Lupus: Causes, Symptoms, cost and Treatment
What is lupus?
Lupus, also known as systemic lupus erythematosus,it is a chronic (long-term) disease that can cause inflammation and pain in any part of your body. It?s an autoimmune disease, which means that your immune system ? the body system that usually fights infections ? attacks healthy tissue instead.
Lupus most commonly affects your:
- Skin
- Joints
- Internal organs, like your kidneys and heart
Because lupus affects many parts of the body, it can cause a lot of different symptoms. When lupus occurs, the immune system of the body malfunctions, meaning, though it is responsible for fighting off viruses, bacteria, and germs and protecting the body, it suddenly starts to attack your body?s healthy tissues. In this disease, the immune system becomes overactive as opposed to the condition of HIV when it becomes underactive. This condition can range from mild to life-threatening.
How does lupus occur?
The immune system in our bodies is responsible for producing antibodies that fight against antigens (intruders that sneak into our bodies to cause harm) and protect the body against any infections. Lupus occurs when the immune system of the body malfunctions and is unable to differentiate between antigens and healthy tissue. In this condition, the immune system in fact directs antibodies against the healthy tissue in our bodies, along with the antigens, causing swelling, pain, and tissue damage.
There are various types of lupus such as:
- Lupus nephritis: is inflammation of the kidney that is caused by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
- Neonatal lupus: which affects newborn babies.
- Subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus: which causes skin sores on areas of the body exposed to the sun.
- Discoid lupus erythematosus: which causes a skin rash that doesn't easily disappear.
- Drug-induced lupus: which can be caused by certain medicines.
Who is prone to lupus?
The chances of developing lupus are higher in people who:
- are women
- are of black ancestry
- are between the ages of 15 and 45
- have a family history of lupus
- take medicines that are associated with drug-induced systemic lupus
What are the causes of lupus?
The cause of lupus in most cases, is as yet unknown. A few potential triggers include:
- Genetics: A family history of lupus may make you more susceptible to this disease.
- Infections: Contracting an infection can initiate lupus or cause a relapse.
- Sunlight: Exposure to sunlight can trigger a response in susceptible people. Skin lesions may appear.
- Hormones: Both men and women produce estrogen, however, its production is much greater in females. Many women experience symptoms of lupus before menstrual periods and/or during pregnancy when estrogen production is high. This may indicate that estrogen somehow regulates the severity of lupus, however, researchers have not yet found any connection between estrogen, or any other hormone, and lupus.
- Medications: Certain medicines such as anti-seizure medications and antibiotics, can cause lupus can be triggered by certain types of blood pressure medications. These patients usually get better after they stop taking the medicines.
What are the symptoms of lupus? How is lupus diagnosed?
The most common symptoms of lupus include:
- fatigue and fever
- joint pain, stiffness and swelling
- butterfly-shaped rash on the face that covers the cheeks and bridge of the nose
- skin lesions that occur due to exposure to the sun
- fingers and toes that turn white or blue when exposed to cold or during stressful periods
- shortness of breath
- chest pain
- dry eyes
- headaches
- confusion
- memory loss
Diagnosis
Lupus can produce different and often confusing symptoms in the body, so it may take some time for a physician to diagnose it. In fact, this disease is known as 'the great imitator' as its symptoms mimic many other illnesses.Usually, a general physician can diagnose lupus. Depending on the severity of your condition he may refer you to other specialists such as a dermatologist, cardiologist, nephrologist, neurologist, gastroenterologist, pulmonologist, or a perinatologist.
For diagnosing lupus your doctor will look for your current symptoms such as pain, heat, redness, swelling, and loss of function at a particular place in the body. He will also enquire about your complete medical history, and if you have a family history of lupus.
There is no single diagnostic test for systemic lupus, however, the test usually suggested by doctors for lupus is called the antinuclear antibody (ANA) test. This is not a test specifically for lupus, but this test along with many other laboratory tests can build up a picture providing more information to your doctor and finally confirm if it is lupus.Other tests include:
- blood test (for complete blood count)
- kidney and liver assessment
- urinalysis
- chest X-Ray
- echocardiogram
- skin biopsy
What are the complications of lupus?
Some major complications of lupus include:
- anemia
- risk of bleeding or blood clotting
- inflammation of blood vessels
- kidney damage or kidney failure
- inflammation of chest cavity lining (pleurisy)
- headaches
- dizziness
- behaviour changes
- hallucinations
- strokes or seizures.
- inflammation of the heart muscle
- increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and heart attacks
What is the treatment of lupus?
Medical Treatment for Lupus
Depending on the severity of your condition, your doctor may prescribe medicines to suppress the immune system, reduce inflammation, and treat pain, swelling and fever associated with lupus.
Exercise
Research shows that lupus patients who exercise build stronger muscles, prevent joint stiffness, control fatigue, and avoid weight gain.Before deciding on an exercise regimen, make sure to consult your doctor to find out what type of exercises suit you the best since some movements can be harmful if you have swollen joints or muscle pain.
Some exercises that you can consider are yoga, pilates, Tai Chi, dancing, swimming, and bicycling.
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Popular Questions & Answers
What are the best treatments for lupus?
