A brief history of the disease - Lupus is a disease known for over 2000 years. Hippocrates, who lived between 460 and 370, described the first consequences of this disease. The name lupus is derived from the Latin word which means wolf and was used to refer to ulcers of the face. In 1851, Cazenave made known a disease called lupus erythematosus. Later, on in the late 1800, Kaposi described the eruptions on the face of Sir William Osler, a Canadian physician, who has enlarged the concept of lupus, calling it a systemic disease that can affect many parts of the body.



What is lupus? - Lupus is a chronic disease that manifests a variety of symptoms and is caused by inflammation in one or more parts of the body. Lupus is not infectious, so it is not contagious (cannot be taken from one person to another, such as flu or measles ). It is not a form of cancer. And there is absolutely no connection between lupus and AIDS.

Lupus is part of the family of diseases that are included in rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, juvenile diabetes and scleroderma (a disease manifested by thickening of skin and subcutaneous cellular tissue). The phases of Lupus disease consist of • a flare, with severe acute symptoms that require medical attention • a chronic phase, the symptoms may continue, but are less severe • remission, when symptoms may disappear completely for longer periods.

Types of Lupus - The most common form of lupus is systemic lupus erythematosus. It is a complex and complicated disease that can affect any tissue or organ of the body, including skin, muscles, joints, blood and blood vessels, lungs, heart, kidneys and brain. Lupus erythematosus, discoid and subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus are diseases in which skin rash and sensitivity to the sun are major problems, because internal organs are not affected and therefore it cannot be the case of an endanger life. However, both types of lupus may occur sometimes along with a systemic form of lupus.

Symptoms of Lupus disease - There are general symptoms of Lupus disease, which we highlight in the following, but some people may show only some of the possible symptoms of this disease. Because it can affect any tissue in the body, lupus is often difficult to identify and diagnose. Therefore it is called the disease with 1000 faces. Before you install specific lupus symptoms may occur and flu symptoms, accompanied by severe fatigue, an increase or unexplained sudden weight loss, headaches, hair loss, high blood pressure or changes in color of fingers.

Possible symptoms are these: • joint pain, sometimes accompanied by swelling, redness and warmth • a red rash on the cheekbones and nose • Extreme tiredness • unusual reaction to sunlight • an eruption with crusting • hurt small, usually painless that occur in the nose or mouth • chest pain, which intensified when the patient lies stretched or inspire • leg swelling • weight gain • seizures.

Lupus is a disease that can be healed? - Until now there has not been found a treatment that can lead to a complete cure of the disease. However, there are many scientists who work on the study of this disease, so patients who suffer from lupus are fully justified to hope that in the near future it will be found a special treatment for this disease.