Lupus

This “glitch” causes inflammation in different parts of the body and results in highly variable manifestations in each patient.

There are different types of lupus:

• Systemic lupus erythematosus: the most common, it can be mild or acute and can damage many parts of the body.
• Discoid lupus: this type of lupus causes a skin rash that does not go away.
• Subacute cutaneous lupus: causes blistering after exposure to the sun.
• Drug-induced lupus is caused by certain medications. In normal cases, when the drug in question is stopped, the disease disappears.
• Neonatal lupus is not a common disease and affects newborns. It may be caused by certain antibodies in the mother.

To date, medicine has not yet developed a cure for lupus.

Prognosis of the disease

Currently medical science has not yet achieved any method for curing lupus, this disease still to this day records deaths in patients who have not received adequate treatment. Nevertheless, if the treatment is successful, it is rare for a patient to die from lupus, even 80-90% of patients diagnosed with lupus live more than 10 years after learning that they have the disease. On the other hand, patients who have some organs affected by the disease but whose lives are not at risk usually enjoy a completely normal life if they follow the advice of their specialist:

• Take prescribed medications.
• Seek help in case the effects are undesirable or new symptoms of the disease appear.

Symptoms of lupus

Lupus can present various symptoms that depend on each person. The most common symptoms are usually:

• Pain or swelling in the joints.
• Muscle pain.
• Fever without knowledge of the cause.
• Red rashes on the skin, mainly on the face and butterfly-shaped.
• Chest pain when taking deep breaths.
• Loss of hair.
• White or purple fingers or toes.
• Sensitivity to sunlight.
• Swelling in the legs or eye area.
• sores in the mouth
• swollen glands
• Feeling of extreme tiredness.

These symptoms may come and go, they are called “flare-ups”. These flares may be mild or severe and new symptoms may appear at any time.

Medical tests for lupus

As with symptoms, there is no single test to diagnose lupus, because it can sometimes be confused with other diseases. It may take months or years for a specialist to diagnose lupus. Some of the medical tests the specialist may use to diagnose lupus are:

• Medical history.
• Complete examination.
• blood tests
• skin biopsy
• kidney biopsy

What causes lupus?

The cause of lupus as well as its risk factors are currently unknown. All people can get lupus, however, it tends to affect women more, usually begins in young adulthood, and is more common in blacks, Asians, and Hispanic Americans. In addition, African-American and Hispanic women are more susceptible to the more severe types.

Can lupus be prevented?

Lupus can appear without any symptoms, so it is difficult to know if it can be prevented at all during a person’s lifetime. The best thing a person can do to reduce the likelihood of lupus is to be aware of eating a balanced diet and exercising, that is, to lead a healthy lifestyle.

• Taking care of your diet: Just by consuming the right foods, eating a healthy lifestyle diet, you can prevent inflammation of the organs, precisely one of the main symptoms of lupus. It is also important to make sure that the food you eat does not contain harmful chemicals, such as pesticides or medications.
• Exercising: Being active and avoiding a sedentary lifestyle can help build endurance, control your weight and even improve your mood. Check with your specialist about the type of exercise you can do, because the organs affected by lupus may complicate the practice of a particular exercise.
• Take supplements: Doing so can add nutritional value to your diet and can also help decrease inflammation throughout the body. Krill oil, for example, has nutrients that can cause improvements in your cardiovascular health through regular consumption.

Treatments for lupus

There is no treatment for a cure for lupus, but medications and making lifestyle changes can help take control of the disease.

As for the goals of each treatment are:

• Prevent flares.
• Treat symptoms as soon as they appear.
• Reduce organ damage and other problems.

Treatments may be accompanied by medications to:

• Reduce inflammation and pain.
• Prevent or reduce flare-ups.
• Help the immune system.
• Reduce or prevent joint damage.
• Balance hormones.

In addition to taking medications for lupus, you may need to take medications for other problems related to the disease itself, such as high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure or certain infections. On the other hand, there are alternative treatments that take a totally different path than conventional treatments. But at present there is no medical research that reports on existing and useful alternative therapies to combat lupus. Some alternative approaches or those that have a complementary function can help to improve the quality of life of a chronic disease such as this one. It is important to remember that before undertaking any alternative treatment, you should consult with the specialist in question.

Which specialist treats you?

Patients with lupus will see a variety of physicians. Initially a primary care physician will be able to diagnose the disease and will later see a rheumatologist (a specialist in diseases affecting muscles and joints). The patient should then be monitored by a rheumatologist or an internist with experience in the management of autoimmune diseases, who will prescribe the treatment, assessing its efficacy and monitoring the occurrence of side effects and complications. Occasionally, the participation of other specialties such as dermatology, nephrology or cardiology may be required, depending on the organs affected. Given that this is a chronic disease, a good doctor-patient relationship is essential, providing the necessary information, in an understandable way, so that the patient can participate in decisions about his or her treatment.