Autoimmune Conditions

 

Photobiomodulation (also known as red light therapy, or RLT for short) works well for autoimmune disease not only because it boosts immunity, but also because it resets the immune system. There are these workhorse cells in your immune system called macrophages, and all cells have phenotypes.  Phenotypes are like cell personalities that can change causing the cell to behave differently, depending on which phenotype is active.  Macrophages have two phenotypes, m1 and m2.

So when we say RLT can reset your immune system, that it because researchers have discovered that RLT can switch the macrophage phenotype from m1 to m2. That means that, instead of being pro-inflammatory and damaging, your macrophages are now behaving as the anti-inflammatory healing phenotype. 

This is a huge benefit toward healing because RLT is doing two things at once, it has both stopped a group of cells from causing more inflammation and damage to your body (when you need it least!) and  it has marshaled an army of healing forces to get on with repair of the damaged tissue.

Below is a list of diseases that entirely or partially exhibit autoimmune behavior.  This list includes only about 35 of the most widespread.  There are over 130 known autoimmune diseases or conditions in all.   (The “Mesh” column lists those conditions that are classified as autoimmune by the MeSH – Medical Subject Heading – system.  ICD-10 is the 10th revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD), a medical classification list by the World Health Organization (WHO). )

 

Name MeSH? ICD-10 Description
Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) yes G04.0 is a form of encephalitis caused by an autoimmune reaction and typically occurring a few days or weeks after a viral infection or a vaccination.
Addison’s disease yes E27 is often caused by autoimmune destruction of the adrenal cortex.
Ankylosing spondylitis yes M08.1, M45. is a chronic, painful, progressive inflammatory arthritis primarily affecting spine and sacroiliac joints, causing eventual fusion of the spine.
Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) yes D68.8 affects the blood-clotting process. It causes blood clots to form in veins and/or arteries.
Aplastic anemia no D60 in a minority of cases, caused by an autoimmune attack on the bone marrow
Autoimmune hepatitis no K75.9 is a disorder wherein the liver is the target of the body’s own immune system.
Autoimmune Oophoritis no N70 is a disorder in which the immune system attacks the female reproductive organs.
Celiac disease no K90.0 is a disease characterized by chronic inflammation of the proximal portion of the small intestine caused by exposure to certain dietary gluten proteins.
Crohn’s disease no K50 is a form of inflammatory bowel disease characterized by chronic inflammation of the intestinal tract. Major symptoms include abdominal pain and diarrhea. There is also a theory that Crohn’s Disease is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis.
Diabetes mellitus type 1 yes E10 when it is characterized by a deficiency or absence of insulin production (Type I), is often the consequence of an autoimmune attack on the insulin-producing beta cells in the islets of Langerhans of the pancreas.
Gestational pemphigoid no O26.4 is a pregnancy-related blistering condition where autoantibodies are directed against the skin.
Goodpasture’s syndrome yes M31.0 is a disease characterized by rapid destruction of the kidneys and hemorrhaging of the lungs through autoimmune reaction against an antigen found in both organs.
Graves’ disease yes E05.0 is the most common form of hyperthyroidism, and is caused by anti-thyroid antibodies that have the effect of stimulating (agonist) the thyroid into overproduction of thyroid hormone.
Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) yes G61.0 is an acquired immune-mediated inflammatory disorder of the peripheral nervous system (i.e., not the brain and spinal column). It is also called acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, acute idiopathic polyradiculoneuritis, acute idiopathic polyneuritis and Landry’s ascending paralysis.
Hashimoto’s disease yes E06.3 is a common form of hypothyroidism, characterized by initial inflammation of the thyroid, and, later, dysfunction and goiter. There are several characteristic antibodies (e.g., anti-thyroglobulin). You will find a lot more information on Hashimoto’s Disease here.
Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura yes D69.3 is an autoimmune disease where the body produces anti-platelet antibodies resulting in a low platelet count
Kawasaki’s Disease no M30.3 is often caused by an autoimmune attack on the arteries around the heart.
Lupus erythematosus yes L93, M32 is a chronic (long-lasting) autoimmune disease wherein the immune system, for unknown reasons, becomes hyperactive and attacks normal tissue. This attack results in inflammation and brings about symptoms. This is a “Non-organ-specific” type of autoimmune disease.
Mixed Connective Tissue Disease     has features of other connective tissues diseases — lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma and polymyositis. The presence of a specific antibody — called U1-RNP is needed for diagnosis.
Multiple sclerosis yes G35 is a disorder of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) characterized by decreased nerve function due to myelin loss and secondary axonal damage.
Myasthenia gravis yes G70.0 is a disorder of neuromuscular transmission leading to fluctuating weakness and fatigue. Weakness is caused by circulating antibodies that block (antagonist) acetylcholine receptors at the neuromuscular junction.
Opsoclonus myoclonus syndrome (OMS) n/a n/a is a neurological disorder that appears to the result of an autoimmune attack on the nervous system. Symptoms include opsoclonus, myoclonus, ataxia, intention tremor, dysphasia, dysarthria, mutism, hypotonia, lethargy, irritability or malaise. About half of all OMS cases occur in association with neuroblastoma.
Ord’s thyroiditis n/a n/a is a thyroiditis similar to Hashimoto’s disease, except that the thyroid is reduced in size. In Europe, this form of thyroid inflammation is more common than Hashimoto’s disease.
Pemphigus yes L10 is an autoimmune disorder that causes blistering and raw sores on skin and mucous membranes.
Pernicious anaemia[3] no D51.0 is an autoimmune disorder characterized by anemia due to malabsorption of vitamin B12
Polyarthritis in dogs n/a n/a is an immune reaction severely affecting the joints of dogs. Although rare and of unknown cause it can render a dog immobile even at a very young age. Treatment includes cortisone-type drugs.
Primary biliary cirrhosis[4] no K74.3 appears to be an autoimmune disease that affects the biliary epithelial cells (BECs) of the small bile duct in the liver. Although the cause is yet to be determined, most of the patients (>90%) appear to have auto-mitochondrial antibodies (AMAs) against pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC), an enzyme that is found in the mitochondria.
Rheumatoid arthritis yes M05-M06 is an autoimmune disorder that causes the body’s immune system to attack the bone joints.
Reiter’s syndrome no M02 seems to be an autoimmune attack on various body systems in response to a bacterial infection and the body’s confusion over the HLA-B27 marker
Sjögren’s syndrome yes M35.0 is an autoimmune disorder in which immune cells attack and destroy the exocrine glands that produce tears and saliva.
Takayasu’s arteritis no M31.4 is a disorder that results in the narrowing of the lumen of arteries.
Temporal arteritis (also known as “giant cell arteritis”) yes M31.5 is an inflammation of blood vessels, most commonly the large and medium arteries of the head. Untreated, the disorder can lead to significant vision loss.
Vitiligo (also known as leukoderma)     is a chronic skin condition that causes loss of pigment, resulting in irregular pale patches of skin.
Warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia n/a D59.1 is a disorder characterized by IgM attack against red blood cells
Wegener’s granulomatosis no M31.3 is a form of vasculitis that affects the lungs, kidneys and other organs.