Understanding Lupus

Many people have never heard of Lupus and many more have known it personally. For those of you whom may have suffered from this diesease for awhile or others whom where recently diagnosed, I will give you a better understanding.

There are two types of Lupus. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and Discoid Lupus. The two types both have there own symptoms.

SLE is the type that affects joints, organs, skin, and blood vessels. Many people who don't know they have Lupus may go Years with not knowing. In this type of Lupus your body can not tell the difference between good cells and bad cells so it does its best to fight off all the cells therefore causing you to have a weakend immune system.

Discoid Lupus is the type that affects the skin causing a butterfly rash across the nose and cheeks. Discoid Lupus also causes rahes or sores in other parts of the body. Normally on the face, ears, or scalp. Sometimes the diesease may spread to other organs.

Neither type of Lupus have a cure but there are medicines that can treat it and make life more pleseant. Usually, the medications used are steroids which have side effects such as weight gain, hair loss, acne, and high cholesterol. Medications are only needed when Lupus flares up. When Lupus is in remission there is no need to treat as far as I know of.