Types of Lupus: Their Definition and Symptoms
Lupus is a disease caused by the unnatural occurrence of immune system misbehavior. Usually the immune system’s function is to defend our body from intruding viruses and bacteria. But when a person contracts lupus, what happens is that the immune system not only attacks the antigens but the healthy cells as well, causing different reactions to the body. Lupus symptoms include swelling of muscle and skin tissues, pain and tissue damage.
There are different types of lupus that has been identified, but the most common and most recognized is SLE (systemic lupus erythematosus) or commonly known plainly as lupus. However there are other types as well such as discoid, neo natal and discoid lupus which are just as damaging as SLE.
Discoid lupus is less severe yet just as damaging. It is less severe because it targets only the skin cells. Although it targets only the skin cells it could cause great discomfort and severe rashes all over the scalp, face or neck. This types of lupus however does not become fatal for everyone because only 10% of those persons with discoid lupus develop the systemic form which targets not only the skin but the internal organs and organ system as well.
SLE is more dangerous than the discoid because it directly affects the internal organs and joints. Oftentimes this type of lupus attacks the lungs, blood, kidneys, joints and/or heart. Some may even experience attacks from multiple organs at the same time while others suffer specific organs only. This type of lupus may also present itself to be active and sometimes dormant.
Drug induced lupus is triggered by certain drug or chemical reaction within the body. Usually drugs related to heart arrhythmia and hypertension medication are the common triggering drugs commonly taken by patients, but aside from this there are around 400 more drugs that are known to trigger this. Symptoms usually subside when the intake of the triggering drug is stopped.
Neonatal lupus is very rare yet it does occur. This usually happens when a mother carrying the lupus decease gives birth and passes on the autoantibodies to her child. Symptoms can be observed even if the child is still in the womb and can stay after six months from birth.
There are different types of lupus that has been identified, but the most common and most recognized is SLE (systemic lupus erythematosus) or commonly known plainly as lupus. However there are other types as well such as discoid, neo natal and discoid lupus which are just as damaging as SLE.
Discoid lupus is less severe yet just as damaging. It is less severe because it targets only the skin cells. Although it targets only the skin cells it could cause great discomfort and severe rashes all over the scalp, face or neck. This types of lupus however does not become fatal for everyone because only 10% of those persons with discoid lupus develop the systemic form which targets not only the skin but the internal organs and organ system as well.
SLE is more dangerous than the discoid because it directly affects the internal organs and joints. Oftentimes this type of lupus attacks the lungs, blood, kidneys, joints and/or heart. Some may even experience attacks from multiple organs at the same time while others suffer specific organs only. This type of lupus may also present itself to be active and sometimes dormant.
Drug induced lupus is triggered by certain drug or chemical reaction within the body. Usually drugs related to heart arrhythmia and hypertension medication are the common triggering drugs commonly taken by patients, but aside from this there are around 400 more drugs that are known to trigger this. Symptoms usually subside when the intake of the triggering drug is stopped.
Neonatal lupus is very rare yet it does occur. This usually happens when a mother carrying the lupus decease gives birth and passes on the autoantibodies to her child. Symptoms can be observed even if the child is still in the womb and can stay after six months from birth.