Lupus: A case study

Autoimmune diseases are rather very common among the Americans. One such situation is notified in case of lupus. It is a type of autoimmune disease that approximately affect 1.5 million Americans. An autoimmune disease is a result of your immune system attacking your own body. A very rare fact about lupus is, it mostly affect women rather than men and children. The situation regarding lupus is grave, as there is no accurate cure. the only possible treatment is life long management. the major problem with lupus is that it targets multiple parts in your body simultaneously.

LUPUS: What it is?

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SES) also referred as Lupus. It comes under the category of chronic autoimmune diseases that can cause severe pain and swelling throughout the body. In normal situation the  immune system is Responsible for Protecting you from foreign infections. In case of autoimmune diseases and specifically in lupus the immune system attacks native sales and Cos inflammations and severe swellings. Your immune system damages your healthy tissue and create inflammation which is autoimmune based.

How to detect lupus?

If you are suffering from lupus, you might experience some distinctive symptoms and signs. These symptoms may include, joint pain, muscle pain, rashes, fever, sensitivity to sunlight, hair loss, mouth ulcer, dry eyes, fatigue, chest pain, stomach ache, headache, issues with kidney, blood clots, Raynaud’s phenomenon, seizures, confusion and sometimes depression.

Overall lupus causes a wide variety of symptoms. The symptoms are varied across a range of science, this makes the detection difficult. But a dedicated medical care service may help you to diagnose lupus in early stages. Many of these symptoms may occur As flare ups, which means in a span of time they may develop in your body and then they goes  away.

Diagnosis, a task to ponder about

Due to a varied symptom range the diagnosis becomes very difficult. Most of the symptoms shows flare ups which makes the diagnosis more difficult. On the other hand some symptoms frequently goes into remission.

The first step of diagnosis starts by noting your family history and discussing your symptoms. The second step is to perform blood test which is sometimes accompanied by a urine test. These tests are used to detect abnormalities in your blood composition like low blood cell counts.

The most crucial step is to perform an anti nuclear antibody test. ANA test Can detect the presence of specific antibodies in your blood which are associated to an autoimmune response. However, a positive report of anti nuclear antibody test may not necessarily mean that you are suffering from lupus. Along with this test other official diagnosis  are run in parallel.

Combination of drugs: Lupus treatment

Treatment of lupus may vary from person to person. In general a specific treatment consist of to major sections. First section being medication and the second section consist of lifestyle modifications.

Medication

• Non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs: These are used, to treat pain, swelling, inflammation  and fever associated with lupus. The power of your drug depends on the severity of symptoms.
• Anti malarial drugs: These drugs help your body to cope up with the flare up symptoms.
• Corticosteroids: Steroids can help counter the inflammation that occurs with lupus.
• Immunosuppressants: in some cases drugs that suppress the immune system may prove helpful.
• Biologics: Biologics when applied intravenously, have proven to be beneficial for the patients.

Lifestyle modification

Measures if taken properly at regular interval may improve your overall capacity to fight lupus. Lifestyle modification may include the following.

• Regular visits to your healthcare provider.
• Protect your skin from the sun using SPF
• On regular basis subject your body to exercise.
• Avoid bad habits like smoking and excessive alcohol
• Maintain a healthy diet which includes all the essential vitamin and minerals.
• Go for plant based supplements.

These lifestyle changes along with prescribed medicines may result in improved condition. While there is currently no cure for lupus focus on managing your symptoms and preventing further damage. Create a supportive social network of friends and family around you. These coping mechanism may help your overall situation.