It's a True Civil War

Hey watch your back!  *  Over here!  Need help over here!  *  I've got you, Brother!  I've got you!  *  You okay back there?  *  The shots, the rockets, the hell.  And it's all happening inside your body.  Your immune system has turned against your muscles or your skin or your joints.  No one knows why...no one knows who...trial and error to find how to make it stop.

Our immune system is a great thing.  It can tell the difference between a foreign invader and its own body.  It is is made up of a network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body, ready to do battle with invading infections and diseases.  I always picture it with little suits of armor, sentinels standing ready for battle. 

As great as this system is for our health, it can sometimes turn against us.  It gets confused and starts battling our bodies.  This battle is an autoimmune disease.  Diabetes.  Arthritis.  Lyme Disease.  Multiple sclerosis.  Psoriasis.  Celiac disease.  Lupus.  There are hundreds more.  Nearly 25 million Americans suffer from an autoimmune condition, and the numbers are constantly rising.

No one truly understands what causes the immune system to turn on itself, but after years and years of studying they have finally recognized that all this it isn't "just in your head."  The closest scientists have come is to acknowledge that it is
likely a result from interactions between genetic and environmental factors. Studies show that certain genes can predispose a person to certain autoimmune diseases, and therefore many autoimmune diseases may be prevalent in one family. (site)  

Treatment is also spotty.  Some of the infections can be treated with steroids such as prednisone.  Most are trials and errors.  "Some people get relief using this."  And so the search goes on.  Some diseases are so common that the pharmaceutical companies have created specific drugs that can help.  Like for Crohn's disease or psoriasis.

We had never heard of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) until Doug was diagnosed this week.  He woke up one morning and his legs ached and he could hardly walk.  Stretching and heat from the shower helped.  Then after a few weeks, it started moving up his body until he could barely use his left arm because the pain was so severe.  I finally convinced him to see a doctor...polymyalgia rheumatica.  

• It comes on suddenly
• It happens to people mostly over 65--more women than men
• It affects the legs, hips, arms, chest, shoulder muscles
• Worse in the mornings
• Most common among white people whose ancestors were from Scandinavia or northern Europe.
• Can become worse: symptoms follow giant cell arteritis (GCA), which results in inflammation in the lining of the arteries, most often the arteries in the temples. Signs and symptoms include headaches, jaw pain, vision problems and scalp tenderness. If left untreated, this condition can lead to stroke or blindness.
• Best treatment is a low-level steroid; relapses are common

And thus the battle against the pain and immobility begins.  He is already gaining some relief from three days of
prednisone.  He will need to continue to use this for a long time to prevent relapse.  But relief has begun!

And so it goes.  
peace~~~