According to the Lupus Foundation of America, 1.5 million Americans are living with some form of lupus today. But a diagnosis of lupus can have several different meanings: Some people experience only mild disease activity that becomes apparent when they exhibit the classic lupus rash; others can have a life-threatening type of lupus that affects almost every part of the body.
The first lupus diagnosis dates back to the Middle Ages. The term "lupus" comes from the Latin word for wolf the 12th-century physician Rogerius thought the skin lesions seen in lupus looked like a wolf's bite. It was not until 1872 that physicians documented a more severe form of lupus that was characterized by fever, weight loss, anemia, and arthritis.
Today experts know that lupus is actually an autoimmune disease a condition that occurs when the immune system turns against itself. Normally the immune system makes proteins called antibodies that protect the body from infections. In people with an autoimmune disease, however, the immune system loses the ability to tell the difference between outside invaders and the body's normal cells. The inflammation caused by "autoantibodies" is what causes the symptoms seen in lupus.
What Are the Different Types of Lupus?
Several types of lupus are recognized today. These include:
The most common type of cutaneous lupus is called discoid lupus. The rash of discoid lupus may last for a few days or, for some, go on for years. It can go away for a long time and then come back. Discoid lupus is much more common in women than men and usually occurs between the ages of 20 and 50.
In about 10 percent of people with cutaneous lupus, the condition progresses to systemic lupus, a more serious form of the disease, says the Lupus Foundation of America. It may also be that these people already had systemic lupus, and the rash was just the first symptom.
Symptoms of systemic lupus can be mild or severe and tend to come and go over time. Common symptoms include:
The most common type of cutaneous lupus is called discoid lupus. The rash of discoid lupus may last for a few days or, for some, go on for years. It can go away for a long time and then come back. Discoid lupus is much more common in women than men and usually occurs between the ages of 20 and 50.
In about 10 percent of people with cutaneous lupus, the condition progresses to systemic lupus, a more serious form of the disease, says the Lupus Foundation of America. It may also be that these people already had systemic lupus, and the rash was just the first symptom.
Symptoms of systemic lupus can be mild or severe and tend to come and go over time. Common symptoms include:
Symptoms may be similar to those of systemic lupus and can include muscle and joint pain, fever, and rash. Men are more likely to have drug-induced lupus than women. Once the medication is stopped, symptoms of drug-induced lupus typically go away within six months, and it does not lead to systemic lupus.
Symptoms may be similar to those of systemic lupus and can include muscle and joint pain, fever, and rash. Men are more likely to have drug-induced lupus than women. Once the medication is stopped, symptoms of drug-induced lupus typically go away within six months, and it does not lead to systemic lupus.
Cutaneous, drug-induced, and neonatal lupus are milder forms of lupus that can resolve on their own. Although there is no cure for systemic lupus, drug treatment is usually effective in relieving symptoms, and people with systemic lupus can lead active, productive lives.
Source: http://www.everydayhealth.com
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