What disease infects more people than AIDS, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, sickle-cell anemia and cystic fibrosis combined?
Most people would never guess that the answer is lupus. Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease which causes inflammation of various parts of the body, especially the skin, joints, blood, kidneys or the brain.People with lupus have a defect in their immune system. Instead of the body’s natural substances, known as antibodies, fighting off germs and viruses, the antibodies go out of control and attack healthy tissues of the body as well.
Why would this information be important to you? Well to a black female, knowledge of this disease is imperative. People of all races and sex may get lupus, however it is 10-15 times more frequent among adult females than adult males (nine out of 10 people who have lupus are women), and three times more common in black women than in white women. One in 250 black women will get the disease.
Researchers and doctors do not know why the disease is more common in black females. Most people with Lupus look healthy and the most common signs of it include: a red rash or color change across the nose and cheeks of the face, painful or swollen joints, unexplained fever, chest pain with breathing, unusual hair loss, pale or purple fingers or toes from cold or stress, sensitivity to the sun, or low blood count. A combination of these symptoms occurring at once is more serious. So what causes lupus?
The cause is unknown but environmental and genetic factors are involved. Some of the environmental factors that may trigger the disease are infections, antibodies, ultraviolet light, extreme stress, and certain drugs. Many people believe Lupus is genetic, but only 10 percent of lupus patients will have a close relative (parent or sibling) who already has or may develop lupus.
Statistics show that only about 5 percent of the children born to individuals with lupus will develop the illness. Lupus is not contagious. You can not catch or give it to anyone else. Also, it is not a form of cancer or AIDS.
There are three major types of lupus: Systemic (affects certain parts of the body), Discoid (mainly affects the skin), and Drug-induced (caused by medicine).Systemic lupus is usually the most severe form of the three.
Most people with lupus can lead active, productive, fulfilling lives and go on to have families and jobs with no problem. Females with lupus should watch their diet, somewhat, and must have planned pregnancies.
There are times when the disease is in remission (inactive), and at other times lupus flares up and becomes active. Some people with the disease are constantly in and out of the hospital and some rarely ever see the hospital.
Lupus cannot be cured. Certain signs of the disease can be relieved, but once you contract the disease, you have it for life.It can be fatal if medication is not taken for it.
The bottom line is that as long as a lupus patient keeps scheduled appointments with his or her physician, takes all medications as necessary, stays active, maintains a well-balanced diet, and wears sunscreen whenever outdoors, lupus should not affect them much and flare ups should be at a minimum.
The progress made in treatment and diagnosis during the last decade has been greater than that made over the past 100 years. With this in mind, it is safe to say that a positive outlook on a potential cure is a sensible inspiration.