What Causes Lupus?
Lupus is a condition that experts often find difficult to diagnose. This is largely because its symptoms are so similar to many other conditions. The symptoms can also vary considerably from patient to patient. There is not a single test that can diagnose the condition, so several tests will need to be undertaken.
In the past, lupus has taken many lives, but modern medicine means it is now nowhere nearly as dangerous as it used to be. While it is not usually a dangerous condition now, it can still be dangerous in some cases so treatment should always be sought. Most patients will make a full recovery, but a few will acquire some long-term complications.
1. Autoimmune
All around us are threats from bacteria, viruses, fungi, toxins, and other substances that have the potential to cause us real harm. Thankfully, however, we are protected by a system that springs into action whenever a threat is present. This system is known as the immune system, and we would be in a lot of trouble without it. Unfortunately, the immune system can also be the cause of problems for some people. An autoimmune condition is where the body is attacked by the immune system, and it can cause a host of problems for people. One example of an autoimmune condition is lupus.
2. Triggers
A lot of people are born with a predisposition toward developing lupus. Much of the time, the patient will experience no symptoms at all and the lupus will not appear. That is until they come into contact with something that triggers the condition. Just exactly why these triggers cause lupus is not well known, but we do at least know what some of the triggers are.
It is also all but impossible for the patient to avoid these triggers because they won’t know they are predisposed to lupus or what the triggers are for them personally. Some of the triggers will be encountered on a daily basis, making them even harder for people to avoid.
3. Sunlight
Sunlight is very difficult to avoid indeed, for obvious reasons. Some people do need to be more careful than others, particularly those that have very fair skin because they are prone to burning very easily. Other than that, it is very difficult to avoid the sun completely.
For some people, avoiding the sun is more about just avoiding a nasty burn. Some people will have very bad reactions even if they spend a short amount of time in relatively weak sunlight. For people with lupus, exposure to the sun can cause very bad skin reactions, while also potentially causing problems internally.
4. Medications
Medications are generally used to try to help us in terms of keeping us safe and well from diseases and other medical conditions. As the technology improves, medication becomes increasingly effective and able to treat a wider range of ailments. Unfortunately, however, some can trigger some very unwelcome side effects.
Most side effects of drugs are well-known, and the doctor should be able to give you a fair warning in advance. They can also trigger some unexpected complications, however, including lupus. The symptoms will usually clear up when the medication is stopped, but not always. Those drugs most likely to cause problems are antibiotics, antiseizure medication, and blood-pressure medication.
5. Infections
Infections are something that everybody needs to be careful about, including people who are in optimal health. Even in people with the strongest of immune systems there is always the risk that a pathogen can take hold and spread. The outcomes can be very serious indeed, so it is something that needs to be addressed. If infections are not enough of a risk already, then they are made even worse by the fact that an infection might also trigger lupus.
An infection can also cause a relapse in people who have had lupus in the past. If you do cut yourself or sustain some other injury, it is always a good idea to have the injury treated to prevent an infection from taking hold.
6. Risk Factors
It is difficult to tell exactly who might be at risk from developing lupus. Some individuals are predisposed to getting it, but it is very difficult to say beforehand. Regardless, people who fall into certain categories are more likely to develop it than other people are. One risk factor is race, and African Americans, Asian Americans, and Hispanics are more likely to develop lupus than other people are.
Having said that, people from all races can develop the condition. Lupus is also more common in women, and it occurs most often in people between people aged 15 and 45 years old. Indeed, people in these latter categories account for 90% of all cases.
7. Butterfly Rash
Perhaps the most telling of all the symptoms of lupus is the rash that it can cause. The rash is red and appears on the face in a characteristic butterfly shape, covering the bridge of the nose and the cheeks. Patients may also have rashes elsewhere on their body. In some people, lupus will also cause lesions on the skin when it has been triggered by exposure to the sun.
If you do get an unexplained rash and similar symptoms then you should arrange to speak with a doctor. It may turn out to be nothing, but it is always a good idea to err on the safe side of caution.
8. Other Symptoms
In addition to the tell-tale rash, patients with lupus are going to show some other symptoms. Most will experience a fever, along with joint pain. They can also find that their joints are swollen and stiff. Raynaud’s phenomenon is another common symptom, in which the patients toes and fingers turn blue or white when they are stressed or cold.
Lupus can also cause patients to feel fatigued, and this is often exasperated by some of the other symptoms the patient has. In addition, the patient might also have a pain in their chest and some will find that they are short of breath. Some patients with lupus will also have dry eyes.
9. Complications
With modern medicine, lupus is not a condition that is likely to cause much harm to the patient, and the vast majority will go on to make a full recovery. However, it can cause inflammation that can cause complications in a few cases. It is important that the patient is sought medical attention as soon as possible. Inflammation caused by lupus can affect major organs, possibly resulting in severe complications.
While all of the organs can be affected, it is kidney problems that have typically caused the highest number of fatalities historically. Symptoms to look out for include vision problem, breathing difficulties, difficulty thinking, and changes in behavior.
10. Other Risks
In addition to potentially causing problems with the organs, lupus can also increase the patients chances of developing other serious conditions. One of the most likely complications is a severe infection. This is because lupus wakens the patients immune system, making them more vulnerable.
In addition, some patients might experience avascular necrosis, which is the death of the bones tissues. There is also a very small increase in the patients odds of getting cancer. Lupus does present a potential threat to women that are pregnant, and women hoping to conceive are often advised to delay until at least 6 months after lupus has passed.
