Overactive immune system is a condition when your immune system starts killing cells and tissues inside your body. While effective immune system is necessary to ensure good health, overactive immune system is a threat in itself. Our immune system is like a line of defense that keeps our body protected against any harmful viruses and bacteria. However, there are times when our immune system can go awry and start attacking our own body tissues and cells. This can result in various other diseases and allergies. This condition when our immune system starts malfunctioning is known as overactive immune system.
There are various causes of overactive immune system such as dis-proportion of WBC, stress, hormonal changes, genetic changes, UV rays, unhealthy diet or enzyme abnormalities. Diagnosis of overactive immune system is essential to begin with appropriate treatment. Treatment of malfunctioning immune system may include the use of steroids, immune-suppressants and proper medical advice must be followed.
What are the Causes of Overactive Immune System?
Overactive immune system is also known as autoimmune disease. It can be caused due to imbalance in the proportion of WBC (White Blood Cells) due to various factors. The immune system may begin to malfunction when the WBCs fail to differentiate between own body cells and foreign particles. This overactive state can result into destruction of normal and healthy body cells and can also affect the functioning of organs due to abnormal growth of organs.
Over a period of time, overactive immune system can result into various types of autoimmune conditions such as sclerosis and arthritis. In both conditions, the immune system starts attacking myelin sheath of central and peripheral nerves as well as synovial membrane of most joints. There are other types of autoimmune diseases that can also be caused due to overactive immune system such as inflammatory bowel diseases, psoriasis, fibromyalgia and Lupus.
The exact cause of overactive immune system is not clearly understood but certain factors are known to precipitate it. Genetic changes can be one of the major reasons of autoimmune diseases. There can be various other factors such as stress, hormonal changes, infections and chemical toxic that could lead to these problems.
Symptoms of Overactive Immune System
When antibodies start attacking your own body cells, the impact could be localized to a certain part of your body or to certain type of tissues. There can be various symptoms generated once the autoimmune inflammatory changes occur in the affected tissue. Dysfunctional immune system can start affecting the synovial membranes, cartilages and joint capsule inside the minor and major joints, which results into joint inflammation and pain. As the attack continues, it can even result into specific diseases such as arthritis. In such conditions, joint pain and inflammation are common symptoms of an overactive immune system.
Malfunctioning immune system is also known to affect the connective tissues in the body. In such conditions, symptoms of overactive immune system may include symptoms cause by inflammation of tendons and connective tissue linings of organs. Hyperactive immune system enhances the symptoms and signs caused by allergies that results in cold, cough and skin problems.
Some of the other symptoms of overactive immune system also include muscle aches, gastric disturbances, dizziness and fatigue. Low grade fever and raised white blood cells are a common sign of overactive immune system.
There can be more than 80 different types of autoimmune chronic illnesses caused due to overactive immune system. The autoimmune disease triggers secretion of protein molecules known as auto-antibodies. The auto-antibodies attacks interior of cells of body tissues. Diseases caused due to malfunctioning of immune system is classified as systematic autoimmune diseases and localized autoimmune disease.
Treatment for Malfunctioning Immune System
In order to treat an overactive immune system, it is important to first detect the problems caused by autoimmune system. As this condition can affect various body systems, an integrated approach is required.
Investigations to diagnose and treat overactive immune system are often planned based on the symptoms presented. Diseases caused by an overactive autoimmune system can be diagnosed by various examinations such as blood tests, physical examination, X-rays and scans. It may be difficult to diagnose an overactive immune system in early stages of diseases and some of the test data may not be suitable to come to any conclusions.
Some of the most common type of treatments for overactive immune systems are immune suppressants, chemotherapy and corticosteroids. The individual suffering with symptoms of autoimmune disease must be seen by primary care physician and specialist. Treatment for malfunctioning immune system is best advice by specialis. The treatment is often specific to a person’s symptoms and depends on the person’s health status. There can also be various side effects when chemotherapy or corticosteroids are prescribed. The side effects can be detrimental to the body, hence all treatment options must be discussed with the experience physician.
Natural Steps to Cure Immune System Problems
When your immune system is working fine, antibodies helps to kill all foreign particles like viruses and bacteria by white blood cells. When something goes wrong inside your immune system, it is known to be overactive. Overactive immune system is now malfunctioning. The malfunctioning overactive immune system produces overactive white blood cells. The autoimmune triggered white blood cells do not understand the difference between antibodies within invader cells and some of the healthy cells. Antibodies located within normal healthy cells attracts autoimmune triggered white blood cells. The overactive immune system produces killer white blood cells. The hyperactive white blood cells attracted by antibodies starts killing normal healthy cells inside your body. Treatment of overactive immune system includes course of corticosteroids, chemotherapy and anti-inflammatory medications. In few cases surgery may be necessary. Following Natural Remedies are occasionally used to support medications and interventional treatment.
- Seek medical opinion before trying any natural therapies and with appropriate laboratory tests, get your diagnosis confirmed.
- Reduce your stress with the help of relaxing techniques, listening to music, involving in creative arts, yoga and meditation.
- Start eating healthy fruits and vegetables such as whole grains, low fat milk, protein, fish and eggs. Drink plenty of water and reduce your salt, sugar and oil intake. Take necessary vitamin and mineral supplements as advised by your physician.
- Sleep for around 6-8 hours as it is also helpful in improving your immune system. Maintain a balance or work and rest.
- Start doing regular exercise, meditation and yoga.
- Use immune boosters by seeking approval from your doctor. There are certain natural boosters available such as aloe-vera, beta glucans, medicinal mushrooms, suma, Echinacea and other anti-pathogens such as oregano; grapefruit seed extracts, olive leaf and garlic.