About Lupus

What is Lupus?

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) often called as Lupus , is a chronic autoimmune disease which causes systemic inflammation and can affect any part of the body resulting in tissue or organ damage. Involvement of organs like kidneys, lungs, heart, brain are often seen making it slightly complicated to manage or treat. 

Autoimmune diseases are a result of a condition wherein your immune system attacks its own body tissues/organs assuming they are foreign bodies like virus or bacteria. Because the immune system is everywhere in the body, these attacks can affect any organ of your body most frequently though, the kidney, lungs, heart are more frequently observed. 

Lupus is a long-term illness which has no cure but can be well managed with medications and other treatment options. The line of treatment mainly depends on the symptoms and involvement of internal organs. Lupus has no definite pattern and shows a wide spectrum of variation from person to person making it unpredictable and is often called “the disease with multiple faces”. Rheumatologists are your  go-to specialists who generally treat lupus patients and can organize your treatment regime based on the way the disease is affecting you and your needs. 

Lupus In a Nutshell

Lupus is difficult to predict and manage and the negative effects of it are not always on your body. Lupus symptoms are shown inconsistently, there are active and passive phases. 

What does it mean? If your immune system is actively attacking your own body tissues, it means lupus is in full force which is often called a “flare”. Similarly, if the immune system is carrying out its normal function without harming your tissues this indicates the disease is inactive or in "remission phase".  

Monitoring these phases of flare and remission is an important checkpoint for every lupus patient. By tracking these events, you and your healthcare provider can create better treatment and management plans.

Understanding your body and identifying the signs of a flare is coming along with how your body behaves  during a flare when lupus is active in your body, is a very important parameter to be mindful of because early precautionary measures or medications can help in preventing serious damage to the body and organs.