Red lupus is a chronic self -immune disease, which occurs when the immune system loses its ability to distinguish between healthy cells and exotic or harmful cells, so it begins to attack the body’s natural tissues by mistake, which causes inflammation and damage to multiple tissues and organs, such as: skin, joints, kidneys, heart, lungs, blood cells, brain.
Red lupus is caused by a complex interaction between several factors that lead to an immune system disorder, to begin to attack healthy body cells.
There is a group of factors that lead to lupus red, among them:
Genetic factors: In the event of a family history of lupus or other immune diseases, the risk of infection increases, there are certain genes associated with increased ability to infection.
Environmental factors: such as excessive exposure to sunlight (ultraviolet radiation), infection with some viruses such as the Epstein-Barr virus, exposure to chemicals such as dust or mercury, severe physical or psychological stress.
There is a type known as “lupus resulting from medications”, such as hydralazine drugs (to treat blood pressure), brocaiinamide (for heart disorders), Iisoniazid (to treat tuberculosis), this type often goes away after stopping the drug.
It can also occur as a result of an imbalance in the immune system, which loses the ability to distinguish between the “enemy” and “self”, attacking the cells of the body and forming antibodies that cause infections and tissue damage.
Symptoms of lupus vary from person to person, may appear gradually or suddenly, are light or severe, temporary or permanent. This is because the disease can affect any part of the body.
Among the symptoms: severe fatigue (even with comfort), repeated, unjustified fever, loss of appetite and weight loss, muscle pain without a clear cause.
In addition to symptoms of joints and bones, they are the pain and stiffness of the joints, especially in the hands and wrists, the swelling and redness of the joints, and symptoms similar to rheumatoid arthritis.
A butterfly rash across the nose and cheeks (one of the most prominent signs of lupus), or a red or purple rash in other places of the body.
Severe sensitivity to sunlight, hair loss or thinning, and ulcers in the mouth or nose.
As for the symptoms of the heart and lung, they are chest pain when breathing deeply (due to inflammation of the crystalline or pericardic), shortness of breath, and in some cases: myocarditis or problems with the heart valves, chronic headache, dizziness or spasmodic episodes (epilepsy), depression or anxiety, difficulty in focusing or “mental fog”.
Diagnosis begins through several methods, namely:
Reviewing medical history and clinical examination, he asks the doctor about when the symptoms began and how they occur.
Skin rash examination: especially the “butterfly” rash, joints (to detect swelling or pain), and vital signs (such as heat, blood pressure).
Medical analyzes: Among the most important blood tests that help in diagnosis: antibodies to the nucleus, the antibodies for lupus, analyzes of kidney and liver function, urine analysis, full blood census analysis, and immune supplement level.
Additional tests can also be performed according to symptoms, such as the kidney biopsy to assess the severity of nephritis, chest rays or magnetic resonance imaging if symptoms appear in the heart or nervous system, other immune tests.
There is no final treatment yet, but using continuous medications and follow -up, the disease can be controlled well, as the treatment aims to control symptoms, prevent organ damage, reduce excess immune system activity, and improve the quality of life.
Medicines to treat lupus
As for the drugs used in the treatment of lupus, they are represented in non -steroidal anti -inflammatory drugs, malaria drugs are effective in treating rashes, joint pain, and fatigue, used in the long run and reduces the frequency of the disease activity, as well as cortisone, immunosuppressants, and biological treatments, designated for cases that do not respond well to traditional drugs.
A healthy system may be followed that include adequate comfort and regular sleep, while avoiding the sun exposure and always using a solar condom.
In addition to a healthy and balanced diet rich in vegetables, fruits and proteins, as well as regular exercise regularly, avoiding stress and psychological pressures, and quitting smoking.
In general, the condition should be monitored periodically with a doctor who specializes in immune or rheumatism, while conducting periodic blood, kidneys and heart examinations, modifying medications according to the activity of the disease and its stages.
