Lupus - Symptoms, Diagnoses and Causes

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the joints, skin, kidneys, lungs, and nervous system. It's caused by an immune system gone haywire. Lupus can be unpredictable and have devastating consequences for those who have it.

This post will help you understand what lupus is all about so you can better identify the signs of this disease in yourself or others.

Lupus is a chronic auto-immune disease. Your immune system can turn on your body and start attacking cells and organs. Auto-immune diseases are diseases where your body produces antibodies that cause damage to yourself or others. Auto-immune diseases which result from inflammation include lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, scleroderma, and leaky gut syndrome.

Lupus is an unpredictable condition that can affect just about every part of the body. There are three main types of lupus: systemic lupus, lupus nephritis, and cutaneous lupus. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) can occur in a wide variety of organs in a person's body. The most common organ systems affected by SLE include:

Lungs, Skin, Kidneys, Heart Blood vessels, Eyes, Nervous system, Muscles Spleen, The brain, and spinal cord.

The symptoms of Lupus vary depending on what type the person has and the organs involved. There are various ways to help diagnose and treat Lupus and we will discuss the diagnostic and treatment options for each section below.

Lupus Symptoms 

Lupus can affect a variety of organs. As a result, the symptoms of lupus vary a great deal from person to person. The most common lupus symptoms include fevers, fatigue, joint pain, muscle pain, and rashes.

In its most extreme stages, the disease can affect many different parts of your body, resulting in severe damage or complete organ failure. When this occurs it is referred to as a "lupus crisis" and may require intensive hospitalization and treatment to halt progression.

Diagnosing SLE early on is crucial because it can be treated before organ damage occurs. At times lupus can begin with mild symptoms of fatigue, joint pain, or rashes. The first sign of lupus is often a "flare-up", an occurrence where the disease resolves quickly after treatment with anti-inflammatory medications.

Lupus Symptoms for Children and Teens

Children and teenagers are more likely to develop systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) than adults. The cause of this is still not fully understood, but it may be because young people are more vulnerable to an immune system attack on their organs.

There are many different types of lupus in children and teenagers, ranging from mild juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) to the severe type of lupus known as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).

Children and teenagers with SLE can also have an increased risk of autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, and autoimmune thyroid disease. One recent study showed that children with lupus can develop up to 30% of all cases of rheumatoid arthritis.

How is Lupus Diagnosed

There are various ways to diagnose SLE, including x-ray, blood tests, skin tests, and tissue biopsies. In what follows we will discuss the signs of lupus that can be treated by prescription medications.

SLE can be difficult to diagnose because its symptoms are fairly non-specific. It may take a few visits to the doctor before one can fully understand what they are seeing in their patient. The initial visit will include a review of notes taken at previous visits. The doctor may also refer the patient to a rheumatologist or other physician experienced in treating lupus.

Your doctor may recommend blood work such as complete blood count, immunofluorescence test, and antinuclear antibody which is used to determine if you have systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and other autoimmune diseases.

Is Lupus life-threatening?

There are different stages of lupus and people experience them differently. But when it reaches a severe stage, lupus can be life-threatening. You have to understand that it can only be treated and not cured, so make sure you don’t miss any of your medications.

Is Lupus contagious?

Lupus is rather chronic than contagious. It will not be transmitted from one to another even in sexual intercourse. The main reason for the cause of lupus is hormones, sometimes hereditary, or environmental causes.