How to Treat Lupus

It is funny, but usually the first or second question that someone who knows nothing about Lupus, will ask me is this… “Is Lupus Contagious?” The answer is NO, Lupus is not contagious. It cannot be passed from one person to another, like a cold or virus. Lupus is an autoimmune disease, and believe it or not, researchers are still looking for the cause of Lupus. What Is An Autoimmune Disease Now, an autoimmune disease is characterized by a malfunction of the immune system, one in which the immune system cannot distinguish between the body’s own cells and tissues and that of foreign matter. A good example of that would be a viruses. So, for someone who has Lupus, instead of their body simply producing antibodies to attack antigens, such as bacteria, viruses, and other similar foreign matter, the immune system makes auto-antibodies that attack the immune system itself. What Triggers Lupus Genetic and environmental factors, in as much as certain drugs and infections, may trigger Lupus, for those who are predisposed to Lupus. Researchers are still looking for towards genetics to pin down a specific gene or set of genes that causes Lupus. What Causes Lupus Perhaps now you are wondering, just what does cause this disease called Lupus. That is a good question, but one that scientists and researchers do not have an answer to. No one really knows what causes lupus, but one thing for sure, it is not contagious. Which means you can not catch it from me or anyone else who has Lupus. Who Gets Lupus Scientists do feel that some folks may be more apt to get Lupus because of things they can not control, like being a female. Girls and women get Lupus much more often than boys and men. Race may play a certain factor as well. If you are of a certain race, you may be more prone to Lupus. Those races are: African, Asian, Latin, and Native-American. These people are more likely to get lupus thancaucasian people. Also, having a gene or genes that makes you more likely to get lupus. Around 10 percent of people with lupus, have a family member with Lupus and the disease is known to  skipped a generation.  Which is genetic. If you are predisposed for Lupus, sometimes, intense stress or an infection can be the trigger that brings Lupus to the fore-front. However, but neither one actually causes the illness, it just triggers the disease. So, if a person’s genes make him or her more likely to get lupus, extreme stress or an infection may cause the disease to rear up it’s ugly head. Living With Lupus Besides medicines, a big part of treating Lupus may involve changes in one’s lifestyle. Most folks with lupus can learn to manage the disease, so it gets in the way of living…or as little as possible. Many will need to work  with a health care professional or team. These people may include professionals like a rheumatologist, a nephrologist, a nurse practitioner, a social worker, a physical therapist, and even a mental health specialist. This team of professionals can create a special treatment plan based on what the person with Lupus needs. This team will work to prevent the symptoms of lupus and prevent lupus flares. A flare is a period of time when the disease gets worse. This can make the patient feel very tired, sick, feverish, and achy, even more so than they do normally. When this happens, Lupus can damage or harm important body organs. For most folks with Lupus, paying close attention to what they do every day, and how they feel, can help prevent flare ups. Most importantly, Lupus folks to get enough rest, avoid becoming too busy, over whelmed, stressed out and eat as much natural and organic foods as they are able to. What Should A Person With Lupus Do Eating well and exercising regularly can also help a Lupus person avoid a flare up of Lupus and it is good advice for any person! When it comes to staying healthy with Lupus, what they do not do can be just as important as what they do. For example, a rheumatologists will usually recommend that people with Lupus stay out of the sun unless they wear lots of high numbered sunscreen and protective clothing because ultraviolet rays may bring on a Lupus flare. Also, smoking, drinking, and drugs are also really bad ideas for folks with Lupus (as they are for anyone). Living with Lupus is not hard, it is just living right and for thouse of you who needed to ask, “Is Lupus Contagious.” We hope that we have answered your question. If you know someone who has lupus, they may not always feel well, but you will not catch Lupus from them.  But, it would be great if you can be understanding. That should be a lot easier for you, now that you know a little more about Lupus. How to Treat Lupus [Translate]