An autoimmune condition called lupus can damage organs and cause organ damage, fever, skin rashes, and joint pain. Lupus currently has no known treatment and needs to be managed for the rest of one’s life. Women between the ages of 15 and 45 are often the ones that develop it.
What variations of lupus are there?
There are numerous varieties of autoimmune condition . The most typical type is systemic lupus erythematosus. Additional forms of it include:
Cutaneous lupus erythematosus: The skin is impacted by this kind of autoimmune condition . Skin is referred to as being cutaneous. The illness may also cause hair loss as a symptom.
Drug-induced lupus: These cases are brought on by particular drugs. Some of the symptoms of systemic lupus erythematosus can also be present in people with drug-induced lupus. Frequently, this kind of lupus goes away, once the medication is stopped.
Neonatal lupus: A uncommon form of it, affects new-born children. Neonatal lupus patients have antibodies given to them from their mother, who may have had lupus during her pregnancy or may get the disease later in life. Not all children born to mothers who have lupus will go on to have it.
Who is lupus affecting?
It can affect anyone. Women, men, kids, and even babies can experience it. About 90% of identified cases are women who are of reproductive age, making women significantly more likely to experience it than men. Due to its difficulty in diagnosis, experts have a hard time calculating the number of Americans who have lupus. Numerous symptoms of it can potentially be indicators of other medical disorders. Due to this, some patients may live their entire lives without ever receiving a diagnosis.
Additionally, it is more prevalent in some ethnic groups. Women of colour are more prone than Caucasian women to develop the disorder, including African-American, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American women.
Are women more likely to get the autoimmune condition ?
Nine out of ten instances of it are in women, who also have a higher prevalence than men. During their reproductive years, between the ages of 15 and 44, women are frequently diagnosed. Although the exact cause of lupus is uncertain, it is believed that the hormone oestrogen may be a contributing factor.
What signs and symptoms do autoimmune condition have?
If you have autoimmune condition, you could suffer a wide range of symptoms. The symptoms vary from person to person.
A flare-up occurs when a symptom becomes abruptly worse than it was.
Its’ symptoms can include:
- Sensitivity to sunlight.
- Hair loss
- Mouth sores
- Dry eyes
- Confusion
- Depression
- Issues with the kidneys, heart or lungs
- Seizures
- Blood clots
- Fatigue
- Chest pain
- Stomach pain
- Shortness of breath
- Swollen glands
- Joint pain
- Muscle pain
- Rashes
- Fever
- Headaches
- Anaemia
- Raynaud’s phenomenon
How is autoimmune condition identified?
Lupus diagnosing procedures can be time-consuming and challenging. The signs and symptoms of lupus can coexist with those of other diseases, such as diabetes and arthritis. Its’ symptoms may take some time to manifest, making a diagnosis more difficult.
To determine whether it runs in your family, your healthcare professional will usually start by asking about your family history. Then, your doctor will want to talk about any symptoms you’ve had. Your healthcare physician will usually order certain lab tests after speaking with you about your symptoms. These examinations examine for anomalies such as anaemia, low blood cell counts, and other conditions.
Antinuclear antibody (ANA) testing may also be done by the healthcare provider. This examination looks for antibodies proteins your body produces to fight infection that could indicate the presence of an autoimmune disease. ANA tests for systemic lupus erythematosus patients frequently result in a positive result.
How is lupus treated?
The symptoms and consequences you are dealing with may affect how your doctor approaches treating your autoimmune condition .
- How serious your situation is
- Your age
- The kind of medications you might be using
- Your overall well being
- Your medical background
It is a chronic disease that requires ongoing management. Treatment aims to reduce organ damage cause by the disease and put your symptoms into remission (where they are no longer present or active). Unfortunately, it can strike without warning, and its effects may fluctuate over time. You will need to see your doctor on a regular basis and modify your treatment strategy based on your symptoms.