can anyone tell me what lupus is and what the symptoms are?

Answer 1

Lupus

Definition

Lupus, also known as lupus erythematosus, is an autoimmune inflammatory disorder that occurs mostly in women.

Description

Lupus produces widely varying symptoms, although joint pain is reported by most patients and skin lesions are common. Lupus can cause short periods of symptoms alternating with healthy periods, or can progress into a life-threatening disorder affecting the heart, kidneys, and other organs.

Why the disease is termed lupus is unknown, but it has been known as a distinct disorder and called lupus by European physicians since at least the tenth century A.D. The term erythematosus was first attached to the disease in the 1850s, and it refers to the patchy congestion of skin capillaries with blood (erythema) that often accompanies the disease.

Demographics

Between one million and 1.5 million Americans have some form of lupus. The incidence among women is 10–15 times greater than among men, and it is two to three times more common among African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, and Native Americans than among whites. Lupus most often appears for the first time in women between the ages of 15 and 44. Twenty thousand people die of lupus-related causes in the United States annually.

Causes and symptoms

Lupus is an autoimmune disorder, a disease in which the body's immune system turns against the body itself. In a healthy person, the immune system defends against invading organisms but does not, in general, attack the body's own tissues. The cause of lupus is unknown. However, it is known that lupus has a genetic component, which means a predisposition to lupus can be inherited. Approximately 10% of lupus patients have one or more direct relatives with lupus. (Note that this means that 90% of lupus patients have no such relatives; however, it shows a connection...

Possible treatment:

Retin-A is often used to improve the appearance and texture of the skin. It produces a mild, superficial peel of the epidermis. Retin-A has effects on the both the superficial (epidermis) and the deep (dermis) parts of the skin. The major benefit is to decrease the effects of sunlight caused aging by increasing the speed with which the surface cells are replaced.

Answer 2

Sure. I have lupus.

There are different kinds of lupus:systemic lupus erythematosus, discoid or cutaneous, drug-induced and neonatal. Lupus is often seen in overlap with other diseases.

Lupus is a chronic, incurable, autoimmune, inflammatory disease that can affect virtually every organ and system in the body. The person's immune system cannot tell the difference between self and invaders like germs and cancers. 1.5 million Americans suffer from some form of the disease. 90% of them are women. Lupus most often develops during childbearing years 15-44.

Symptoms include joint pain, profound fatigue, pleurisy, protein in the urine, anemia, sudden weight loss or gain, migraines, etc.On the link below there is a list of symptoms, tests, treatments and a test yourself for lupus quiz.

There is not one definitive test for lupus. Many other disease have to be ruled out first. Then taking history, symptoms, and labs a diagnosis may be made.

www.lupus.org

Answer 3

Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus, SLE) is an autoimmune disease in which a person’s immune system attacks various organs or cells of the body causing damage and dysfunction. Lupus is called a multisystem disease because it can affect many different tissues and organs in the body. Some patients with lupus have a very mild condition, which can be treated with simple medications, whereas others can have serious, life-threatening complications. Lupus is more common in women than men, and its peak incidence is after puberty—the reason for this is unknown.

While lupus is a chronic illness, it is characterized by periods when the disease activity is minimal or absent (remission) and when it is active (relapse or flare). The outlook for patients with SLE today is much better than years ago because of greater awareness and better tests leading to earlier diagnosis and treatment and more effective and safer medications.

Answer 4

Lupus is a muscular disease that causes the muscles to lose all strength over time. My humble understanding...all I have.

Answer 5

Its a connective tissue disease4, an autoimmune disease where your body attacks itself so to say. You have the internet so you could probly find a good site that can explain it in more detail then the answers you will get here!

Answer 6

It is a form of cancer. I don't know much about it but I am sure you can find out on the net. The only person I met who had it, had what looked like rather bad acne scars on his neck and throat.