What is Lupus disease?

Lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease that causes the person's defense cells to attack their own healthy cells causing inflammation in the joints, skin, eyes, kidneys, brain, heart or lungs, not being a type of cancer.

Lupus symptoms usually arise after birth, but in some cases may appear years later due to an infection, use of some medications or even due to exaggerated exposure to the sun, for example.

Although lupus has no cure, there are some treatments that help relieve the symptoms and prevent them from reappearing so it is recommended to be accompanied by the rheumatologist.

Main symptoms of lupus

The main symptoms of lupus disease are listed below, so if you think you may be suffering from this disease, please note the following symptoms:

1. 1. Red spot shaped butterfly wings on the face, on the nose and cheeks of the face? Yes No
2. 2. Several red spots on the skin that peel and heal, leaving a scar slightly lower than the skin? Yes No
3. 3. Skin spots that appear after exposure to sunlight? Yes No
4. 4. Small painful sores in the mouth or inside the nose? Yes No
5. 5. Pain or swelling in one or more joints? Yes No
6. 6. Episodes of convulsions or mental changes without apparent cause? Yes No

These symptoms vary in each case depending on the organs affected by lupus and therefore it can be difficult to diagnose the disease, especially because it has symptoms that may indicate other diseases. Learn more about how the disease is diagnosed in: How to know if it is lupus.

Symptoms may appear rapidly or develop over time, may become permanent but generally improve with proper treatment.

How Lupus Treatment Is Done

The treatment for lupus varies according to the symptoms manifested by the patient and therefore it is advisable to consult the specialist physician according to the type of symptom and the affected organ.

However, the most commonly used treatments for lupus are:

• Anti-inflammatory medicines, such as Naproxen or Ibuprofen: are used mainly when lupus causes symptoms like pain, swelling or fever;
• Antimalarial medicines, such as Chloroquine: help prevent the development of lupus symptoms in some cases;
• Corticosteroid medicines, such as Prednisone or Betamethasone: reduce inflammation of the affected organs;
• Immunosuppressive medicines: such as azathioprine or methotrexate, to decrease the action of the immune system and relieve symptoms. However, this type of medication has serious side effects like recurrent infections and increased risk of cancer and therefore should only be used in the most severe cases.

Some remedies can have side effects that affect the eyes causing pain, redness and inflammation and if this happens the doctor can assess if there is a possibility of changing the medicine for a similar one other than this same side effect. Learn more at: 7 Rheumatologic diseases that can affect the eyes.

How Food Can Help

Watch the following video that we have prepared for you:

Foods suitable for people with lupus are anti-inflammatory foods, such as:

• Salmon, tuna, cod, herring, mackerel, sardines and trout as they are rich in omega 3
• Green tea, garlic, oats, onions, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage, flaxseed, soybeans, tomatoes and grapes as they are antioxidants
• Avocado, sour orange, lemon, tomato, onion, carrot, lettuce, cucumber, turnip, cabbage, sprouts, beets, lentils, since they are alkalizing foods.

In addition, it is also recommended that you invest in organic and whole foods and drink plenty of water every day. See a menu that helps to control the symptoms of the disease.

Main types of lupus

Lupus can be divided into 3 major categories, including:

1. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Systemic lupus causes inflammation in various organs of the body, especially the heart, kidneys and lungs, causing different symptoms according to affected sites.

2. Discoid Lupus

Discoid lupus causes lesions to appear only on the skin, not affecting other organs. However, some patients with discoid lupus may have progression from the disease to systemic lupus.

3. Drug-Induced Lupus

Drug induced lupus is a temporary inflammation of the skin that arises due to the use of certain drugs. Although it has symptoms similar to lupus, this type of lupus disappears when you stop using the medication, leaving the person cured.

What causes lupus

Lupus is an autoimmune disease that is usually caused by genetic mutations that occur during the development of the fetus in the uterus and therefore, the onset of symptoms during childhood is very common.

However, it is possible to be born without the disease and develop symptoms only during adulthood, due to factors that can cause the disease such as sun exposure, infections or use of medications such as antibiotics or medicines for high blood pressure.

How to protect the skin

When lupus causes sores and stains on the body the skin becomes more sensitive to burns and injuries caused by sun skin and UV rays, which increases the chances of skin cancer. The best way to protect yourself is to cover the affected skin and avoid sun exposure. Using sunscreen daily, even if it does not make sun, hat, dark glasses and clothes that cover the skin are great ways to prevent the lesions from favoring the installation of skin cancer.