Lupus, also known as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), is a chronic, autoimmune systemic disease that occurs commonly among females in the reproductive age. In fact, women are ten times more affected than men.
As an autoimmune disease, this means that instead of the immune system antibodies and immunity cells fighting against infections and illnesses, the immune system does not have the ability to differentiate these germs from normal cells of the body, thus attacking them causing damage to the body systemically. With lupus, the immune system reacts by producing autoantibodies that attack the body’s normal cells and organs. These autoantibodies mistakenly act upon the normal system making this disease autoimmune which happens to any organ in the body.
No one specific cause of SLE is known. However, there are a number of environmental triggers and a number of genetic susceptibilities like infection, medication, or sun exposure. There is also a genetic predisposition to developing an autoimmune disease such as lupus. Though mostly, the specific trigger for an individual patient is hard to identify.
Among the signs and symptoms of lupus are: joint pain or swelling, muscle pain, fever with no known cause, red rashes, often on the face also called the “butterfly rash”, sensitivity to the sun, pain when taking a deep breath, hair loss, swelling in legs or around eyes, mouth ulcers, pale or purple fingers or toes, swollen glands and feeling very tired. Other symptoms are anemia, headaches, feeling sad or dizzy spells, confusion, depression, and seizures.
Lupus symptoms may appear slowly and sometimes come and go in waves. The times when symptoms are present are called “flares”, occurring from mild to severe. There is no specific test to diagnose lupus, and it may take time to make the diagnosis. There is no exact cure for lupus, but medications and lifestyle changes can help manage it. The objectives of health plans for lupus is to avert flares, take care of flares when they occur and lessen organ damage.