DIFFERENT KINDS OF DISEASES

TYPE 1 DIABETES
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune
system attacks and destroys the beta cells in the pancreas that make
insulin. People with this disease must inject themselves with insulin in order
to stay alive. They must carefully monitor their blood sugar, and also
balance their food intake and exercise. Long-term complications of type 1
diabetes include disabling or even life-threatening organ damage, including
heart disease, kidney disease, blindness and nerve damage.

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s

immune system mistakenly attacks myelin, the fatty substance that
surrounds and protects the nerve fibers in the central nervous system.
When the myelin is damaged, the nerve impulses are not transmitted as
quickly or efficiently, resulting in symptoms such as numbness in the limbs,
fatigue, dizziness, paralysis and/or loss of vision.

Symptoms of MS will often improve and relapse with time and vary from one person to another. In progressive
forms of multiple sclerosis, they gradually worsen.

CROHN'S & COLITIS

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (UC), both also known as inflammatory
bowel diseases (IBD), are autoimmune diseases in which the body’s immune
system attacks the intestines, resulting in intestinal inflammation, abdominal
pain and bleeding.

LUPUS
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic, systemic autoimmune
disease which can affect the joints, skin, kidney and other organs of the body. It
may affect as many as 1 in 1,000 people, and typically affects women of child-
bearing age, although men as well as children and older persons may be
affected.

RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s
immune system mistakenly begins to attack its own tissues, primarily the
synovium, the membrane that lines the joints. As a result of this autoimmune
response, fluid builds up in the joints, causing joint pain and systemic
inflammation.
 ALLERGIES & ASTHMA
Allergies and asthma are immune mediated diseases that occur when
the body’s immune system overreacts to a foreign substance (an
allergen), such as pollen, animal dander, foods or medications, that in
most people is generally harmless.

CELIAC DISEASE
Celiac disease occurs when the immune system attacks the small
intestine after exposure to gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye and
barley). This causes inflammation and damage to the small intestine,
which can prevent the absorption of water and nutrients into the body.
Celiac disease is also known as coeliac disease, celiac sprue, non-
tropical sprue, and gluten sensitive enteropathy. Celiac disease is
hereditary, meaning that it runs in families. About 1 in 10 people with a
first-degree relative with celiac disease (parent, child and/or sibling) will develop celiac disease.

RELAPSING POLYCHONDRITIS
Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is a rheumatic autoimmune disease. It is a rare
disease in which the immune system attacks the body’s cartilage. RP disease
progression includes pain and deformity, which accompanies inflammation
and deterioration of cartilage within the ear, nose, trachea and joints.

SCLERODERMA
Scleroderma is a rheumatic autoimmune disease of the connective tissue
which causes skin thickening, spontaneous scarring, blood vessel disease
and varying degrees of inflammation. As there is currently no cure for
scleroderma, treatments generally focus on minimizing particular symptoms.

LIVER DISEASE
There are many diseases and disorders that can cause the liver to stop
functioning properly. Some of the different causes of liver disease include
viral infection, alcohol or other environmental toxins, autoimmune disease
and genetics. These contributing factors can lead to a variety of types of
liver disorders, such as hepatitis, fatty liver disease, alcoholic hepatitis,
cancer or cirrhosis.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Infectious diseases are caused by pathogens (“germs”) including
viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites, and are ranked as the second
leading cause of death worldwide by the World Health Organization.
These infections can lead to temporary discomfort, serious tissue
damage or even result in death.

CANCER
Cancer represents more than 200 different types of malignancies—
diseases caused by the uncontrolled and destructive growth of cells.
When cancer cells grow unregulated, they can develop into tumors,
invade nearby parts of the body and spread throughout the body.
Treatment generally involves some combination of chemotherapy,
radiation therapy and surgery.

HEART DISEASE
Heart disease encompasses many diseases of the heart and blood
vessels, such as high blood pressure, heart attacks, angina pectoris
(chest pain or discomfort caused by a reduced blood supply to the
heart muscle), stroke and heart failure. Coronary artery disease (heart
attack and angina pectoris) is usually caused by atherosclerosis, the
narrowing of the coronary arteries due to fatty builups of plaque.