Lupus is an autoimmune disease that damages parts of the body such as the skin, joints, and organs. The term chronic means that the symptoms tend to last from a few months to years. In lupus, something goes wrong with the body's immune system, which is the part of the body that fights off viruses, bacteria, and germs (Lupus Foundation of America, 2011). There are several types of lupus such as drug-induced lupus, subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus, discoid lupus erythematosus, and systemic lupus erythematosus. Of the four types, systemic lupus erythematosus is found to be the most common ("Womens Health", 2009).
Etiology (causal factors).
Lupus is not a contagious disease, in other words it cannot be transmitted from person to person. Though there is no exact cause for lupus, research shows that the environment, hormones, and genes do play a role (Lupus Foundation of America, 2011). Environmental elements such as sunlight, smoking, medications, and viruses can trigger symptoms in people who are more susceptible to getting lupus. According to the Lupus Foundation of America, emotional stress such as a divorce, illness, death in the family, or other complications may trigger lupus. Stress to the body, surgery, pregnancy, as well as giving birth can also set off a flare up. The role of hormones and genes are further explained in the structural variables section. .
Characteristics (signs and symptoms).
A doctor who is considering the possibility of lupus will look for signs of inflammation such as pain, heat, redness, swelling, and loss of function at a particular place in the body. Inflammation can occur both on the inside and outside of the body. To help the doctors diagnose lupus, a list of 11 common symptoms, known as the ACR criteria, was developed by the American College of Rheumatology. Some of the common criteria include the malar rash, serositis, and photosensitivity. A malar rash forms over the cheeks and nose.
Lupus has a lengthy list of symptoms, some of them being more common than others are. ... Once these symptoms become apparent by a doctor, then the diagnosis of lupus is considered. ... Once a patient knows that he/she has a lupus, the next step is to look at treatment options. ... Mild cases of lupus require no treatment at all. ... Just treatments alone are not enough to help you overcome lupus. ...
The cause of the disease has not yet been identified, but they have treatments that patients may go threw. ... A patient with Lupus may have periods of severe illness with extreme symptoms, intermingled with periods of no illness and complete freedom from symptoms." ... Wallace 5-7) Treatment should be started before unnecessary damage occurs. "Treatments for lupus has several effective methods, unfortunately, all the medications have some potential dangers."... There are many symptoms to lupus, but yet there is no real cure. ...
The cause of the disease has not yet been identified, but they have treatments that patients may go threw. ... A patient with Lupus may have periods of severe illness with extreme symptoms, intermingled with periods of no illness and complete freedom from symptoms." ... Wallace 5-7) Treatment should be started before unnecessary damage occurs. "Treatments for lupus has several effective methods, unfortunately, all the medications have some potential dangers."... There are many symptoms to lupus, but yet there is no real cure. ...
What are the symptoms of lupus? There are many symptoms of lupus. ... The goal of treatment is to relieve symptoms by decreasing inflammation and/or the level of autoimmune activity in the body. Treatment for lupus requires a balance of medication and the control of environ-mental factors. ... The key to successful management of systemic lupus is regular contact and communication with the doctor, allowing monitoring of symptoms, disease activities, and treatment side effects. ...
Minocycline, a drug taken for acne, is another widely used drug that can cause drug-induced lupus symptoms. ... It is very rare that any two patients have the exact same symptoms. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and may come and go as time passes. ... Currently there is still no cure for lupus, but with the advances in technology and science, lupus can be controlled if patients have the proper medical treatment. ... Since all lupus patients" symptoms are different, different medications are prescribed depending on which organs are involved and how severe the problem is. ...
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus is one of the classic examples of autoimmune diseases among human beings. ... There are no strict symptoms of SLE however weakness, fatigue, weight loss, pain headache and skin rash are few of the very commonly observed symptoms (Price et al, 2002).In last couple of years many scientists have shown keen interest in exploring the disease to the depths of molecular level. ... Molecular nature of such auto-antibodies helps the scientific community develop extremely specific treatments for the disease. Cytokines are believed to play an important role in the immune ...
Signs and symptoms of arthritis vary from person to person. ... Some people find that the condition is incapacitating, while others have very few symptoms. ... Another autoimmune disorder, systemic lupus erythematosus, commonly known as lupus, is an arthritis-related condition causing fever, rash, and swelling of the joints. ... Lupus affects about 500,000 to 1.5 million Americans and is most common in young women aged 15 to 40. ... The primary goal of treatment is to reduce joint pain and inflammation and to maximize joint mobility. ...
Signs and symptoms of arthritis vary from person to person. ... Some people find that the condition is incapacitating, while others have very few symptoms. ... Another autoimmune disorder, systemic lupus erythematosus, commonly known as lupus, is an arthritis-related condition causing fever, rash, and swelling of the joints. ... Lupus affects about 500,000 to 1.5 million Americans and is most common in young women aged 15 to 40. ... The primary goal of treatment is to reduce joint pain and inflammation and to maximize joint mobility. ...
Persons with CFS have symptoms that vary from person to person and fluctuate in severity. The symptoms may come and go making diagnosis and treatment complicated along with making it harder to cope with the illness. ... As you can see, the symptoms are very much like many other conditions. ... Research has shown that the illness is 3 times more common in women, a rate similar to that of many autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and lupus. ... Research is continuing and today there is no real course of treatment outside of treating the conditions as they arise and taking steps to le...
