what does it means lupus?

Question:

people said that is a kind of sickness in your face like acne i believe

Answers:
wiseone is right. All other are talking about lupus erythematosis which is an autoimmune disease, lupus vulgaris is bacterial infection tuberculosis of skin. both can effect face but none has sign and symptoms like acne .

Other Answers:
it's a neurological condition with a lot of rather unpleasant symptoms. it's often misdiagnosed as multiple sclerosis.

hell no...my moms got it. Its a muscle disease...it messes up your muscles. she has no upper body strength...her chin somewhat breaks out every now and then but thats it.

Lupus is an autoimmune (AW-toe-ih-MYOON) disease. Your body’s immune system is like an army with hundreds of soldiers. The immune system’s job is to fight foreign substances in the body, like germs and viruses. But in autoimmune diseases, the immune system is out of control. It attacks healthy tissues, not germs.

You can’t catch lupus from another person. It isn’t cancer, and it isn’t related to AIDS.

Lupus is a disease that can affect many parts of the body. Everyone reacts differently. One person with lupus may have swollen knees and fever. Another person may be tired all the time or have kidney trouble. Someone else may have rashes. Lupus can involve the joints, the skin, the kidneys, the lungs, the heart and/or the brain. If you have lupus, it may affect two or three parts of your body. Usually, one person doesn’t have all the possible symptoms.

There are three main types of lupus:

Systemic lupus erythematosus (eh-RITH-eh-muh-TOE-sus) is the most common form. It’s sometimes called SLE, or just lupus. The word “systemic” means that the disease can involve many parts of the body such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, and brain. SLE symptoms can be mild or serious.

Discoid lupus erythematosus mainly affects the skin. A red rash may appear, or the skin on the face, scalp, or elsewhere may change color.

Drug-induced lupus is triggered by a few medicines. It’s like SLE, but symptoms are usually milder. Most of the time, the disease goes away when the medicine is stopped. More men develop drug-induced lupus because the drugs that cause it, hydralazine and procainamide, are used to treat heart conditions that are more common in men.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Lupus? Top

Lupus may be hard to diagnose. It’s often mistaken for other diseases. For this reason, lupus has been called the “great imitator.” The signs of lupus differ from person to person. Some people have just a few signs; others have more.

Common signs of lupus are:

Red rash or color change on the face, often in the shape of a butterfly across the nose and cheeks

Painful or swollen joints

Unexplained fever

Chest pain with deep breathing

Swollen glands

Extreme fatigue (feeling tired all the time)

Unusual hair loss (mainly on the scalp)

Pale or purple fingers or toes from cold or stress

Sensitivity to the sun

Low blood count

Depression, trouble thinking, and/or memory problems

Other signs are mouth sores, unexplained seizures (convulsions), “seeing things” (hallucinations), repeated miscarriages, and unexplained kidney problems.

What Is a Flare? Top

When symptoms appear, it’s called a “flare.” These signs may come and go. You may have swelling and rashes one week and no symptoms at all the next. You may find that your symptoms flare after you’ve been out in the sun or after a hard day at work.

Even if you take medicine for lupus, you may find that there are times when the symptoms become worse. Learning to recognize that a flare is coming can help you take steps to cope with it. Many people feel very tired or have pain, a rash, a fever, stomach discomfort, headache, or dizziness just before a flare. Steps to prevent flares, such as limiting the time you spend in the sun and getting enough rest and quiet, can also be helpful.

Preventing a Flare Top

Learn to recognize that a flare is coming.

Talk with your doctor.

Try to set realistic goals and priorities.

Limit the time you spend in the sun.

Maintain a healthy diet.

Develop coping skills to help limit stress.

Get enough rest and quiet.

Moderately exercise when possible.

Develop a support system by surrounding yourself with people you trust and feel comfortable with (family, friends, etc.).

What Causes Lupus? Top

We don’t know what causes lupus. There is no cure, but in most cases lupus can be managed. Lupus sometimes seems to run in families, which suggests the disease may be hereditary. Having the genes isn’t the whole story, though. The environment, sunlight, stress, and certain medicines may trigger symptoms in some people. Other people who have similar genetic backgrounds may not get signs or symptoms of the disease. Researchers are trying to find out why.

Who Gets Lupus? Top

Anyone can get lupus. But 9 out of 10 people who have it are women. African American women are three times more likely to get lupus than white women. It’s also more common in Hispanic/Latino, Asian, and American Indian women.

