There haven’t been found any exact reasons that lead to myasthenia gravis, though some theories exist. They include the influence of pathogens (viruses or bacteria), also hyperactive thymus gland and a hereditary factor as well.

The condition has got certain symptoms and eye muscle weakness is the most prominent one. The antibodies attack muscle receptors responsible for eye and eyelid movements’ control. The condition is frequently called ocular myasthenia gravis and can be the only visible sign of the illness. It can be therefore accompanied with double vision (diplopia) and droopy eyelids (ptosis) and increased light sensitivity. As the condition advances certain voluntary muscles also become weak and result in extreme fatigue. But the distinguishing feature of the condition is absence of muscle pain. Weakness is not necessarily present all the time but it gets worse at nighttime, in summer and after another infection episode. Myasthenia gravis also affects swallowing muscles and results in difficulty swallowing, also chewing and smiling. In some cases a patient’s speech can become slurred. In general the condition is characterized by fatigue and low energy levels resulting in muscle weakness, overall exhaustion and lethargy. Physical activities, even the mildest become a great trial and require excessive effort from the side of a person; and they also end up with tiredness.

Muscle weakness without muscle pain is the first symptom to suspect the condition of myasthenia gravis. Nevertheless it is not enough and further tests are required. They can include a simple blood test, also an electromyography to check the muscle impairment and in some cases a CT scan that can show the presence of a tumor in the thymus gland.

There is no particular treatment for the condition; it is generally done on the basic of trial and error. It should be taken into consideration that every treatment gets different response in every patient and therefore a doctor should be careful in order not to aggravate the condition. Anticholinesterase medication is usually given first; its purpose is to restore normal functioning of the neuromuscular transmission by killing the antibodies that act wrongly. Sometimes thymectomy is used. In order to suppress the symptoms steroids are used widely as well. It is true that the advance of immunosuppressive therapy has greatly improved and eased the treatment of the condition; still majority of people suffering from the condition require medication (i.e. steroid) therapy for an indefinite time period and only in this case their symptoms relive.

Myasthenia gravis is a very wide-spread condition and it affects people without any particular criteria. There are so many famous people who suffer from it and still are able to lead almost normal life. So, there is no need to despair. Of course, it is hard, but with a little effort, hope and patience it can be tolerated. And there is always hope that a cure will be discovered soon.

Sjogren’s syndrome has got a number of definite symptoms. Let’s enumerate them.

• First of all it is a dry mouth. This is one of the primary symptoms and the one the hardest to handle. Antibodies kill exocrine gland cells therefore reducing saliva production and resulting in difficulty swallowing, chewing and speaking.
• Another primary symptom of the illness is dry eyes. It happens because antibodies destroy lacrimal gland cells and therefore the amount of tears produced gradually decreases. All this results in irritation of eyes, their dryness and scratchiness, accompanied with corneal ulceration and some other conditions.
• One more symptom is dental caries. Reduced production of saliva also leads to tooth decay as no more antibacterial compounds  like thiocyanate, hydrogen peroxide and immunoglobulin work for the teeth sake. Hence, having no opposition dental caries and other periodontal and gum diseases develop.
• One more symptom of the condition is swollen salivary glands. In this case the glands double in size, become tender and inflamed. It is accompanied by the swelling near the corner of the mouth as well.
• Sjogren’s syndrome is frequently accompanied with dryness of nose and throat, also – lungs. A person then coughs, has a hoarse voice and nasal bleeding. Respiratory and lung diseases are the ones that a person becomes much more susceptible.
• A person can also experience dry skin because the function of the sebaceous and sweat glands becomes reduced. Vaginal dryness is also not a rare condition.
• In most cases the condition is accompanied with depression and fatigue. Irritability is also another symptom frequently reported. That is why it is important for a patient to be informed about the illness as much as possible in order to avoid aggravation if the condition by depressive states.
• Visceral organs can also undergo a change like abnormal liver function tests and autoimmune hepatitis. Decreased secretion function also leads to other glands function impairment.

Sjogren’s syndrome refers to the illnesses that do not have treatment so far; only symptoms can be relieved. As it has already been said it is an autoimmune disease and why it happens is not known for sure. Therefore all what could be done is symptoms treatment: like of mouth dryness – that can be attended with the help of various mouth medications, lubricants, and simple rinsing and gargling. Some alternations in a person’s daily allowance can be also of great help.

What concerns eye dryness some remedies can help in lessening the irritation, also corneal ulceration and other conditions: eye drops, for instance. There are also artificial tear preparations for certain cases; they are available in different brands and you can find the best suiting for you. Lubricating ointments are also provided for those who do not like eye drops.

Sjogren’s syndrome is a hard condition for a patient to bear but it is relieved if some effort for cooperation from both sides – a patient and a doctor – is made. There is no real need for panic as though the condition is not pleasant it is not life-threatening and the symptoms are able to be relieved to an extent that a person can lead a normal life. Again, it is important to inform a patient fully about the condition. This will help the treatment process a lot.

