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Lupus is a frightening disease to be diagnosed with. That’s partly because the effects of it can be so devastating and partly because lots of people don’t know much about it. Of course, we hear about it from pop culture sources. After all, the average episode of House M.D. has the cast arguing back and forth over whether or not something is lupus so often that it’s become a meme.
But how many of us really know any hard facts about the condition? Like what exactly is lupus? What are some common causes of lupus ? How do you get the disease? And what can you do to treat it?
What Is Lupus?
Lupus is, on a basic level, an autoimmune disease. That means that lupus causes your body’s immune system to basically turn against you. In a healthy immune system, your white blood cells produce something called antibodies. These antibodies identify and destroy foreign cells like bacteria and viruses. It’s an important part of what keeps us healthy.
But in someone with lupus, the immune system begins to confuse your own, healthy cells for foreign invaders and starts attacking them. This results in symptoms like fatigue and muscle pains. In severe cases, lupus can cause your vital organs like the kidneys and the heart or lungs to start breaking down, which can lead to death.
Common Lupus Causes
No one knows for sure why certain people develop lupus but we do know there are a few things that can make your risk for developing lupus higher. And the disease itself seems to hinge on the interaction between genetics and environment.
We know that having a family member with lupus elevates your chances of developing the condition slightly. And we know that women are overwhelmingly more often affected than men. Certain ethnic groups are more likely than others to develop lupus as well. And finally, having an identical twin with the condition makes people much more likely to get lupus.
All these facts imply that your genetic makeup plays some role in determining if you develop lupus.
But there’s also evidence that environment plays a role as well. For instance, viral infections can sometimes trigger lupus symptoms in people who didn’t previously have the disease. In addition, there are a wide range of drugs that can actually trigger lupus. Usually, this form of lupus is less severe than normal lupus. And it typically resolves itself after a few months off of the medication.
Finally, some people have argued that UV light from the sun is actually one of the major causes of lupus. It’s an interesting theory, especially given the fact that many people with lupus are sensitive to light and exposure to UV light can cause your lupus to flare up. But there’s little compelling evidence for UV light to actually be one of the central lupus causes.
But the thing most likely to lead to the development of lupus is actually another autoimmune condition. Autoimmune conditions frequently seem to develop into other autoimmune conditions, and lupus is no exception.
How Is Lupus Treated?
Luckily if you do develop lupus, it is fairly easy to treat. And the vast majority of people with lupus live long, full lives. The average person with lupus lives as long as the average person who doesn’t have it, in fact.
Lupus is treated with drugs that target the inflammation of the tissue it causes. This inflammation is actually the dangerous part of the disease as it is what actually damages your vital organs. One of the simplest ways to treat lupus is with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. These drugs are actually simple, over-the-counter painkillers like aspirin and ibuprofen. They not only reduce pain but the inflammation lupus causes as well.
In more serious cases of lupus, doctors may prescribe you corticosteroids. Corticosteroids are hormones your body naturally produces to handle inflammation, and by taking extra doses of them, you can manage inflammation from lupus.
Finally, there is the option of immunosuppressant drugs. These drugs work by lowering the activity of the immune system. That reduces the number of antibodies you have attacking your cells and limiting the damage that lupus causes to your vital organs.
The important thing when it comes to lupus is to get treatment early before the symptoms become severe. Lupus can be managed, and doing so effectively might just save your life.
So do you live with lupus? What’s it like? How do you manage your symptoms? Tell us in the comments section below.
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