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What Is Lupus?
Here is the science behind it, in the most simple way I can think to phrase it. Lupus is an incurable, chronic auto-immune disease. It can damage just about any part of the body, but mostly effects joints, skin and organs. Lupus causes the body's tissues to attack its own immune system. For example: in lupus, something goes wrong with the immune system (the part of the body that normally fights off infectious and foreign agents in the body. Normally, the immune system produces proteins called antibodies that protect you from these invaders that could cause illness. Auto-immune means that a lupus patient's immune system cannot tell the difference between these foreign invaders and healthy tissues in the body and then creates antibodies that attack and destroy healthy tissues in the body. These autoantibodies cause pain, damage and inflammation in all different areas of the body. Lupus doesn't discriminate and every patient experiences different complications with the disease.
Are There Different Types of Lupus?
Yes. There are four types total, but I am just going to talk about two here, SLE and Discoid Lupus.
Discoid (Or Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus): This type of lupus is limited to the skin only. Commonly, these type of patients deal with a rash that looks similar to eczema on the body. Also, these patients will have a rash across the cheeks and bridge of the nose, as well as shiny red discs on the face. This is the common "butterfly rash" and can cause permanent changes in the pigment of the skin on the face and the body. Sometimes these patients only ever have skin issues, but 10% do develop the more serious Lupus SLE.
Lupus SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus): This is the most common form of lupus and ranges from mild to severe. This is the form of lupus I have, and I have a severe form of the disease. Some of the more serious complications from this type of the disease are: inflammation and ultimate kidney failure, increased blood pressure in the lungs, inflammation of the nervous system causing memory problems, confusion, headaches and stroke, inflammation of the blood vessels causing fevers, seizure, behavorial changes, coronary artery disease, etc.
Lupus: The Facts
- Lupus is a disease of "flares" meaning one can worsen (increased symptoms) and go into remission (periods where symptoms improve and one feels normal).
- Lupus can be life-threatening when untreated, but most people can live a semi-normal life with regular medical care.
- Lupus is not contagious.
- Anyone can develop lupus, but it mostly affects women of childbearing ages (15-44). Anyone who develops lupus has always had the disease dormant in their body and it is not known was triggers the disease to activate.