Lupus: Facts everyone should be aware of

Least recognized disease

Lupus is one of the most prevalent and yet least recognized disease. More than 1.5 million Americans live with lupus and many more suffer for a long time with without diagnosis. It is an autoimmune disease which is difficult to spot and often misunderstood.

Severity

The symptoms of lupus range from mild to life threatening. The mystery surrounding around the lupus make it particularly health threat, it can not only permanently damage the body and set the stage for other diseases.

Lupus affects the immune system which in turn may disrupt the operation of other systems in the body. This makes lupus a disease which can have far-reaching effects for both long and short-term health of its victims.

Faulty immune system

Immune system provides vital defense line to body: it protects you against viruses and keeps the delicate tissues and organs disease free. Lupus changes this immune response, instead of detecting and attacking foreign invaders in the body, the immune system turns against healthy tissues and organs and attacking them causing pain, inflammation and damage.

Where lupus attacks?

Generally attack targets different regions and systems in the body while in some cases overactive immune system may launch attack on a specific joint such as psoriatic arthritis. It is difficult to figure out where, when and how lupus will appear, but generally it targets the joints, skin, blood cells, as well as major organs like the heart and brain.

Types of lupus

A range of specific conditions fall under the lupus category, but there are three predominant types of lupus:

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)

This is most common type of lupus. Its severity ranges from mild to body-wide inflammation that threatens the health of several major organs, the blood vessels and the nervous system.

 

Cutaneous Lupus

This type of lupus affects only skin. It brings different rashes (most often, the “butterfly” pattern over the bridge of the nose and cheeks), sores around mucus membranes, and changes in the pigment of the skin.

 

Drug-Induced Lupus

Certain drugs may trigger lupus; they include some anti-seizure drugs, blood pressure medications, and antibiotics. 

The trouble with diagnosis

Lupus can manifest itself in a very obvious and painful ways. However its diagnosis is complicated and may take months, or even years. Lupus symptoms may come and go, be mild or severe, and they may be temporary or permanent. On the top of this, its symptoms could be mistaken as other ailments. These all make its diagnosis very confusing.

Who gets lupus?

Anyone can get lupus, although the disease is far more common in women than in men. Nearly 90 percent of lupus victims are female, and between the ages of 15 and 44. Genetics, environment and lifestyle are to blame for contributing in the development of this autoimmune disease.

The treatment and outlook

Unfortunately there is no cure for lupus, but there are ways to manage the symptoms and protect your organs from damage. Right after appearing lupus symptoms, a diagnosis and treatment plan improves the chances of taking control over the symptoms. People who ignore and put off seeing a doctor for longer allow complications and make treatment more difficult.