What is Lupus?
Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system becomes hyperactive and attacks normal, healthy tissue. This results in symptoms such as inflammation, swelling, and damage to joints, skin, kidneys, blood, the heart, and lungs.
Under normal function, the immune system makes proteins called antibodies in order to protect and fight against antigens such as viruses and bacteria. Lupus makes the immune system unable to differentiate between antigens and healthy tissue. This leads the immune system to direct antibodies against the healthy tissue – not just antigens – causing swelling, pain, and tissue damage.
Under normal function, the immune system makes proteins called antibodies in order to protect and fight against antigens such as viruses and bacteria. Lupus makes the immune system unable to differentiate between antigens and healthy tissue. This leads the immune system to direct antibodies against the healthy tissue – not just antigens – causing swelling, pain, and tissue damage.
(* An antigen is a substance capable of inducing a specific immune response.)
Common Symptoms of Lupus
While there are many symptoms ranging from mild to severe, the most common are:
- Extreme Fatigue
- Painful or swollen joints and muscle pain
- Unexplained fever
- Headaches
- Anemia (low numbers of red blood cell or hemoglobin, or low total blood volume)
- Abnormal blood clotting
- Red rashes, most commonly on the face.
- Shortness of breath and/or chest pain upon deep breathing (pleurisy)
- Unusual loss of hair
- Pale or purple fingers or toes from cold or stress (Raynaud’s phenomenon)
- Sensitivity to the sun or light (photosensitivity)
- Swelling (edema) in hands, feet, legs or around eyes
- Mouth or nose ulcers
- Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain
- Changes in Weight
- Swollen Glands
Comprehensive List of Symptoms
Warning Signs of a Lupus Flare
- Increased fatigue
- Painful/swollen muscles or joints
- Rashes
- Fever without an infection
- Abdominal discomfort
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Developing a new symptom
Lupus can affect almost any part of your body so it is important to report any new symptoms to your doctor. Also, flares can happen without symptoms which is why it is important to see your doctors who regularly monitor your health.
Causes of Lupus Flares
- Ultraviolet Light
- Infections
- Stress (emotional or physical)
- Pregnancy
- Starting/Stopping Medication
Preventing a Flare
- Learn to recognize your warning signs.
- Maintain good communication with your doctor.
- Receive regular preventative healthcare and exams.
- Regular dental care to prevent infections and
- Regular eye exams to screen for and treat eye problems
- Learn effective stress management to cope with the stress of having a chronic illness.
- Set priorities for spending your time and energy.
Some Additional Facts About Lupus
- Ninety percent of the people who develop lupus are women.
- Most often, lupus develops between the ages 15 and 44.
- Lupus can affect any organ system of the body, including the heart,kidneys, blood, lungs, skin, joints
- African American, Hispanic/Latinas, Asians and Pacific Islanders, and Native Americans are diagnosed with lupus two or three times more frequently than Caucasians; however, lupus affects people of all races and ethnicities.
- Lupus is not contagious and cannot be “given” to another person.
- Lupus is not like or related to HIV (Human Immune Deficiency Virus) or AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). In HIV or AIDS the immune system is underactive; in lupus, the immune system is overactive.
- First degree relatives of people living with lupus (parent, sibling, child) have six times the risk of developing the disease.
- Factors that may trigger a lupus flare include infections, ultraviolet light, stress, and some medications
- Successful treatment of lupus often requires a combination of medications.
- Because many symptoms of lupus imitate those of other illnesses, and may come and go over time, it may take three to five years or more to diagnose lupus.
- More than 16,000 new cases of lupus are reported annually across the country.
- It is believed that more than 5 million people throughout the world have a form of lupus.
- It is estimated that 1.5 million Americans are living with lupus. (www.lupus.org)
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