Lupus
Lupus affects many parts of the body. It occurs when the body´s immune system attacks the body instead of doing what it is supposed to do, which is protecting the body from infections.
Lupus is more common than people realise, in fact there are more people with lupus in the UK than those who have ME, HIV, Leukaemia, and MS put together. Lupus affects more women than men and 90% of people with lupus will be female. Lupus is not considered to be hereditary although those with it often have a family history of autoimmune conditions, like rheumatoid arthritis, or maybe lupus itself.
Lupus is not infectious or contagious.
Lupus is difficult to diagnose due to the diverse symptoms. The most common problems are joint and muscle pain and extreme fatigue. However these symptoms are common in many other conditions.
Many people have heard of the butterfly rash, so called because it covers the cheeks and nose thus resembling a butterfly. However this only occurs in about 30% of those with lupus. People with lupus must be careful about exposure to sunlight as it can cause any rashes to get worse. They must be careful to use high SPF sun cream when they are exposed to the sun.
Lupus is the common name for more than one condiditon.
There is lupus cutaneous (sometimes called discoid lupus) which shows as rash and skin eruptions.
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have many more symptoms including, dry eyes, hair loss, chest and abdominal pains, depression, kidney problems, headaches, flu-like symptoms, swollen glands and poor circulation.
Lupus is not only difficult to diagnose but it is an unpredictable condition. Some people will manage to live almost completely normal lives with lupus whilst others may be totally incapacitated with most people falling somewhere in between.
Lupus used to be considered a terminal condition with a life expectation of about 10 years after diagnosis. However new treatments and diagnostic methods means that these days people with lupus can expect a normal life span.
Treatment generally comprises of low dose aspirin, anti-malarial drugs, and immune suppressant drugs.
The low dose aspirin to help ease the joint and muscle pains and reduce any inflammation.
Anti-malaria drugs also help with the inflammation and have the added bonus of helping to guard the skin against rashes triggered by exposure to sunlight.
Immunosuppressant drugs can be used to dampen down the overactive immune response, as can steroids.
People with lupus may be more likely to develop other medical conditions such as blood clots, osteoporosis and coronary artery disease. Different drugs are available to help treat these symptons.
