The Basics of Lupus
In the recent past, you may have seen some commercials that include celebrities warning you about the risks of the disease known as lupus. The commercials are fairly vague in their diagnosis of the disease, and many people don’t realize exactly what the problem is and what can be done in order to keep it at bay. In this article, we’ll be examining what lupus is in order to increase your knowledge of the illness.
Lupus is a type of debilitating immune system problem that can be fatal in some cases. Basically, the problem that lupus poses is that it causes your body’s immune system to begin to attack your body itself, damaging many different areas of the body.
Some of the more commonly attacked parts of the body that lupus strikes are the heart, the skin, the joints, lungs, kidneys, blood vessels, and the nervous system. The cause of the disease has not yet been discovered, and it is a tough disease to pin down by noticing symptoms because there are a wide range of different symptoms that you may experience when you have the disease, leading many to call lupus `the great imitator’.
Some of the more commonly experienced symptoms of lupus include a fever, malaise, fatigue, and joint pain. Since these symptoms can all be attributed to different physiological problems within the body, many fail to realize that they are afflicted with the disease.
The severity of lupus tends to vary over time. Sometimes, the disease can go into remission, leading one to believe that the problem is diminishing. It is also known to flare up after a remission. It is tough to pin down a way to begin a prevention program for the disease because we know very little about it.
Much progress has been made in the past few decades, however. The disease was first discovered in the middle ages and associated with a type of rash that people with the disease had. In 1948, modern-day technology enabled us to identify the LE cell that was present within individuals with lupus. In the 1950s, an individual that was diagnosed with a case of lupus had a life expectancy of five years or less.
These days, thanks to some of the medical treatments available for those who are suffering from lupus, more than ninety percent of all lupus patients survive longer than ten years. Infection is the most common cause of death for those who are suffering from lupus, as the immune system is damaged and will allow viruses and microbes to wreak havoc on the body.
Drug therapy is the most commonly used methodology when it comes to treating an individual with a case of lupus. Corticosteroids and immune system suppressants are often employed for serious cases of lupus in order to help to control the immune system of the individual. When steroids are used for treatments, side effects may manifest such as obesity, diabetes, and osteoporosis. Mild cases of lupus are left untreated in some individuals.
Lupus Resource: The Lupus Bible & Norton Protocol
Lupus ruins the life of over 1.5 million people in USA alone. Groundbreaking holistic protocol socially proven worldwide finally offers hope that the pain can stop and these people who suffer so terribly can live normally once again.
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The Basics of Lupus related articles from the blogosphere…
Sam vs. Kitchen: On being told I am not willing to "think …
I have lupus. (I stop now for your gasps of surprise). My immune system periodically tries to kill me. In fact, for the past year, it has been continuously trying to kill me. I have fevers that last for months. …
Publish Date: 04/04/2011 17:16
http://samvskitchen.blogspot.com/2011/04/on-being-told-i-am-not-willing-to-think.html
The basics & learn about Arthritis
After osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), three other major types of arthritis are systemic lupus erythematosis, Ankylosing Spondylitis and gout. Let’s take a look at each: Systemic Lupus Erythematosis (SLE) – This form …
Publish Date: 03/23/2011 10:37
http://systemiclupuserythematosis.daelg.com/2011/03/24/the-basics-learn-about-arthritis/
Lupus and Chronic Kidney Disease – DaVita
Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that primarily targets women,especially minorities,in their childbearing years. While the effects of lupus can range from mild to severe,about half of all lupus patients suffer kidney damage that …
Publish Date: 12/04/2006 6:00
http://www.davita.com/kidney-disease/overview/assessing-your-risk/lupus-and-chronic-kidney-disease/e/4815
Book on The Basics of Lupus:
The Lupus Book: A Guide for Patients and Their Families
by: Daniel J Wallace
publisher: Oxford University Press, USA, published: 2008-12-02
ASIN: 019537309X
EAN: 9780195373097
sales rank: 17435
price: $14.35 (new), $14.89 (used)
Lupus, a disease of the immune system, can be quite deadly, claiming the lives of thousands of patients yearly. Dr. Daniel J. Wallace is one of the world’s leading authorities on this disorder, an eminent clinician who has treated over 2000 lupus patients, the largest such practice in America. His The Lupus Book, originally published in 1995, immediately established itself as the most readable and helpful book on the disease.
Now Dr. Wallace has once again completely revised The Lupus Book, incorporating a wealth of new information. This Fourth Edition discusses the newest clinical trials and emerging therapies–all laid out in user-friendly language that any patient could understand. Readers will also discover fully updated sections on the science of lupus and breakthroughs in research. And as in past editions, the book provides absolutely lucid answers to such questions as: What causes lupus? How and where is the body affected? Can a woman with lupus have a baby? And how can one manage this disease? Indeed, Dr. Wallace has distilled his extensive experience, providing the most up-to-date information on causes, prevention, cure, exercise, diet, and many other important topics. There is also a glossary of terms and an appendix of lupus resource materials compiled by the Lupus Foundation of America.
Over a million Americans have lupus. The Fourth Edition of The Lupus Book offers these patients and their families a wealth of reliable, up-to-date information that will help them manage the disease and live a happier life.
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