Lupus can be described as a severe long term inflammatory disease, which occurs when a person's immune system targets or attacks his or her own organs, tissues and cells. This results in an inflammation that could affect all the parts of the body, such as the joints, the kidneys, the lungs, heart, blood cells or even the skin. There are four different kinds of lupus that can be found in people, which include neonatal lupus, drug-induced lupus erythematosus, discoid lupus erythematosus and systemic lupus erythematosus. The most widespread and unfortunately the most grave form of lupus is systemic lupus erythematosus. For reasons that are not clear, lupus is more common in women than it is in men.
Health experts are still not sure about the causes of lupus in most cases. It has been seen that this condition is more common in adults, tough it can affect infants and children too. Moreover, the rate of lupus is much higher in Blacks, as compared to Whites, Hispanics and Asians.
Unfortunately, there is no known cure for lupus, which is why most people who suffer from this condition believe that their chances of a bright and happy future look grim. However, the diagnostic methods and treatment options for lupus have improved significantly in the last few years. With the right and timely treatment, people with lupus do have a chance of leading an active and fairly normal life.
If left untreated, this condition could lead to serious complications, which include kidney damage or failure, seizures, hallucinations, anemia, increased bleeding, heart problems, infections, cancer and bone tissue death. In pregnant women, lupus can increase the risks of miscarriage, preeclampsia, preterm birth and stillbirth. Therefore, women who are suffering from lupus are generally advised to undergo the right treatment and ensure that the disease is under control for at least a year, before getting pregnant.
Since lupus is such a serious disease, it is absolutely essential that it is monitored by a doctor at all times.
Diagnosing lupus can be a bit of a challenge, mainly because the signs and symptoms of the condition are varied. Moreover, the symptoms change over a period of time and may even disappear completely, for a while. This is why most doctors do not consider lupus tests, unless the possibility of other conditions has been ruled out. After studying your symptoms carefully for a while, your doctor may recommend blood tests or a urinalysis. Given below is a list of the recommended lupus tests:
Lupus is an autoimmune disease, which means that it occurs in case your immune system starts attacking healthy cells and tissues in your body, for any reason. Doctors and researchers are still not sure what the exact lupus causes could be. However, it is believed that genetic factors, certain environmental factors or the use of certain medication could lead to the development of this condition.
You could suffer from this affliction, in case it runs in your family. Your chances of getting lupus are quite high if you have a family history of this disease, where a parent, sibling or any other close family member suffered from it.
Some of the environmental factors that could lead to lupus include:
A few types of prescription medicines can trigger off lupus and its symptoms in people. Examples of drugs that have been linked with this condition include:
Lupus symptoms can vary significantly from one person to the other. In fact, health care providers claim that no two cases of lupus are the same. In some patients, lupus symptoms may be noticed suddenly, whereas in others the signs and symptoms may take a while to develop. There is no way to tell beforehand, if the symptoms in a particular instance are going to be permanent or temporary, mild or severe. Lupus patients could suffer from “flare-ups', where the signs and symptoms are at their worst. Once the flare-up passes, the symptoms may improve or even disappear completely, for a while.
The lupus symptoms experienced by a person depend completely on the system or the part of the body that has been affected by the disease. Given below are some of the most common symptoms of lupus:
In case you happen to notice any of these symptoms, it is best to consult a doctor, without any delay. Some lupus symptoms are more severe than the others and require immediate medical attention. Seek emergency help in case you develop a rash for no apparent reason, suffer from ongoing fever, feel tired most of the time or experience a persistent ache.
Those who have already been diagnosed with lupus and are undergoing treatment for the condition should go in for regular checkups, so that the effectiveness of the treatment can be determined, by monitoring the symptoms. The development of any new symptom or worsening of an existing one should be brought to the doctor's attention immediately.
Lupus treatment can differ from one patient to the other, depending upon its severity and the symptoms. Some of the medication prescribed in lupus treatment includes:
Researchers are still trying to investigate new forms of lupus treatment, though they do not guarantee a cure. Some of the clinical trials that are still being studies include stem cell transplant, Rituximab and Dehydroepiandrosterone.
In addition to the conventional treatment options, patients can improve their overall health by: