Archive for the Category » Prognosis of Lupus «

Saturday, January 24th, 2009 | Author: admin

There are as many different combinations of symptoms for lupus as there are sufferers. This makes the treatment of lupus very difficult. This article discusses some of the current natural treatments available.

Lupus is an autoimmune condition in which a person’s immune system creates antibodies that attack their own body tissues. Many of the symptoms are very similar to other diseases, which makes the treatment of lupus even more difficult, especially as there is no single test that can categorically diagnose lupus.

What does seem to be common to most sufferers is a red rash that appears on the nose and cheeks and sometimes on the whole body. The rash tends to get worse after exposure to the sun. There can also be unexplained bouts of fever and the person could suffer from painful arthritis of the joints. The treatment of lupus (http://www.mitamins.com/disease/Lupus.html) is hampered by the fact that lupus symptoms can constantly change. While undergoing treatment of lupus, a patient could find hair loss, mouth ulcers, headaches, chest pain and even depression. Sometimes, only one part of the body is affected, like the skin, and sometimes many parts are, making the diagnosis and treatment of lupus rather tough.

Systemic lupus can affect various primary organs in the body like the lungs, which develop an inflammation in the lining, resulting in chest pain. This in turn can deteriorate into pneumonia. Very often, doctors tend to only treat the symptoms as it’s difficult to diagnose the real cause. Lupus can also affect the kidneys and in such a case the only indications could be swollen ankles and an abnormal blood or urine reading. Lupus can also affect the heart, blood vessels, and the nervous system.

More often than not, after it is diagnosed lupus is treated with corticosteroids. Doctors usually ask their patients to keep a watchful eye out for any sign of flare-ups and so immediate precautions like the use of a stronger sunscreen and reducing stress are all part of lupus treatment. Women who are pregnant have to be especially careful and must resort to quick treatment of lupus flare-ups so that there is no threat of miscarriage. Men with lupus should have their PSA (prostate-specific antigen) tested, and women should have regular breast and gynecological tests. Both should also check regularly their blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Is there a natural remedy for lupus? Can lupus be treated with any natural herbs? Doctors usually advise patients to supplement their medication with vitamins and minerals such as calcium, vitamin D and folic acid. Exercise also helps as it reduces stress levels and in turn mitigates any flare-ups.

A study begun at the Medical University of South Carolina, in collaboration with the Research and Education Foundation of the American College of Rheumatology, studied the effects of the treatment of lupus with Vitamin D therapy in patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). The study is ongoing. The Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) also does a lot of research into the causes, prevention and treatment of lupus.

By Mitamins Team
Published: 2/28/2007

Natural Treatment of Lupus

Is there a natural remedy for lupus? Can lupus be treated with any natural herbs? Doctors usually advise patients to supplement their medication with vitamins and minerals such as calcium, vitamin D and folic acid.

Causes, Symptoms And Alternative Treatments for Lupus

Lupus alternative treatment has gained a lot of importance in recent years because of the incurable nature of the disease and the high cost of conventional lupus medications and their serious side effects.

A Lupus Diet for Nutritional Healing

The book is a practical guide with a holistic approach to healing that addresses Lupus diet do’s and donts, nutrition, supplements, plus many other self healing approaches helpful in reversing disease through natural means.

Natural Cures for Lupus

Modern Medicine does not consider there to be a cure for lupus, but many alternative practitioners report “cures” by eliminating causes and treating the body as a whole, the natural way, beginning with adjustments in diet and [...]

Affiliate Disclosure: It is advisable to assume that any mention of a product or service on this website is made because there exist, unless otherwise stated, a material connection between the product or service owners and this website and should you make a purchase of a product or service described here the owner of this website may be compensated.  To learn more, please click here.

HomeContactAboutPrivacy PolicySitemap

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , ,

Wednesday, January 21st, 2009 | Author: admin

Due to its polyvalent character and its intrinsic nature (lupus is triggered and augmented by severe immune system impairments), lupus is very difficult to diagnose accurately and promptly. In some cases, the complexity of lupus renders doctors unable to reveal its presence in time, the unspecific symptoms produced by the autoimmune disease often being misleading in the process of establishing the correct diagnosis.

It may take months or even years to confirm the diagnosis received by patients with suspected lupus. The process of diagnosing lupus can be challenging even for the most experienced doctors. Patients can also influence the duration of the process of diagnosis, as doctors often rely on symptomatic reports apart from common laboratory analyses and physical examinations. The challenging process of diagnosing lupus can only be accelerated and facilitated by good doctor-patient cooperation.

