All you need to know about lupus disease

Today marks the World Lupus Day and this year’s theme is ‘Lupus Level Up: Make Lupus Visible’.

Globally people are encouraged to wear purple as a sign of standing in solidarity with the over 5 million people suffering from the disease. Even as the world strives to make lupus visible, a majority of medical practitioners continue to try help solve the mystery of the disease as well as dispel myths associated with the autoimmune diseases.

What is Lupus?

Lupus is a chronic inflammatory, autoimmune disease. The disease is characterised by the body system attacks its own organs and tissues, and thus resulting to inflammation.

In medical terms Lupus is known as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. While Lupus is not contagious, and one is not born with the disease, you can get Lupus at any age. It is commonly referred to as the ‘disease of the young’ as its onset is mostly at age 22.

Lupus can affect any part of the body, and its effects are catastrophic. They include damaging body organs, swelling of the body as well as pain throughout the body. Some of the body parts prone to the disease include the brain, heart, lungs, kidneys and the skin.

Interesting to note, is that its symptoms more often are similar with symptoms of other diseases thus making it quite difficult to diagnose it.

Some of the most common symptoms include;

• Headache and fever.
• Feeling physically tired.
• Pain in the body, chest and joints.
• Butterfly feathers like red rashes or herpes on the skin.
• Trouble breathing.
• Dry eyes.
• Confusion.
• Impaired memory.
• Damage to the skin when exposed to sunlight.

One would want to know what are the causes of Lupus

• Drugs called Apresoline, procanbid and quinidine.
• Exposure to smoking, pollution, and silica dust.
• Cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr or hepatitis C virus.
• Genetic or family history.
• Abnormal increase in levels of a hormone called estrogen.

You can only manage or attempt prevent this condition.

Things to Know About Lupus

• In 10 people with lupus, 9 are women
• Use of anticoagulants, anti-inflammatory drugs, antimalarials, biologics, immunosuppressive and steroids are recommended for lupus treatment
•  65 per cent of lupus patients say chronic pain is the most difficult part of having lupus
•  76 per cent of lupus patients say fatigue caused by lupus has forced them to cut back on social activities
•  89 per cent of lupus patients say they can no longer work full-time due to lupus complications.