How well accepted is the theory that
arthritis is a result of the body's immune
system attacking oneself?

Hi caroline or anthony,     It is not a matter of being accepted----It
is.
Your immune system dosent attack it self but almost everything else when
you have Rhem---lupus---inflamitory arth.
Harv

Thats not a theory, that is the cause of RA.

Keep Smilin'
~Krissy

"The most thoroughly wasted of all days is that
 in which one has not laughed." Nicolas Chamfort

I personally think that "theory" is BUNK and couldn't let an opportunity to say
so slip by.  I believe that the immune system's attack on our joints is
triggered by an infection and that once that trigger is removed, the immune
system will stop fighting.  My belief in this area is NOT the most popular one
at this time.  But just because a notion is of the MAJORITY does not
necessarily make it correct.  We've seen this again and again with the study of
the human body and medicine.

correct.  We've seen this again and again

Lisa,
i think you have confused the definition of an auto-immune disorder, which is
indeed the immune system attacking the body (not theory -- that is the what you
call it) with the theories of cause...

there is no disputing the definition. an auto-immune disorder is the bodies
immune system becoming overactive and attacking the joints (as in RA) or the
organs (lupus, RA, etc.).  the inflammatory arthritises are auto-immune
disorders.  no debate -- that's their classification.

as to what CAUSES auto-immune disorders (and therefore, how to treat them) --
that's where there is something to discuss.  you believe they are all caused by
infection, e.g., bacteria.  most people take a broader view and feel that there
are multiple triggers which vary from person to person; bacteria in some, viral
in others, perhaps even stress or trauma causing sudden imbalances in body
chemistry.  regardless, this is an area that medical science is still
exploring, which is why there is no sure cure for everyone for these
diseases... there is enough understanding of the mechanisms to allow for
treatment, but not yet enough for a cure.

Shelley

And Reiters Syndrome And Ankylosing Spondylitis.

Rick Hahn
RISG mgr-r...@home.ease.lsoft.com, r...@bigfoot.com,
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/risg/
alt.support.arthritis.risg-spondy.info -
alt.support.arthritis.spondyloarthro.moderated

Finnish1 <finni...@aol.com> wrote in article
<19980303220501.RAA28...@ladder02.news.aol.com>...

What's the basis for your belief?  What evidence do you have to back it up?
 Come on, give us some reason to believe you.

The attack may be _triggered_ by an infection,  or a food allergy, or a
virus, but the  _effect_ is that the white blood cells of the body go after
other cells of the body -- hence the statement that "the body is attacking
itself."  Removing the infection, the allergy, or the virus does not seem
to stop the attack itself, but it does seem to reduce future attacks.  In
other words, the white blood cells that are attacking keep on attacking,
but when they wear out, they are not replaced.  Not until the next attack
is triggered.  Which explains the episodic nature of the disease -- and all
other autoimmune diseases.

Unfortunately, stress is a major trigger of a white blood cell attack.
Which means that any kind of stress -- bad weather, cold or flu, getting
flamed, or working up to flame someone else -- can cause an attack.