The severity of the condition defines the appearance of symptoms which are in general the following: malaise, fatigue, easy bruising, facial rash, photosensitivity, high body temperature, muscle pain, joint pain, skin lesions, mouth sores, hair loss, weight gain and weight loss. Such signs as fever, depression, tendency to blood clotting, miscarriages, anemia can also be present.

It was noted that women are more susceptible to the illness than men, especially those between 15 and 44 years of age. Hormone estrogen is blamed for the appearance of the condition in the majority of such cases.

As it has already been mentioned lupus refers to autoimmune illnesses therefore its reasons are unknown. There are theories but most of them combine the influence of genetic and environmental factors. Family history of lupus can increase the risk of illness appearance, although no certain gene or genes responsible for the condition were discovered.

It is known that the purpose of the immune system is to heal. It generates antidotes in the situation of any threat and upcoming harm. However, in some cases the immune system, which is intended to fight viruses, bacteria or microorganisms, starts to behave abnormally and creates autoantibodies that kill normal body cells. This results in the inflammation and damage of organs (blood cells, the skin, joints, lungs, heart and kidneys).

There are four different types of lupus according to the ways they influence the body. They are drug-induced lupus, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), discoid lupus and neonatal lupus.

• Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the most frequent among all and is characterized by the spread onto all the organs (especially skin, joints, lungs, kidneys and blood).
• Discoid lupus refers to dermatic type and affects the skin greatly. It is characterized by skin rashes in the areas of the face, neck and scalp.
• Drug-induced lupus has a different story. It appears in the result of some medications administration. Such a condition is able to affect any bodily part but unlike other lupus types drug-induced one is a reversible condition if treated rightly. It improves after several weeks.
• Neonatal lupus happens in new-born babies. It is not dangerous and is able to be cured within six months if a proper therapy is prescribed.

It is very important to know for sure what kind of lupus do you have otherwise the treatment can be a waste. Different types of lupus require different treatment and only doctor can decide whether pain killers, anti-inflammatory, antimalarial drugs, immunosuppressive drugs, or corticosteroids, or else should be given. When the correct diagnosis is stated the therapy is able to bring a patient back to normal life.

Unfortunately, why the condition develops and what causes it is not know for sure. Some theories assume that the environmental factor can be somehow involved. The wrong response of the immune system can also be considered a cause. Other theories include a virus-type organism that influences the system and triggers the illness or an abnormality of the genes that are in charge with the immune system control; some presuppositions combine both.

This is a not very frequent and wide-spread illness: it affects 1 out of 1,000 people, mostly women. It generally starts to develop in the period between 20 and 40 but not necessarily. People with a family history of this illness and those living in high-risk geographical regions are more susceptible to it.

The symptoms mostly depend on the extent and the type of nerves affected. Myelin is known to reform gradually and therefore the disease can have effusive episodes, which can last for days and even months, and periods of remission.

In the range of multiple sclerosis symptoms there can be differentiated physical and mental ones.

In the physical aspect a person feels numbness in the body and constant tiredness. He or she can have tremors and muscle weakness, also spasms. Vision problems are not rare as well as troubles with digestion and sexual function. Sometimes MS is accompanied with balance problems and ability to keep up a straight gait, and some others.

What concerns mental symptoms they usually include problems with concentration and memorizing things. A person experiences difficulties with forming own judgments. Depression and emotional extremes are also characteristic in this condition; as well as periods of psychosis and paranoia.

In a later period the condition can have the further complications like voice disorders, seizures, blindness, trigeminal neuralgia, paralysis, and some others.

The condition may show up in a mild way and not evoke any disturbance or worry; in other cases the illness can turn out to be very severe and spread all over the body.

The condition is chronic. It can progress with a different intensity, with some periods of improvement or even remission with no signs of disease, or it can get worse and considerably.

Though is looks unpleasant it is not contagious and is not transferred by the contact. It develops in a person and stays; other people are quite safe from being infected.

It is a condition typical for both women and men. Mostly it starts to show up in early adult years but in rare cases can be found in babies and elderly people.

Still, after so many years of research the true reasons of psoriasis are unknown. It can be triggered by a variation of factors like genetic predisposition or the effect of environment, we do not know for sure. It has something to do with immune system of a person and is known to frequently show up in the members of one family. Nevertheless the key reasons are still hidden.

Though the condition is not curable some treatment methods are available to relieve the disease. These methods, of course, should be discussed with the dermatologist and selected according to the rate of skin affection and severity of the state.

If the condition bears mild character and affected only small areas of skin some topical creams, lotions, and sprays can be of help. Provided the condition is close to moderate or severe and affects much larger skin area above mentioned means will be a little of assistance. For such cases pills, light treatments, or injections can be prescribed. In case of psoriatic arthritis only strong systemic medications should be used for any effect to be reached.

It is also recommended to practice “rotational” therapy which presupposes the change in treatment courses every year or two. This is supposed to help in avoiding unnecessary adverse effects.