In general, lupus is a kind of an autoimmune disease wherein the body attacks itself. This means that the immune system of the person is hyperactive that it comes to the point that it is already attacking the healthy and normal cells of the body. Thus, when this happens, it results to inflammation and swelling. It can also cause damage to the person’s joints and skin, as well as the organs such as the liver, kidneys, lungs, and even the heart.

Normally, our immune system works where there is an antigen that causes problems in our system. Usually, these antigens are from bacteria and viruses that harbor in our body to cause illness. Those antigens will be attacked by the antibodies, which serve as our main protection against these viruses and bacteria.

With the presence of lupus, the antibodies are not able to differentiate the healthy cells from the antigens, which is why it attacks both. Thus, when the antibodies attack the healthy and normal cells, it can cause pain and swelling due to tissue damage.

Actually, there are numerous classifications of lupus; however, the most common type of lupus would be systemic lupus erythematosus or SLE. This type of disease affects both men and women; however, it affects more women than men. Other risk factors for developing lupus would include exposure to sunlight, infection with a virus called Eipstein-Barr, exposure to some chemicals, and intake of certain prescription medications.

Aside from that, the higher incidence of lupus among females greatly indicates that this condition may be triggered with certain hormones. Experts believed that hormones such as estrogen play an important role in the development of lupus. Some external factors that can trigger lupus may include extreme stress, smoking, exposure to certain chemicals as well as medications such as antibiotics, particularly those classified under the penicillin and sulfa group.

Lupus can result to serious complications such as kidney failure, cancer, bone tissue death, and even heart attacks.

Although the exact known of lupus is unknown, it would be best to do preventive measures such as proper diet and exercise. A regular exercise promotes better blood circulation and eliminates unnecessary fats in the body. You can try exercising on a Swiss ball and do this regularly.

Joshua Panebianco is a the owner of Personal Trainers Sydney and expert on all exercises done on a Swiss Ball.

The cause of Lupus is unknown and the condition tends to affect mainly women of African American, Hispanic, Asian and Native American descent more that Caucasian women.Some of the symptoms of Lupus include feeling tired all the time, mouth or nose ulcers, hair loss, muscle pain, swelling, rash, headaches, feeling dizzy and experiencing depression.

To help determine if you have Lupus, a doctor will perform a complete exam by doing blood test, skin or kidney biopsy, and check your medical history. With these tests, a doctor will then prescribe the right medication for the swelling and flare ups as well as medication to bolster the immune system. Some of the drugs used include acetaminophen, Corticosteroid, anti-malarials and chemotherapy drugs. Unfortunately, it has been over 40 years since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has release a new drug to ease the painful symptoms of Lupus. Much more needs to be done in the way of research and treatment protocols to help patients who suffer from this illness.

Even though more needs to be done to combat Lupus, the 3 year life expectancy rate for the more serious type of Lupus called Systemic Lupus has increased substantially. Today, you can live a long life with the disease, but dealing with all the pain and exhaustion can be very difficult. There are several support groups for patients that can help Lupus patients. You can find these support groups online or at local health center. It helps to speak to other patients with Lupus so that they can share what medicines, foods and other protocols they use to help with the pain and discomfort of the illness.

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