Lupus

Overview

Lupus is a chronic disease with a variety of symptoms caused by inflammation in one or more parts of the body. It belongs in the family of diseases that includes rheumatoid arthritis multiple sclerosis juvenile diabetes and scleroderma. An estimated 15000 Canadians have lupus. While anyone can get lupus women of childbearing age (15-44) are up to 10 times more likely than men to develop this disease. There is no cure for lupus but in most cases it can be managed.

Causes

Lupus is an autoimmune disease. Normally the immune system does its job well - defending the body from bacteria and viruses. But with lupus the immune system can't tell the difference between a foreign invader and a friendly cell. It tries to protect itself by mistakenly attacking the body's own tissues causing inflammation and creating the symptoms of lupus. No one knows for sure why the immune system gets confused in this way. Scientists are looking into possible hormonal and genetic links.

There are three main types of lupus:

Systemic lupus erythematosus(eh-RITH-eh-muh-TOE-sus) is the most common form. It's sometimes called SLE or just lupus. The word "systemic" means that the disease can involve many parts of the body such as the heart lungs kidneys and brain. SLE symptoms can be mild or serious.

Discoid lupus erythematosus mainly affects the skin. A red rash may appear or the skin on the face scalp or elsewhere may change color.

Drug-induced lupus is triggered by a few medicines. It's like SLE but symptoms are usually milder. Most of the time the disease goes away when the medicine is stopped.

Symptoms

There are so many possible symptoms that lupus is known as "the disease with a thousand faces" and "the great imitator". One person with lupus may have swollen knees and fever. Another person may be tired all the time or have kidney trouble. Someone else may have rashes. Lupus can involve the joints the skin the kidneys the lungs the heart and/or the brain. If you have lupus it may affect two or three parts of your body. Some symptoms of lupus are:

  • Achy or swollen joints
  • Persistent fever over 100 degrees
  • Prolonged extreme fatigue
  • Skin rashes including a butterfly shaped rash across the cheeks and nose
  • Pain in the chest on deep breathing
  • Anemia
  • Excessive protein in the urine
  • Sensitivity to sun or ultraviolet light
  • Hair loss
  • Abnormal blood clotting problems
  • Fingers turning white and/or blue in the cold
  • Seizures
  • Mouth or nose ulcers lasting longer than two weeks

Usually one person doesn't have all the possible symptoms. As well symptoms of lupus tend to come and go. You may have swelling and rashes one week and no symptoms at all the next. Your symptoms may "flare" after you've been out in the sun or after a hard day of work. Because of the myriad of symptoms many people have lupus for a long time before they find out they have it. Tell your doctor about your symptoms so that he can make a proper diagnosis and if necessary recommend treatment.

Treatment

Treatment for lupus depends on your individual symptoms and needs. Your doctor may recommend something as simple as aspirin or ibuprofen to reduce joint pain and inflammation. Creams may be prescribed for a rash. Stronger medicines such as antimalaria drugs corticosteroids and chemotherapy drugs are available for more serious problems.

Even if you take medicine for lupus you will need to learn how to recognize when symptoms may "flare" or become worse. Often these flares follow a clear pattern with the same combination of signs every time. Many people feel very tired or have pain a rash a fever stomach discomfort headache or dizziness just before a flare. If you learn to recognize your body's own early warning signs and tell your doctor when they first appear treatment can be more effective.

Self-Care:

  • Learn to pace yourself. Slow down or stop before you're too tired. Spread out your work and other activities.
  • Don't blame yourself for your fatigue. It's part of the disease.
  • Consider support groups and counseling. They can help you realize that you're not alone. Group members teach one another how to cope.

Exercising is another approach that can help you cope with lupus. Types of exercise that you can practice include the following:

  • Range-of-motion (for example stretching) exercises help maintain normal joint movement and relieve stiffness. This type of exercise helps maintain or increase flexibility.
  • Strengthening (for example weight-lifting) exercises help keep or increase muscle strength. Strong muscles help support and protect joints affected by lupus.
  • Aerobic or endurance (for example brisk walking or jogging) exercises improve cardiovascular fitness help control weight and improve overall function.

Additional Resources

The Arthritis Society

Lupus Canada