Lupus

Lupus is one of the many diseases which can cause harm to one’s body and can lead or trigger other various diseases. It causes many symptoms depending on each person and mimics other diseases, which makes it hard to diagnose and treat.

Lupus is another type of autoimmune disease which causes the white blood cells to attack the body’s healthy tissues and cells because they cannot recognize the difference between good cells and the harmful ones. Over 16,000 people are diagnosed with Lupus each year in America alone. Since it has an effect on the immune system, it leaves people affected with it vulnerable to colds that could flare up into pneumonia since the body can’t defend itself. Having Lupus can lead to various other diseases and ailments such as fibromyalgia (which causes pain in the neck, shoulders, joints, and muscles), headaches, depression, inflammation, low thyroid function, Rheumatoid arthritis, panic attacks, short term memory loss, a butterfly shaped rash on the face, skin lesions that worsen with exposure to the sun, Reynaud’s phenomenon (where the fingers and toes turns blue because of lack of circulation and amplified senses where warm is hot and cool is freezing), dry eyes, allergies, asthma, and chest pain. Other symptoms that can occur include gastrointestinal problems, low blood sugar, Candida yeast infections, fatigue, sensitive eyes, and atherosclerotic heart disease, which can lead to heart attack. When exercising, people with Lupus need to be careful because the usual pain that tells us when to stop doesn’t occur which could make people exercise longer than their body can handle. This causes lactic acid to build up and the body begins recirculate carbon dioxide instead of oxygen, which makes the person feel weak and painful for days afterward. Many people can develop a sense of vertigo and/or loss of balance. Along with all of these symptoms many will experience sleep disturbances. While they sleep they will experience minuscule seizures which prevent them from falling into a deep sleep. Lupus can cause kidney failure which is one of the leading reasons that cause death for those with the disease. Also they will have problems with their central nervous system, experiencing headaches, dizziness, behavior changes, and seizures. Anemia is common and there is an increase in the risk of blood clots or bleeding, as well as vasculitis. Cancer is also common with this disease such as lung and liver cancer. Since there are many symptoms that people can have doctors usually don’t diagnose Lupus until there are several symptoms that are very serious.

Doctors really don’t know what causes Lupus, but they suspect several things. One reason they think is a cause, is that you can inherit the tendency for Lupus, but not Lupus itself. It has to be triggered through change in the environment, through long term use of certain medications such as antipsychotic chlorpromazine, hydralazine, and isoniazid, and/or extreme injuries which can leave your immune system weak. Although anyone can get Lupus, it is most often diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 45. Women are more likely to get it than men, and it is more common in Asians and blacks. There are four types of Lupus which include Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Discoid Lupus erythematosus, Drug-induced Lupus erythematosus, and Neonatal Lupus. Most people that have Lupus generally have Systemic Lupus Erythematosus since it is the most common type. It can affect any part of the body but usually affects the skin, joints, lungs, blood and kidneys. Discoid Lupus erythematosus only affects the skin with a rash on the face, neck, and shoulders. It is mild compared to the other forms of Lupus, but people with this can also get the more serious Systemic version as well. Drug-induced Lupus erythematosus is caused by taking certain drugs and can affect many parts of the body. The symptoms usually go away when one stops taking the medicine causing it. Lastly is the Neonatal Lupus, which affects newborns. It is passed through to the children if the mother has certain antibodies associated with the disease. The child will have a rash for several weeks, but it will eventually go away in a few months. Since the symptoms of Lupus constantly change it is necessary for those with it to go to a doctor regularly to keep up with the disease and prevent more serious complications from happening. There are several tests that a person can take if they are suspected of having Lupus. They can get a blood count