Is asthma an autoimmune disease? Asthma and autoimmune can be said to possess mutual pathogenesis exclusively. According to a publication in the Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology Research in 2018, it was said that the autoimmune mechanisms could bolster the seriousness of the disease, mostly in patients with asthma. 

What causes asthma is an overreaction originating from the immune system to some levels of triggers. The problem is related to that type of disease, which is influenced by a response due to the immune system. These types of occurrences are known as autoimmune conditions. 

If you ask us, is asthma an autoimmune disease? We do not categorize asthma to be an autoimmune disease. 

Is Asthma an Autoimmune Disease – Understanding Autoimmunity

You should understand that the function of your body’s immune system is fighting with intruders and invaders that can lead to infection and disease. 

On the other hand, autoimmunity is a condition whereby the antibodies produced by the immune system of your body do not function properly and then attack your healthy tissues and cells. 

The antibodies produced in this scenario are called autoantibodies. If a disease is caused because of a response due to autoimmunity, the disease is known as an autoimmunity condition.

Examples of autoimmunity conditions are:

• Lupus
• Grave’s disease
• Type 1 diabetes
• Multiple sclerosis

Is Asthma one of the Autoimmune diseases?

It is true that an overactive immune response causes asthma. Nonetheless, asthma is not regarded to be an autoimmune disease. What is responsible for the overactive immune response that causes asthma is not the same as the ones which lead to autoimmune conditions. 

For most asthma patients, allergic asthma is rampant. Allergic asthma can also be called extrinsic asthma. Allergens get the immune system triggered by allergic asthma. Once that happens, the immune system gets overactive. 

It is overactive actions that are responsible for the lungs inflammation, leading to excessive trouble in breathing. There is a special antibody that fuels the immune reaction; the antibody is known as IgE. Not all asthma patients get ignited by allergens. 

However, activities that include stress, exercise, infection or very hot or very cold temperature are responsible for why their asthma is ignited. The type of asthma that is not triggered by allergens is called nonallergic asthma. It is also known as intrinsic asthma. 

Intrinsic asthma covers up to about 33% of all reported cases of asthma. The working principle of intrinsic asthma is very close to that of extrinsic. Intrinsic asthma is more likely to lead to extreme cases than extrinsic asthma. 

Is Asthma Connected to Immune System

Till this moment, it is yet to be fully unraveled how asthma has a relationship with a person’s immune system. Some scientists, however, argued that the immune system plays a vital role in the response and development of asthma. 

It is not clarified affirmatively, also, why asthma is developed in certain bodies. Some people have said that asthma could be caused due to how the body immune system relates or interacts with a virus. 

The claim that asthma is caused by the way the immune system relates to viruses also proves that some viruses are capable of making the immune system initiate a response which results in asthma in people. For intrinsic asthma, what causes it is not really fathomable. The reason why it is not yet clearly understood is that many things can trigger it. 

Few scientists have said that some factors that include autoimmune response could also have a role to play in the causes of intrinsic asthma. It is also discovered that intrinsic asthmatic patients can be treated with drugs used to treat autoimmune conditions. 

The Link Between Asthma and Autoimmune Disease

There has not been much research carried out to study the influence of asthma on autoimmune conditions. However, you should know that some events like exercise or even stress can trigger asthma. 

Not only that, extreme hot or cold temperatures can as well trigger asthma. Factors such as extreme hot/low temperature, exercise, or stress can also trigger autoimmune conditions. 

There are several autoimmune conditions. Not all autoimmune diseases are typical for asthmatic patients. Autoimmune diseases such as Lupus, Grave’s disease, Type 1 diabetes, Multiple sclerosis and so on are also more typical with people who are asthmatic. 

You shouldn’t be afraid, hoping you will automatically develop the autoimmune disease if you are an asthmatic patient. However, it is good for you to realize that asthma and autoimmune conditions have links. To better understand the link between asthma and autoimmune conditions, more research must be conducted. 

To answer the question “Is asthma an autoimmune disease?” you will realize that asthma and autoimmune conditions are not the same but have links. Although, more works are to be conducted to find out more about the links. 

Is wearing a mask with asthma a good idea? Read here. 

Is Asthma an Autoimmune Disorder? 

In an autoimmune disorder, your immune system fails to differentiate between healthy tissues and pathogens. In this situation, your immune system will be fighting against your healthy body tissues as though it is fighting an invader in your body system. 

Autoimmune could damage your body tissue or cause the affected part to be inflamed. However, asthma is not an autoimmune condition disorder. 

People who have asthma genes are liable to have developed asthma and allergies. However, when these people with asthma genes are born, then asthma genes are inactive. It is certain environmental conditions that ignite the asthma genes and get them activated. Some of the environmental triggers for asthma genes include dust mites. 

If you have asthma genes and get exposed to dust mites, with allergies developed, asthma might surface very soon. Other factors include severe hot/cold temperatures, stress, and so on. 

Is Asthma an Autoimmune Disease: Overactive Immune System

Not everybody is harmed by dust mites which is a trigger for asthma. Dust mites are only dangerous for people with asthma genes because their immune system treats dust mites as invading pathogens. 

Hence, the air pathway also treats the dust mites as though they are pathogens. The chemicals released by the airway to combat dust mites that are taken as pathogens become harmful and cause inflammation of the airway. Airway inflammation leads to asthma symptoms.