4-Step Treatment of Lupus
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The most common symptom of lupus is the appearance of a red colored rash over the cheeks and nose. In severe cases the rash may spread to the rest of the body, and bouts of fever and joint pain could be experienced. Once the condition is diagnosed, you might think that the treatment of lupus could begin. However, lupus is an autoimmune condition where the body creates antibodies that attack its own tissues. Therefore the treatment of lupus is often targeted at relieving the symptoms rather than attacking the root of the problem. The plain fact of the matter is that in 90% of lupus cases the cause is unknown, meaning lengthy, and costly, treatments that never actually deal with the root of the problem.
Despite this, there is hope. Lupus can be treated through a 4-step program:
1. Diagnose the disease
2. Relieve the symptoms
3. Isolate the cause
4. Treat the disease
1. Diagnosis
Diagnosis can only be done by a qualified physician. Besides the main symptom of a red rash covering the cheeks and nose already mentioned, the other symptoms to look out for are:
1. Fever or headaches
2.Joint pain
3.Hair loss
4.Depression
5.Mouth ulcers
6.Chest pains
You might notice that these symptoms are not very unique, and a major problem is that the signs and symptoms of lupus often go unnoticed of misdiagnosed. Besides, not all of the above symptoms need to be present in a lupus sufferer. This is why a definite diagnosis from your doctor is needed. Then, it’s on to the next step.
2. Relieve the Symptoms
Lupus can affect any of the main organs of the body such as the lungs, in which case inflammation would occur, possibly leading to pneumonia. Due to this, the treatment of lupus often starts with the treatment of the symptoms rather than the disease itself. For example, if the kidneys are affected then the only symptoms could be swollen ankles and some abnormality in the blood and urine reading. The treatment of lupus would only address those particular symptoms.
The treatment of lupus, when diagnosed, often starts with corticosteroids. Doctors also advise a vitamin and mineral supplement along with conventional medication. Calcium, folic acid and vitamin D, all help strengthen bones and skin. These remedies can ease the pain and discomfort of the disease so that the third step can begin.
3. Isolate the Cause
It is thought that in many cases lupus is caused by an allergic reaction. Finding an allergy can be like finding a needle in a haystack but with the symptoms already under control using the remedies in step 2, the process becomes much less daunting.
Allergy tests are available, and these can be obtained by your doctor. Alternatively, cutting out different foods (dairy, wheat etc.) for short periods of time could reveal the possible cause. It is important to supplement your diet with an essential vitamins and minerals if you want to cut out certain food-groups from your diet.
Once the cause is found, the key to preventing flare-ups is found and treatment can begin.
4. Treatment of Lupus
The treatment of lupus of course will depend upon the cause found in step 3. For many people, the lupus rash is aggravated by strong sunlight. In this case, patients are generally asked to look out for flare-ups and at the first sign start using a stronger sunscreen.
Stress or anxiety attacks are also known to induce flare-ups, so the treatment of lupus can include relaxation techniques. Reduced stress levels are themselves an effective treatment for flare-ups and skin rashes.
The Lupus Foundation of America spends a lot of time researching the treatment of lupus, its causes, and prevention. It funds research for the development of experimental prototypes and new approaches. Even junior investigators are given grants for 2 years in order to help find a cure or natural remedy. At the moment, general scientific knowledge of the autoimmune system is not very strong, and so the treatment of lupus is still mainly restricted to addressing the symptoms only.
Take Control
Lupus should not be just some condition that lies underneath, waiting to break out into embarrassing rashes at any moment. The root of the disease can be found and effectively treated.
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