People diagnosed with lupus are sure to have a lot of questions regarding the disease, especially pertaining to the effects it would have on their life. Lupus typically has different consequences for different people. While it may be mild for certain patients, for others it can even be life-threatening. Unfortunately, there is no cause for lupus currently, but with certain steps, the symptoms can definitely be alleviated. Following is a guide to know more about lupus.

Lupus in a nutshell
Lupus can be best described as a disease, which is chronic and is characterized by inflammation or pain in any body part. It is an autoimmune disorder, which means that it causes the immune system to fight the body by attacking any healthy tissue. Lupus typically affects joints, internal organs, and even the skin. However, knowing about the risk factors of lupus would help you understand the disease better.

Risk factors of Lupus
In the country alone, there is a minimum of 1.5 million lupus patients. Annually, around 16,000 cases are reported in our nation alone. People of all ages, races, ethnicities, and sexes are at risk of getting lupus. However, research studies suggest that the following people are at a higher risk of developing lupus than the others:

• Females between the ages of 15 and 44
• Racial groups, such as Native American, African American, Latino, Asian American, or Pacific Islanders
• People with a family member who is affected with lupus or any other autoimmune disease

Causes or triggers of Lupus
While no cause of lupus is really known, there are certain triggers, which may cause lupus to flare up in affected patients. These triggers comprise of:

• Exposure to fluorescent lights or ultraviolet rays
• Consuming certain antibiotic drugs
• Having an additional infection in the body, which may trigger the lupus
• Too much exhaustion or fatigue
• Emotional stress

One common misconception regarding lupus is that it is contagious. The truth is that it does not spread by contact. Another thing to reiterate is that there is no fixed cure for lupus. However, alleviating the symptoms of lupus may help in managing it better. Here are some of the symptoms that you should look out for.

Symptoms of Lupus
Lupus affects a varied range of organs. Hence, it may cause many different symptoms in the body. Some of the most common symptoms include:

• Being tired more often than usual
• Having inflammation or swelling in the joints
• Having swollen feet, hands, or puffy eyes
• Low-grade fever, especially when accompanied with painful headaches
• Feeling sensitive towards fluorescent lights or sun rays
• Heavy breathing with chest pain

Another thing about lupus is that most people only talk about systemic lupus. However, additionally, there is cutaneous lupus, neonatal lupus, and even drug-induced lupus, which may affect the patients. Consult your doctor when you notice the symptoms and get them alleviated for better disease management.