How are autoimmune diseases diagnosed?

How are autoimmune diseases diagnosed?

Diagnosing an autoimmune disease usually takes healthcare providers longer than it does to diagnose other diseases. This is because many autoimmune diseases have similar symptoms with each other and with other diseases. You can help your healthcare provider with the diagnosing process by bringing the following to your appointment:

• A detailed list of any symptoms and how long you’ve had them.
• A record of your family’s health history. Note if anyone in your family has an autoimmune disease.

In addition to interviewing you about your symptoms, your healthcare provider may do some blood tests to check for autoimmune diseases, including:

• Antinuclear antibody test (ANA).
• Complete blood count (CBC).
• Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR).

Specific symptoms combined with specific blood markers may prove that you have an autoimmune disease.