214 Comments 895 LikesHi Sir, What is SLE and What are the main cause of disease? What are its symptom and is it virus or bacterial related disease. What are the preventive measures of this disease?
214 Comments 895 LikesIs there any treatment of SLE disease as my sister age 13 is suffering from SLE disease and admitted to Hospital. Please help.
214 Comments 895 LikesHi, My sister is having typhoid fever for last one month. now she has got mouth ulcer. Please suggest any medicine. My sistre is a sle patient (lupus nephritis) since 2005.
214 Comments 895 LikesMy wife having lupus, having face skin issue, hair fall, joint pain. So, please help.
214 Comments 895 LikesPopular Health Tips
Lupus Nephritis - Know It Effects On Kidney!
214 Comments 895 LikesMost people believe kidneys to be organs solely responsible for the filtration of blood and production of urine. But the truth is that the kidneys perform a host of vital functions in the body which include regulation of blood pressure, blood volume, and blood Ph. Around half of the individuals affected by lupus suffer from kidney problems, and the most affected part is the glomerulus whose function is filtering substances from the blood.
Read moreLupus Nephritis - What Lifestyle Changes Can Help In It?
214 Comments 895 LikesThe inflammation of the kidneys as an effect of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is known as Lupus Nephritis. Like lupus, this is an autoimmune disease. Inflammation of the kidneys hinders kidney functioning by not allowing the kidneys to regulate the optimum amount and types of fluids in the body and restricts the removal of waste through urine. It can also cause the protein to leak out of the kidneys. If not managed in time, this can eventually lead to kidney failure by scarring the kidney tissue. However, this is a rare occurrence. On an average, 6 out of 10 lupus patients suffer from lupus nephritis. In most cases, this disease develops within the first five years of lupus symptoms making their appearance. The symptoms of this disease are mild and can vary from person to person. Very often, the first signs of lupus nephritis become visible only in lab tests as the symptoms are similar to those exhibited by other kidney diseases.
Read moreLupus - Ways It Can Be Treated!
214 Comments 895 LikesLupus is an autoimmune disease, which is chronic i.e. lasts for years or more than at least six weeks and may affect any part or organ of the body. The immune system fights off viruses, bacteria and germs by producing proteins known as antibodies. Autoimmune means that due to some defect, your immune system is unable to differentiate between the healthy tissues in your body and foreign invader that harms your body; thus creating antibodies that destroy the healthy tissues. This causes inflammation and damage to various parts of the bodies, leaving the sufferer in excruciating pain.
Read moreKnow The Symptoms And Treatment Of Lupus (Skin Rash)!
214 Comments 895 LikesLupus is an inflammatory disease that is chronic in nature. It occurs when your tissues and organs are attacked by your body's own immunity system. The inflammation that this disease causes can affect the other parts of your body as well, like the joints, kidneys, skin, brain etc. It is often difficult to diagnose because it lacks distinct symptoms. However, one of the most identifiable symptoms of lupus is a ring-shaped rash on the face. The symptoms are neither distinct nor regular. However, some common symptoms could be- Fatigue and fever Pain in the joints, stiffness and swelling Ring-shaped facial rash Skin lesions on exposure to the sun Chest pain and shortness of breath
Read moreLupus (Skin Disease) - How To Identify It?
214 Comments 895 LikesSigns you are suffering from lupus! Out of proportion and persistent fatigue: This is the most common sign of lupus. Almost 90% of patients experience it, according to research. Slight to high fever: Low-grade fever due to no justifiable cause can be another sign of lupus. The fever usually comes and goes. Talk to your doctor if you experience this symptom as this could be a sign of inflammation, infection, or imminent flare-up of the disease. Thinning of hair: Thinning of the hair is often one of the first signs of lupus due to inflammation of the skin and scalp. Some people have hair coming out in clumps while others just have a less alarming thinning of the hair symptoms. Lupus can make hair feel dry and brittle. Doctors call this ?lupus hair?. Unexplained skin rash called malar rash: Also called the butterfly rash, it appears on the cheek and the bridge of the nose. 50% of patients get this rash. It can appear suddenly or after exposure to the sun. Usually, it appears just before a flare-up of lupus. Chest pain which increases with breathing: The lungs and the blood vessels in them become inflamed. This makes breathing difficult and can also cause chest pains when you breathe. The lung size can also shrink due to lupus, causing shortness of breath. Painful, stiff or swollen joints: Inflammation due to lupus can cause pain, stiffness, and swelling in your joints, particularly in the morning. Blood in urine: This happens due to inflammation of the kidneys or nephritis, which causes swelling in legs and feet and high blood pressure (BP). If lupus is not treated, you can also die of end-stage renal disease. Persistent loss of appetite: Lupus causes acidity and indigestion and loss of appetite. Thyroid problems: Patients develop an autoimmune thyroid disease which can cause both weight loss and gain. The thyroid helps control your body?s metabolism and if it doesn?t function properly, it can affect vital organs like your brain and heart. Dry eyes and dry mouth: Some lupus patients develop Sjogren?s syndrome, another autoimmune disorder. This causes malfunctioning of glands responsible for tears and saliva in our body, hence your eyes may feel dry and your mouth will also remain dry.
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