Both African Americans and Hispanics/Latinos tend to develop lupus at a younger age and have more symptoms at diagnosis (including kidney problems).

They also tend to have more severe disease than whites. For example, African American patients have more seizures and strokes, while Hispanic/Latino patients have more heart problems. We don’t understand why some people seem to have more problems with lupus than others.

Diagnosis: How Do You Find Out If You Have Lupus? Top

Medical history—Telling a doctor about your symptoms and other problems you have had can help him or her understand your situation. Your history can provide clues to your disease. Use the checklist at the end of this booklet to keep track of your symptoms. Share this checklist with your doctor. Ask your family or friends to help you with the checklist or come up with questions for your doctor.

Complete physical exam—The doctor will look for rashes and other signs that something is wrong.

Laboratory testing of blood and urine samples—Blood and urine samples often show if your immune system is overactive.

Skin or kidney biopsy—In a biopsy, tissue that is removed by a minor surgical procedure is examined under a microscope. Skin or kidney tissue examined in this way can show signs of an autoimmune disease.

Lupus is most common in women between the ages of 15 and 44. These are roughly the years when most women are able to have babies. Scientists think a woman’s hormones may have something to do with getting lupus. But it’s important to remember that men and older people can get it, too.

It’s less common for children under age 15 to have lupus. One exception is babies born to women with lupus. These children may have heart, liver, or skin problems caused by lupus. With good care, most women with lupus can have a normal pregnancy and a healthy baby.

What Will the Doctor Do? Top

Go see a doctor. He or she will talk to you and take a history of your health problems. Many people have lupus for a long time before they find out they have it. It’s important that you tell the doctor or nurse about your symptoms. This information, along with a physical examination and the results of laboratory tests, helps the doctor decide whether you have lupus or something else.

A rheumatologist (ROOM-uh-TALL-uh-jist) is a doctor who specializes in treating diseases that affect the joints and muscles, like lupus. You may want to ask your regular doctor for a referral to a rheumatologist.

In some cases, a dermatologist, a doctor who specializes in treating diseases that affect the skin, may be involved in diagnosis and treatment. No single test can show that you have lupus. Your doctor may have to run several tests and study your medical history. It may take time for the doctor to diagnose lupus.

Will I Get Medicine? Top

Remember that each person has different symptoms. Treatment depends on the symptoms. The doctor may give you aspirin or a similar medicine to treat swollen joints and fever. Creams may be prescribed for a rash. For more serious problems, stronger medicines such as antimalaria drugs, corticosteroids, and chemotherapy drugs are used. Your doctor will choose a treatment based on your symptoms and needs.

Always tell your doctor if you have problems with your medicines. Let your doctor know if you take herbal or vitamin supplements. Your medicines may not mix well with these supplements. You and your doctor can work together to find the best way to treat all of your symptoms.

How Can I Cope With Lupus? Top

You need to find out what works best for you. You may find that a rheumatologist has the best treatment plan for you. Other health professionals who can help you deal with different aspects of lupus include psychologists, occupational therapists, dermatologists, and dietitians. You might find that doing exercises with a physical therapist makes you feel better. The important thing is to follow up with your health care team on a regular basis, even when your lupus is quiet and all seems well.

Dealing with a long-lasting disease like lupus can be hard on the emotions. You might think that your friends, family, and coworkers do not understand how you feel. Sadness and anger are common reactions.

People with lupus have limited energy and must manage it wisely. Ask your health care team about ways to cope with fatigue. Most people feel better if they manage their rest and work and take their medicine. If you’re depressed, medicine and counseling can help.

Also,

Pay attention to your body. Slow down or stop before you’re too tired.

Learn to pace yourself. Spread out your work and other activities.

Don’t blame yourself for your fatigue. It’s part of the disease.

Consider support groups and counseling. They can help you realize that you’re not alone. Group members teach one another how to cope.

Consider other support from your family as well as faith-based and other community groups.

It’s true that staying healthy is harder when you have lupus. You need to pay close attention to your body, mind, and spirit. Having a chronic disease is stressful. People cope with stress differently. Some approaches that may help are:

Staying involved in social activities

Practicing techniques such as meditation and yoga

Setting priorities for spending time and energy

Exercising is another approach that can help you cope with lupus. Types of exercise that you can practice include the following:

Range-of-motion (for example, stretching) exercises help maintain normal joint movement and relieve stiffness. This type of exercise helps maintain or increase flexibility.

