Lupus Research Paper
Autoimmune Disease: Lupus
HCA/240
Lupus is a lifelong dangerous disease that causes the human body to intrude on one’s immune system. Even our very own, latest superstar Michael Jackson had the autoimmune disease lupus. This disease causes tissue to be eaten, brain cells to stop working, organs to be destroyed, and so much more. As we all know, the body will shut down if all parts are not working properly. It is safe to say that the organs go hand and hand with one another. In other words, one can’t work correctly without the others help. Usually, the immune system protects these things, but because the disease lupus has taken over it prevents the system from working properly. As the disease begins to spread across the body, it gives a domino effect whenever the organs stop working.
The most common types of lupus are systemic lupus, discoid lupus, and subacute cutaneous lupus. “Systemic lupus may affect joints, skin, kidneys, lungs, hear, blood vessels, nervous system, blood, and brain. Discoid lupus erthyematosus (DLE) causes a skin rash that doesn’t go away. Subacute cutaneous lupus causes skin sores on parts of the body exposed to the sun” (Corbett, 2013).
There are many different ways to tell whether or not one has developed lupus. “One way to tell whether or not you have lupus is the common symptoms including: achy joints (arthralgia), frequent fevers of …show more content…
more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit, arthritis (swollen joints), prolonged or extreme fatigue, skin rashes and anemia” (Quinn). Not to say that if you are experiencing one of these symptoms you have lupus, but if it appears to be continuous it would definitely be something I recommend getting checked out. For example, I’ve experienced fatigue, achy joints and a few more symptoms that were mentioned above but I come to realize that I also have these symptoms whenever my iron is low or whenever I’ve had a long major workout. Lupus is a disease that shows no petty to man. This disease can develop amongst any age group, male or female. However, statistics show that the targeted individuals are adult females and adult males. Parker- Pope (2009) states that lupus affects more women than men, and is more common among blacks and Asians. Therefore, we can conclude that it is very rare for children to be our targeted audience with this disease. Still to this day, scientists have not discovered exactly what causes lupus though.
“Because many lupus symptoms mimic other illnesses, are sometimes vague, and may come and go, lupus can be difficult to diagnose. Diagnosis is usually made by a careful review of a person’s entire medical history and a physical examination, coupled with an analysis of the results obtained in routine laboratory tests and some specialized tests related to immune status” (Quinn, n.d.). There are several treatments for lupus but unfortunately no one has come up with a cure for the disease. Treatments such as antimalarial drugs, corticosteroids, immunosuppressive agents/chemotherapy are all used to help fight lupus. These treatments help to reduce pain and swelling, calm the immune system, reduce headaches, rashes, and prevent or reduce flares. “The hardest thing about lupus is that it’s an invisible disease,” says Carolyn Sayre, 24, of Manhattan. “It doesn’t necessarily confine you to a wheelchair or make you walk with a cane, but it makes you tired and achy and swollen and sort of makes you feel like every day you’re waking up with a bad case of the flu” (Parker- Pope, 2009, ). With that being said, I can truly see how these types of diseases can be hard to diagnose or find warning signs of such harmful disease. I’m certain that each of us have at some point encountered more than one of the symptoms at the same time. Again, it is my advice to seek a doctor if one is having continuous symptoms as listed above earlier. Sayre is a prime example of exactly how horribly it affects one’s body. I, myself have never had the flu, therefore I couldn’t even begin to imagine the pain she suffered during this time. But I have in fact heard several stories about how the flu makes everyone feel like they are on their last leg.
References
Corbett, T.
