What Is Lupus? - Lupus Foundation of America
WEBOct 21, 2020 · Lupus is a chronic (long-term) disease that can cause inflammation and pain in any part of your body. It’s an autoimmune disease, which means that your immune system — the body system that usually fights infections — attacks healthy tissue instead. Lupus most commonly affects your: Skin. Joints.
Help Us Solve The Cruel Mystery | Lupus Foundation of America
WEBOur health educators are available to answer your questions and give you the help you need. Contact a Health Education Specialist. The Lupus Foundation of America is the largest force in the fight to cure lupus. Read hundreds of articles and resources, and find dozens of ways to get involved. Join us.
Lab Tests for Lupus | Lupus Foundation of America
WEBRoutine blood tests. Usually, your doctor will first request a complete blood count (CBC). Your blood is made up of red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs), platelets and serum. The complete blood count measures the levels of each. In cases of lupus, these blood tests may reveal low numbers. Red blood cells carry oxygen to all parts of ...
Understanding lupus: a guide | Lupus Foundation of America
WEBOct 17, 2018 · Lupus is a chronic (long-term) disease that can cause inflammation (swelling) and pain any part of your body. It’s an autoimmune disease, meaning that your immune system attacks healthy tissue (tissue is what our organs are made of). Lupus most commonly affects the skin, joints, and internal organs — like your kidneys or lungs.
Lupus Symptoms | Lupus Foundation of America
WEBJul 25, 2023 · Sensitivity to sunlight or fluorescent light. Chest pain when breathing deeply. Many people with lupus also have problems that affect their skin and hair, like: A butterfly-shaped rash on the cheeks and nose. Hair loss. Sores in the mouth or nose. Fingers and toes turning white or blue and feeling numb when a person is cold or stressed (Raynaud ...
Diagnosing lupus - Lupus Foundation of America
WEBApr 20, 2020 · Diagnosing lupus can be challenging. There’s no single test that can give doctors a “yes” or “no” answer. Sometimes it can take months—or even years—to gather all the right information. Making a lupus diagnosis is kind of like putting together a puzzle. Your doctor will look at several different puzzle pieces: your symptoms ...
What Causes Lupus? - Lupus Foundation of America
WEBApr 30, 2024 · Silica dust — which many farm and industrial workers are exposed to at their job. Other environmental causes could be: Medicines — like sulfa drugs, tetracycline drugs, and antibiotics. Emotional stress — like a divorce or death of a family member. Anything that can damage or tire your body — like injuries, surgery, or giving birth.
Medications used to treat lupus | Lupus Foundation of America
WEBAug 4, 2021 · Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) is a type of antimalarial medicine. Antimalarials work by reducing autoantibodies (proteins in the blood that attack healthy cells and tissues). Doctors use antimalarials to treat malaria, but these medicines can also treat lupus by: Reducing pain and inflammation. Preventing lupus flares and helping with lupus ...
How Lupus Affects The Skin | Lupus Foundation of America
WEBAug 26, 2021 · Subacute cutaneous lupus causes a red scaly rash or red ring-shaped sores. It usually happens on skin that gets sunlight, like the neck and arms. Acute cutaneous lupus causes a butterfly-shaped rash on the cheeks and nose that looks like a sunburn (called malar rash). Sometimes it affects other body parts, like the arms and legs.
The four different types of lupus
WEBAug 8, 2022 · Most cases of SLE begin in adulthood, between the ages of 15-44. Lupus that only affects the skin is less common and is called cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE). There are three types of CLE – discoid lupus, subacute cutaneous lupus, and acute cutaneous lupus. Neonatal lupus and drug-induced …
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