Strengthening (for example, weight-lifting) exercises help keep or increase muscle strength. Strong muscles help support and protect joints affected by lupus.

Aerobic or endurance (for example, brisk walking or jogging) exercises improve cardiovascular fitness, help control weight, and improve overall function.

People with chronic diseases like lupus should check with their health care professional before starting an exercise program.

Learning about lupus may also help. People who are well-informed and take part in planning their own care report less pain. They also may make fewer visits to the doctor, have more self-confidence, and remain more active.

Women who want to start a family should work closely with their health care team; for example, doctors, physical therapists, and nurses. Your obstetrician and your lupus doctor should work together to find the best treatment plan for you.

it is almost like that but no. Your face is red in a shape of a butterfly (nose and cheeks) and has little bumps (no not acne, worse)

Lupus is a autoimmune disorder with a wide variety of symptoms. Some patients have kidney problems. It was called "lupus" because some patients get a red rash on their face that was said to resemble a wolf.

There is a facial rash identified with lupus...the skin appears red and it is usually across the cheeks and forehead, like a butterfly. There are many other symptoms associated with lupus. It is not contagious. It is a disorder of the immune system and can affect any of the major organ systems of the body. The Lupus Foundation has information about this disease and its effects.

It is a disease of the immune system You get a rash on your face in the shape of a butterfly . It goes under the eyes and across the nose and cheeks. One type can be fatal.

here is a link: http://www.lupus.org/education/overview.html

it is a disorder of the immune system. One of the symptoms can be a rash on the face that might look like acne.

It is a connective tissue disease related to arthritis. There are different levels of severity and it can be very debilitating. One of the symptoms that people can have is a butterfly shaped rash over their face. Women are much more likely to have it than men.

lupus is much more than that. It is a disease that falls into the group of ¨inmune-mediated diseases¨. Basically is a disorder that makes the inmune system attack it´s own body. Antibodies are produced that go against the DNA of the body cells and the form together inmunecomplexes that are recognized by the sepcific defense cells( limphocites, macrofages). This genrates an immune response that can affect a part of the body, for example the skin( this is called¨discoid¨ eritematous lupus), or a number of organs( sistemic eritematous lupus), like the skin, liver, kidneys, brain, nerves, lungs, heart, bone marrow, platelets, causing generalized inflamation, skin lesions( hence the name eritematous, red), organ failure, bleeding, and often multiple disfunction and death. The condition is often cronic and progressive, but it can be medically controled in most patients, mostly using inmunosupressing agents, such as ciclofosfamide, drug used also in antineoplasic chemotherapy protocols. The curse of the disease can be mild to severe, depending on the lesions and organ or system involvement.

lupus is LATIN word means any chronic, progressive,usually ulcerate , skin disease. in current usage when the word is used alone, it has no precise meaning.
1- l.erythematosus, cutaneous & l.erythematosus, systemic are chronic inflammatory diseases .
2-l. vulgaris is Tuberculosis of skin.
3l.pernio is sarcoidosis; Boeck"s sarcoid.
ONLY IN DISCOID LUPUS (DLE) malar area of face involved lesion are patches not like acne.these may like rosacea
Lupus erythematosis is a autoimmune disorder it may be localized or it may be systemic, when it is limited to skin known as DLE(discoid lupus erythematosis), DLE further may be localized or generalised.
Systemic can effect any organ, connective tissue of body.
But Lupus valgaris is a BACTERIAL infection of skin( Skin T.B.) same bactria
SO WORD LUPUS DOES NOT STAND FOR AUTOIMMUNE DISORDER ONLY.
if any body really intrested let me know it very importent and wide chapter in derma.
What has been written by NurseOhio is all about SLE , while
question is much more concerned about DLE. I think so .

"Lupus is an autoimmune disorder, a disease in which the body's immune system turns against the body itself. In a healthy person, the immune system defends against invading organisms but does not, in general, attack the body's own tissues. The cause of lupus is unknown. However, it is known that lupus has a genetic component, which means a predisposition to lupus can be inherited. Approximately 10% of lupus patients have one or more direct relatives with lupus."

Acne? Yeah right! You have to be kidding!!!!!!!!

"hello" there are different types of lupus..... please do some research....get the proper tests that need to be taken......here are some sights that might help you to begain on your discovery hope this information will help.... the first one is a free lupus message board & chat room ....etc....etc.... also they have alternatives that will help along with other medical problembs..... thanks lots cindy.....

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what does it means lupus?

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