Lupus Disease



             


Wednesday, January 28, 2009

The Causes of Lupus between Facts and Suppositions

Lupus can be defined as a severe inflammatory disease that affects virtually any region of the body. Lupus is also considered to be an autoimmune disease, involving inappropriate functioning of the immune system. Due to this fact, the disease can eventually lead to a wide variety of disorders, producing an extensive range of symptoms.

The healthy human body normally produces antibodies that protect the organism from infections, constantly fighting against bacteria, viruses and antigens, foreign bodies that are responsible for causing all kinds of diseases. However, lupus generates serious impairments at the level of the immune system, causing it to turn against normal, healthy body cells instead of fighting against infectious agents. In the case of patients with lupus, the immune system becomes confused, being unable to make the difference between healthy body cells and antigens, thus attacking the body cells at random. When antigens enter the body and cause infections at various levels of the organism, the compromised immune system produces antibodies that accumulate and build up at the site of the infection, destroying healthy cells and tissues instead of the intruding infectious agents. As a result, the malfunctioning antibodies generate local inflammation, and can even cause serious deterioration of the body tissues.

Although medical science has recently unveiled the way lupus affects the human body, the actual causes of the disease remain unknown. In the absence of clear medical evidence, doctors can only theorize upon the factors causative of lupus. In present, it is suspected that both genetic and environmental factors may be responsible for causing the disease, although the exact risk factors of the disease are still a mystery. Medical scientists have revealed the fact that lupus aggravates on the premises of infections, physical and emotional stress, hormonal dysfunctions and even inappropriate use of antibiotics. However, neither of these risk factors alone can be linked with the occurrence of lupus. Thus, it is believed that lupus occurs due to a cumulus of factors that work together in triggering and facilitating the evolution of the disease.

Elaborate medical research have identified the fact that lupus has a pronounced hereditary character, suggesting a strong implication of genetic factors in causing this type of autoimmune disease. Although the specific causative gene is still unknown to medical science, the fact that lupus can be transmitted from a generation to another can?t be contested. Another interesting feature of lupus is that it predominantly affects the female gender. Despite the fact that it can also affect men, lupus is more often seen in women. Furthermore, lupus is most likely to occur in African American Indian and Asian women, fact that supports the theory regarding the genetic transmissibility of the disease.

Despite the ongoing efforts invested by medical scientists in the process of identifying the exact causes and risk factors of lupus, the disease is still shrouded in mystery. However, doctors are optimistic, claiming that they are very close to revealing the specific causative genetic factors which are nowadays considered to be the main triggers of lupus. Once medical science reveals the way lupus occurs and progresses, doctors will be able to come up with the specific treatment and thus bring hope among the thousands of lupus sufferers.

So if you want to find more about Lupus or more details about lupus rash please follow this link http://www.lupus-

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Thursday, January 15, 2009

What Is Lupus Erythematosus

Lupus Erythematosus LE (pronounced: er-uh-thee-muh-toe-sus) was given its name by a 19th century French doctor who thought that the facial rash of some people with lupus looked like the bite or scratch of a wolf ("lupus" are Latin for wolf and "erythematosus" is Latin for red).

Lupus Erythematosus were first recognized as a disorder of the skin. The name was given to differentiate this disorder from the skin changes found when tuberculosis affects the skin. The severity of the systemic disorder appears to be inversely related to the severity of the skin disorder.

Lupus are an unpredictable disease. Signs of the disease appear and disappear, sometimes for no apparent reason. Because lupus assume so many different forms and can change, finding the right balance of treatment for you may take time. Your treatment will depend on the symptoms you experience and the organs affected. Once an effective treatment program has been started, continue to follow it. If your symptoms change, let your doctor know so that you can work together to modify your program.

People who may have Lupus also experience symptoms such as: Fatigue along with dizziness, headaches or depression, unexplained fever, which may be an early sign of lupus

Even though the cause of lupus is unknown, researchers think that many factors may trigger the disease. Genetics may play a role. Some people may have a genetic predisposition to lupus that is then activated by an infection, certain medications, or extreme physical or emotional stress. The hormone estrogen may also play a role in lupus and could help explain why it is more common in females than males. Lupus also occur more frequently in African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans than in Caucasians.

Lupus can affect almost any part of your body, including your joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, blood vessels, and brain. There is no way to know what part of your body will be affected. For most people though, lupus are a mild disease affecting only a few parts of your body, and some patients don't get inner organ problems (like in the heart and lungs), but do have skin and joint problems.

A blood test called an ANA, which detects a group of autoantibodies found in the blood of people with lupus. These autoantibodies attack the body?s own cells. However, this test is not diagnostic of lupus. Other laboratory tests to detect specific antibodies such as anti-DNA or an anti. An a SM may be helpful in diagnosing lupus or related diseases.

The Treatment plan for lupus includes taking medications to reduce the inflammation and reduce the activity of the immune system, balancing rest with exercise, and maintaining a proper diet.

Tina Magatalas is the author of www.lupus411.com

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