(2013). Pennsylvania Department of Health. Retrieved from http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/portal/server.pt/community/lupus/14219 Parker- Pope, T. (2009, July 9). The Voices of Lupus. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/09/the-voices-of-lupus/?_r=0
Quinn, P. (n.d.). Facts About Lupus. Retrieved from http://www.idph.state.il.us/about/womenshealth/factsheets/lupus.htm womenshealth.gov. (2011). Retrieved from
http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/lupus.cfm#i
HCA/240
Lupus is a lifelong dangerous disease that causes the human body to intrude on one’s immune system. Even our very own, latest superstar Michael Jackson had the autoimmune disease lupus. This disease causes tissue to be eaten, brain cells to stop working, organs to be destroyed, and so much more. As we all know, the body will shut down if all parts are not working properly. It is safe to say that the organs go hand and hand with one another. In other words, one can’t work correctly without the others help. Usually, the immune system protects these things, but because the disease lupus has taken over it prevents the system from working properly. As the disease begins to spread across the body, it gives a domino effect whenever the organs stop working.
The most common types of lupus are systemic lupus, discoid lupus, and subacute cutaneous lupus. “Systemic lupus may affect joints, skin, kidneys, lungs, hear, blood vessels, nervous system, blood, and brain. Discoid lupus erthyematosus (DLE) causes a skin rash that doesn’t go away. Subacute cutaneous lupus causes skin sores on parts of the body exposed to the sun” (Corbett, 2013).
There are many different ways to tell whether or not one has developed lupus. “One way to tell whether or not you have lupus is the common symptoms including: achy joints (arthralgia), frequent fevers of …show more content…
more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit, arthritis (swollen joints), prolonged or extreme fatigue, skin rashes and anemia” (Quinn). Not to say that if you are experiencing one of these symptoms you have lupus, but if it appears to be continuous it would definitely be something I recommend getting checked out. For example, I’ve experienced fatigue, achy joints and a few more symptoms that were mentioned above but I come to realize that I also have these symptoms whenever my iron is low or whenever I’ve had a long major workout. Lupus is a disease that shows no petty to man. This disease can develop amongst any age group, male or female. However, statistics show that the targeted individuals are adult females and adult males. Parker- Pope (2009) states that lupus affects more women than men, and is more common among blacks and Asians. Therefore, we can conclude that it is very rare for children to be our targeted audience with this disease. Still to this day, scientists have not discovered exactly what causes lupus though.
“Because many lupus symptoms mimic other illnesses, are sometimes vague, and may come and go, lupus can be difficult to diagnose. Diagnosis is usually made by a careful review of a person’s entire medical history and a physical examination, coupled with an analysis of the results obtained in routine laboratory tests and some specialized tests related to immune status” (Quinn, n.d.). There are several treatments for lupus but unfortunately no one has come up with a cure for the disease. Treatments such as antimalarial drugs, corticosteroids, immunosuppressive agents/chemotherapy are all used to help fight lupus. These treatments help to reduce pain and swelling, calm the immune system, reduce headaches, rashes, and prevent or reduce flares. “The hardest thing about lupus is that it’s an invisible disease,” says Carolyn Sayre, 24, of Manhattan. “It doesn’t necessarily confine you to a wheelchair or make you walk with a cane, but it makes you tired and achy and swollen and sort of makes you feel like every day you’re waking up with a bad case of the flu” (Parker- Pope, 2009, ). With that being said, I can truly see how these types of diseases can be hard to diagnose or find warning signs of such harmful disease. I’m certain that each of us have at some point encountered more than one of the symptoms at the same time. Again, it is my advice to seek a doctor if one is having continuous symptoms as listed above earlier. Sayre is a prime example of exactly how horribly it affects one’s body. I, myself have never had the flu, therefore I couldn’t even begin to imagine the pain she suffered during this time. But I have in fact heard several stories about how the flu makes everyone feel like they are on their last leg.
References
Corbett, T.
(2013). Pennsylvania Department of Health. Retrieved from http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/portal/server.pt/community/lupus/14219 Parker- Pope, T. (2009, July 9). The Voices of Lupus. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/09/the-voices-of-lupus/?_r=0
Quinn, P. (n.d.). Facts About Lupus. Retrieved from http://www.idph.state.il.us/about/womenshealth/factsheets/lupus.htm womenshealth.gov. (2011). Retrieved from
http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/lupus.cfm#i