Autoimmune disease treatment depends several factors, including the type of disease, how severe the disease is, and any accompanying symptoms. The goals of autoimmune disease treatment are to relieve symptoms, preserve organ function, and target disease mechanisms. Specialists for autoimmune disease treatment include rheumatologists, endocrinologists, and neurologists.
Autoimmune diseases, also known as autoimmune disorders, take many forms. Autoimmune disease treatment will depend on the type of disease, how severe the disease is, and the symptoms of the disease. Generally, autoimmune disease treatment options have one of three goals:
Relieving symptoms
Preserving organ function
Targeting disease mechanisms.
Relieving Symptoms Through Autoimmune Disease Treatment
If your autoimmune disease symptoms bother you, your doctor may suggest treatments that can provide some relief. Relieving symptoms may involve medication or surgery.
Preserving Organ Function Through Autoimmune Disease Treatment
When an autoimmune disease threatens organs, autoimmune disease treatment may be needed to prevent damage. Such treatments may include drugs to control an inflamed kidney in people with lupus, or insulin injections that can regulate blood sugar in people with diabetes. Although these autoimmune disease treatments will not stop the disease, they can save organ function and help people live with disease-related complications.
Targeting Disease Mechanisms Through Autoimmune Disease Treatment
Some drugs may also be used to target how the disease works. In other words, they can suppress the immune system. Autoimmune disorder medications include cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan®) and cyclosporine (Neoral® and Sandimmune®). The same immune-suppressing drug may be used for many diseases.
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