Arthritis Treatment

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Lupus facial rash in a typical wolf-like distr...

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What a Mouthful . . . .Okay, SLE or Lupus

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus is an auto-immune disease where the immune system is again, on the wrong side of the fight. It produces antibodies to the cells which are within the body and causes widespread tissue damage and inflammation. Nobody really knows why SLE occurs . . . it could be environmental, it could be genetic, it could be the result of certain hormonal factors. SLE can affect many parts of the body;

  • joints
  • brain
  • skin
  • kidneys
  • lungs
  • blood vessels

Anyone suffering with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus will possibly feel pain and/or swelling in their joints, extreme tiredness and fatigue, fevers and skin rashes, but fortunately it often goes through periods of illness followed by a period of remission.

SLE Information

  • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus is a diseases which particularly affects younger women
  • Lupus can happen at any time from the cradle to the rocking chair, but peak occurrence happens between the ages of 15 and 40
  • SLE does affect women more than men
  • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus tends to be more prevalent in black people more than in white.
  • Diagnosis of SLE can be extremely difficult.

Treatment for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Whilst there is no known cure for SLE at this time, there are some treatments which can help with the affects of Lupus, easing the symptoms and minimizing the effects on the  daily life of the sufferer.

  • Keep out of the sun – and if you go into the sun make sure that you protect yourself. The sunlight has been known to make the SLE rashes worse than ever. Apply high factor sun cream, long sleeves, sunglasses and a wide brimmed hat . . . that should do it.
  • Medication – there is a seemingly endless list of medication which can be prescribed to help to treat the symptoms of SLE, some, however, can have rather nasty side effects themselves, including:
  1. loss of appetite
  2. vomiting and nausea
  3. stomach pains
  4. diarrhoea
  5. convulsions
  6. swollen gums
  7. dizziness
  8. headaches
  9. weight gain
  10. acne
  11. fever
  12. burning when passing urine

Wow, sounds to me like some people could end up feeling worse rather than better!