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What is Lupus?
If your medications aren't controlling all of your signs and symptoms or if you're frustrated by lupus flares, you might turn to complementary and alternative medicine for solutions. Mainstream doctors are becoming more open to discussing these options with their patients. But, since few of these treatments have been extensively studied in clinical trials, it's difficult to assess whether these treatments are helpful for lupus. In some cases, the risks of these treatments aren't known.
Read more on www.mayoclinic.com
Also known as sle
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Lupus information from trusted sources:
Lupus Foundation of America
Resources, advocacy center, directory of local chapters, and calendar of upcoming events. Read more on
www.lupus.org
What is Lupus? - Lupus Overview
Oct 16, 2008 ... What is lupus (sometimes generically referred to as SLE, systemic lupus erythematosus)? It is an autoimmune disease, one that takes on ... Read more on
lupus.about.com
Lupus
Lupus is a chronic, inflammatory autoimmune disorder that may affect the skin, ... The cause of lupus is not fully understood. It is thought to involve both ... Read more on
www.labtestsonline.org
Handout on Health: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
This booklet is for people who have systemic lupus erythematosus, commonly called SLE or lupus, as well as for their families and friends and others who ... Read more on
www.niams.nih.gov
Lupus anticoagulant - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lupus anticoagulant (also known as lupus antibody, LA, or lupus inhibitors) is an immunoglobulin that binds to phospholipids and proteins associated with ... Read more on
en.wikipedia.org
Lupus
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), or lupus, is an autoimmune disease in which a person's immune system attacks various organs or cells of the body, causing damage and dysfunction. Lupus is called a multisystem disease because it can affect many different tissues and organs in the body. Some patients with lupus have very mild disease, which can be treated with simple medications, whereas others can have serious, life-threatening complications. Lupus is more common in women than men, and for reasons that are not precisely understood, its peak incidence is after puberty. Read more on
www.emedicinehealth.com
Discoid Lupus Erythematosus
Discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) is a chronic skin condition of sores with inflammation and scarring favoring the face, ears, and scalp and at times on ... Read more on
www.aocd.org
SLE
If you have lupus, your immune system attacks healthy cells and tissues by mistake. This can damage your joints, skin, blood vessels and organs. There are many kinds of lupus. The most common type, systemic lupus erythematosus, affects many parts of the body. Discoid lupus causes a rash that doesn't go away. Subacute cutaneous lupus causes sores after being out in the sun. Another type can be caused by medication. Neonatal lupus, which is rare, affects newborns. Anyone can get lupus, but women are most at risk. Lupus is also more common in African American, Hispanic, Asian and Native American women. The cause of lupus is not known. Read more on
www.nlm.nih.gov
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: eMedicine Emergency Medicine
Oct 27, 2009 ... Overview: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multiorgan system autoimmune disease with numerous immunological and clinical ... Read more on
emedicine.medscape.com
Lupus
Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that occurs when your body's immune system attacks your own tissues and organs. Inflammation caused by lupus can affect many different body systems, including your joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, heart and lungs. Read more on
www.mayoclinic.com
Contents
Causes
Lupus is an autoimmune disease, which means that instead of just attacking foreign substances, such as bacteria and viruses, your immune system also turns against healthy tissue. This leads to inflammation and damage to various parts of the body, including the joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, blood vessels and brain.
Read more on
www.mayoclinic.com
Complications
If your symptoms of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are mild or well-controlled, you may find that the condition barely affects your day-to-day life, and you may not experience any complications.
Read more on
www.nhs.uk
Coping and support
If you have lupus, you're likely to have a range of painful feelings about your condition, from fear to extreme frustration. The challenges of living with lupus increase your risk of depression and related mental health problems, such as anxiety, stress and low self-esteem. To help you cope with lupus, try to: Learn all you can about lupus. Write down all the questions you have about lupus and ask them at your next appointment. Ask your doctor or nurse for reputable sources of further information. The more you know about lupus, the more confident you'll feel in your treatment choices.; Gather support among your friends and family. Talk about lupus with your friends and family. They may have...
Read more on
www.mayoclinic.com
Diagnosis
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) can be a difficult condition to diagnose. This is because the symptoms of SLE are sometimes very similar to a number of other conditions, most of which are far more common than SLE.
Read more on
www.nhs.uk
Lifestyle and home remedies
Take steps to care for your body if you have lupus. Simple steps can help you prevent lupus flares and, should they occur, better cope with the signs and symptoms you experience. Try to: Get adequate rest. People with lupus often experience persistent fatigue that's different from normal tiredness and that isn't necessarily relieved by rest. For that reason, it can be hard to judge when you need to slow down. Get plenty of sleep a night and naps or breaks during the day as needed. Friends and family members need to understand and respect your need for rest.; Be sun smart. Because ultraviolet light can trigger a flare, wear protective clothing, such as a hat, long-sleeved shirt and long pants,...
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www.mayoclinic.com
Preparing for your appointment
You're likely to start by seeing your family doctor or primary care provider. Because the symptoms of lupus can mimic so many other health problems, you may need patience while waiting for a diagnosis. Your doctor must rule out a number of other illnesses before diagnosing lupus.
Read more on
www.mayoclinic.com
Risk factors
While doctors don't know what causes lupus in many cases, they have identified factors that may increase your risk of the disease, including: Sex. Lupus is more common in women.; Age. Although lupus affects people of all ages, including infants, children and older adults, it's most often diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 40.; Race. Lupus is more common in blacks, Hispanics and Asians.; Sunlight. Exposure to the sun may bring on lupus skin lesions or trigger an internal response in susceptible people. Exactly why ultraviolet radiation has this effect isn't well understood, but scientists suspect that sunlight may cause skin cells to express certain proteins on their surface. Antibodies...
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www.mayoclinic.com
Symptoms
No two cases of lupus are exactly alike. Signs and symptoms may come on suddenly or develop slowly, may be mild or severe, and may be temporary or permanent. Most people with lupus have mild disease characterized by episodes called flares when signs and symptoms get worse for a while, then improve or even disappear completely for a time.
Read more on
www.mayoclinic.com
Treatment
There is currently no cure for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, there are treatments which can help to ease and manage your symptoms, minimising the effect that the condition has on your daily life.
Read more on
www.nhs.uk