Symptoms of Lupus

Read More About Diseases and Conditions

Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that comes about when the body's immune system starts to attack its own tissues and organs. The inflammation that results from lupus can affect many different areas all over the body, including the joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, heart and lungs.

Lupus is far more often observed in women than in men but no clear reason for this observation has been discerned. There are four kinds of lupus in existence these are: systemic lupus erythematosus, discoid lupus erythematosus, drug-induced lupus erythematosus and neonatal lupus. Of the types mentioned, systemic lupus erythematosus is by far the most common and serious form of lupus.

The outlook for people with this disease was very poor in the past however improvements in the diagnosis and treatment methods implemented for lupus has significantly enhanced the likelihood of surviving with the condition. Once the disease is treated most people with the disease can lead normal lives.

Because it is an autoimmune disease, it not only attacks foreign substances that may enter the body, such as bacteria and viruses, but also incites the immune system to attack healthy tissue. As said before this leads to inflammation and consequential damage to different sections of the body, inclusive of the joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, blood vessels and brain.

It is not yet known what causes the disease, like other autoimmune diseases it remains a mystery. It is speculated that it is the result of a combination of factors, most notably, the patient's genes and the environment. Some experts also think that a person may inherit a predisposition to lupus, but not the actual disease itself. Instead, people with this probable inherited predisposition for the disease may only develop the condition when they make some form of contact with something in the environment that may induce lupus, including some types of medication or a virus.

The disease does not necessarily develop in the same way for all individuals affected by the disease . Signs and symptoms may materialize suddenly or develop gradually. They may be mild or severe, and may be temporary with fluctuating bouts of the associated symptoms or permanent. Most people affected by lupus have a mild form of the disease characterized by episodes which are considered flares when signs and symptoms are worsened for a short period, then improve or even disappear completely for some time.
The signs and symptoms of lupus that an individual will face will greatly depend on the areas of the body that are troubled by the condition. However the more regular signs and symptoms may include any of the following:

Anxiety
Depression
Memory loss
Fatigue
Fever
Weight loss or gain
Fingers and toes that turn white or blue during exposure to cold or during stressful periods. This is called Raynaud's phenomenon.
Joint pain, stiffness and swelling
Butterfly-shaped rash or malar rash on the face that covers sections of the cheeks and the bridge of the nose
Skin lesions that appear and are actually worsened by sun exposure
Mouth sores
Hair loss (alopecia)
Shortness of breath
Chest pain
Dry eyes
Easy bruising

Once an individual develops an unexplained rash, ongoing fever, persistent aching or fatigue, he or she should consult a doctor to rule out the possibility that it could be lupus.

Once a person has been diagnosed with lupus, he or she should have regular consultations with a doctor so that the condition can be treated and monitored effectively. Also any new symptoms should be looked on immediately.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

Please visit these links for more information on Symptoms of Lupus Link I and Link II.

Please Rate this Article

Not yet Rated

Click the XML Icon Above to Receive Diseases and Conditions Articles Via RSS!

Additional Articles From - Home | Health | Diseases And Conditions

The Facts about Dessicated Thyroid - By : Alex Duran
Big Signs of Diabetes - By : Shelly Brown
Why Choose Florida Drug Rehab to Give Yourself a Second Chance! - By : William Burk
Ways of healing social anxiety - Find ways to challenge automatic negative thoughts - By : Randall Haddox
Niacin And Cholesterol: Ways Of Controlling Your Cholesterol Level - By : Hugh J. Lara
Information Of Causes Of Heart Disease - By : Benjamein Moore
Know About The Types Of Heart Disease - By : Benjamein Moore
The Most reasonable And effortless Ways to get Allergy Relief - By : Michael Kaine
Know About The List Of Heart Disease - By : Barbara
Nummular Eczema Treatment - By : Greg Kolesnik

Our other websites
All about SEO
Beauty Tips Forum

	Print This Article
	Post Comment
	Add To Favorites
	Email to Friends
	Ezine Ready

Submit Articles
Member Login
Link Us
Submission Guidelines
Ezine Notifications
Article RSS Feeds
Sitemap

New Stuff
About Us
Developer
Good shopping portal
Link to Us
Contact Us
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service