| Lupus or more appropriately, Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an auto-immune disorder in which the immune system of the body mistakenly attacks its own healthy tissues. It may affect the joints, the skin, the kidneys, the brain and even other organs.
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The exact cause of SLE is unclear. It may however, be linked to the following factors:
- Genes
- Environment
- Hormones
- Certain medicines
Usually, SLE affects women although it may affect men as well and can appear at any age. It however, occurs most frequently in people of the 15 to 45 age-group. The disorder affects Africans and Asians more than people of other races. |
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Each person seems to have a different set of symptoms, moreover, the symptoms can come and go. Everybody with SLE however, has joint pain and swelling at some point of time. Some may even develop arthritis. The joints usually affected are those of the fingers, hands, wrists, and knees.
Other common symptoms include:
- Chest pain on inhaling deeply.
- Tiring easily.
- Fever without any other cause.
- General discomfort, uneasiness or ill feeling (malaise).
- Hair loss.
- Weight loss.
- Mouth sores or mouth ulcers.
- Sunlight sensitivity.
- Skin rash - A rash in the shape of a butter-fly develops over the cheeks and bridge of the nose in almost half the people affected by SLE. It may be widespread. It usually is worse in sunlight.
- Swelling of the lymph nodes.
Other symptoms depend on the part of the body affected, as follows:
- Brain and nervous system: Headaches, numbness, tingling, fits (epileptic seizures), vision defects and personality changes
- Digestive system: Pain in the abdomen, nausea and/or vomiting
- Heart: Valvular defects, inflammation (swelling) of heart muscle
- Lung: Fluid formation in the pleural space, difficulty in breathing
- Skin: Patchy skin colour and discolouration of fingers when cold (Raynaud's phenomenon)
- Kidney: Swelling of the feet and legs
In discoid lupus, people have skin symptoms only.
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| There is no cure for SLE in the conventional medicine (allopathy). The aim of their treatment is to just control symptoms. However, Homeopathy can heal not just the symptoms and prevent their recurrence, but can also improve immunity to avoid any other symptoms and complications. The intensity and frequency of the symptoms keep reducing till they stop occuring. Please consult a Qualified, licensed Homeopathic doctor for the same - do not self-medicate. |
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