·
Immune system depressants
e.g. injection scapho for psoriasis,
·
UDC – 300 if
autoimmune liver disease suspected,
·
Methotrexate to
lower immunity,
·
Vitamin E to
boost immune function,
·
For pain Tab
SAAZ or Sulfasalizine,
·
Vitamins etc.
folic acid, calcium, vitamin D, B-complex, Vitamin E.
Since management involves suppressing immunity patient may get TB,
Malaria, Pneumonia, Herpes Zoster. So, treatment for T.B. is given to prevent
it from happening and vaccine for prevention of Herpes Zoster, Malaria,
Pneumonia.
iv. What I
would do for myself:
·
Get ESR, CBC,
Rose-Waaler test done
·
Dispirin
·
Hot fomentation
·
Diet with fresh
fruits, vegetables; dal chawal roti sabji
· Life style
changes e.g. exercise – walking/ static cycling (indoor) anytime during the day,
walking half an hour daily, static cycling start with 5 minutes and reach up to
15 minutes in weeks to months.
·
Meditation for
stress relieving
· I will not take
any other medicines prescribed by mainstream doctors (as outlined above).
·
RA goes through remission-recurrence
on its own.
Paramjit Singh
M.S. (Ortho)
P.S. All patients have to take their own decisions after consultation with their doctors.