Although at present there aren’t any specific tests that can reveal the presence of lupus, the existing laboratory tests can still help doctors decide upon the correct diagnosis.

testing for lupus

The most commonly used method of diagnosing patients with suspected lupus consists in looking for the presence of auto-antibodies in blood samples. The antinuclear antibody test (ANA test) is nowadays extensively used to detect the presence of auto-antibodies in patients with suspected lupus. However, the main problem with the ANA test is that it isn’t 100 percent accurate. For instance, a positive result for the ANA test may be influenced by factors such as past infections, chronic diseases or prolonged treatments with certain medications and not by the actual presence of lupus. In order to confirm the presumptive diagnosis, doctors have to rely on various other tests, such as anti-DNA, anti-RPN, anti-Ro, anti-La, or anti-Sm antibody tests.

When these previously mentioned blood tests along with clinical examinations and the patient’s symptomatic report are inconclusive for establishing the correct diagnosis, doctors may decide to perform biopsies of the skin or kidneys in order to reveal clear evidence of lupus. Additional tests often include the test for syphilis, as lupus sufferers commonly have a series of antibodies that generally occur in patients with syphilis. Thus, a falsely positive result for the syphilis test is also considered to be an indicator for lupus. Doctors have to rely on a wide range of tests in order to analyze the disease from different angles and find the accurate diagnosis. Without multiple medical investigations and elaborate research, lupus is virtually impossible to diagnose properly.

Once lupus has been appropriately diagnosed, doctors still depend on a series of tests in order to identify the actual type of lupus and its rate of progression. In order to gather the required medical information, doctors may choose to perform the following tests: complete blood count (CBC), blood chemistry tests, erythrocyte sedimentation tests and urinalysis. After the results of these tests are properly interpreted, doctors can finally choose the appropriate course of medications. Due to the fact that the process of diagnosing lupus is time consuming, patients may have developed serious complications by the time they receive the appropriate medical treatment. Despite their limited relevancy, the existing procedures of diagnosis are the only means of revealing signs of lupus in patients. Medical scientists are hoping to find more efficient methods of diagnosing lupus in the near future, methods that can simplify the process of diagnosis and allow prompt medical intervention.

By: Groshan Fabiola

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

So if you want to find more about Lupus or more details about systemic lupus please follow this link www.lupus-guide.com

Lab Tests for Diagnosing Lupus

Testing for lupus, or more formally systemic lupus erythamatosus, is often done through a series of laboratory tests, or screening tests, that help a doctor begin to formulate a diagnosis.

The Lupus Book

Nearly one million people in the United States suffer from lupus erythematosus, which develops when the body becomes allergic to itself. Because of the difficulty of diagnosing lupus, several years may elapse before an accurate [...]

Staying Healthy with Lupus

The problem with diagnosing systemic lupus is that, usually no two persons affected with systemic lupus will display identical symptoms.

Diagnosing Lupus

Lupus diagnosis can be difficult. Making a correct diagnosis of lupus requires knowledge and awareness on the part of the doctor and good communication on the part of the patient.

Lupus gene finding prompts call for more DNA samples

However, because the symptoms are often non-specific, diagnosing the condition can be difficult. There is currently no cure for the disease, which can be triggered by viral infections, sunlight, trauma or stress, as well as puberty and childbirth.

lupus 101

Ok, so how do i find out if my symptoms are that of lupus. see your doctor! start there. diagnosing lupus is difficult and it may take months for your doctor to make the diagnosis.

Lupus Diagnosis

No single test can diagnose lupus. Your doctor may have to run several tests and study your medical history. It may take time for a diagnosis of lupus.

Affiliate Disclosure: It is advisable to assume that any mention of a product or service on this website is made because there exist, unless otherwise stated, a material connection between the product or service owners and this website and should you make a purchase of a product or service described here the owner of this website may be compensated.  To learn more, please click here.

HomeContactAboutPrivacy PolicySitemap

Technorati Tags: , , , , ,

Tuesday, January 13th, 2009 | Author: admin

EarlyLupusSymptoms.com is dedicated to providing quality information on the subject of Lupus and in particular, on symptoms and effects on the body.

Here you will find helpful reviews, informative information and tips and much more. This site is in the format of a ‘weblog’ so that each time I post new information, it will come to the top of the front page. This means that you can check back here frequently to see new updates to the information found here.

You can navigate through the site by using the menus on the sides of the page. Also don’t hesitate to follow the links you see in bold throughout each post to learn more about the product being spoken about.

I hope you find the information I provide valuable and helpful.

HomeContactAboutPrivacy PolicySitemap

Technorati Tags: , , , ,

Category: Prognosis of Lupus  | Tags: , , , ,  | 2 Comments