Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that can effect various parts of your body, especially the skin, joints, blood and kidneys.

Lupus is not a simple or ordinary disease. It can be serious or trivial. It can be disfiguring or unnoticeable. It can be painless or painful. It can be life threatening or of little consequence.<

Lupus is primarily the result of a malfunctioning immune system. Whereas a healthy immune system produces antibodies which are special proteins that help fight and destroy invading organisms, with Lupus, your immune system loses its ability to tell the difference between foreign substances and your own cells and tissues. These misguided antibodies, called autoantibodies, then attack various parts of your body, causing inflammation, injury to tissues, and pain. Other dysfunctions can also develop when you have Lupus and these can have other damaging effects on your body.

Evidence suggests that long term exposure to toxins and a high rate of infections are significant factors in the development of Lupus. Toxins disrupt the energy production pathways in the body so that infected cells cannot produce energy. And the immune system is overworked to the point where it can't cope, affecting all the other body systems.

There are four types of Lupus: Systemic Lupus, Drug-Induced Lupus, Discoid Lupus and Neonatal Lupus.

Here is a brief look at each one.

Systemic Lupus: Systemic means “all over”. It can effect almost any organ or system of the body and causes serious blood abnormalities. This form can be life threatening if it involves the organs of the body.

Drug-Induced Lupus: Some people develop symptoms of Lupus after taking certain prescription drugs. It is known that 70 agents can cause symptoms but the top three are: Pronestyl for heart irregularities; Apresoline to treat high blood pressure; and Isoniazid used to treat tuberculosis.

Discoid Lupus: This form is mild and only effects the skin. A raised red rash may appear on the face, neck, ear, scalp or on other areas.

Neonatal Lupus: This is a non chronic form of Lupus limited to mothers who carry a certain autoantibody that crosses the placenta. Neonatal Lupus manifests as a rash which clears up after the first year of the baby’s life.

Common Symptoms

Pain: With Lupus, pain is most often felt in the neck and shoulder muscles and extends down the back.

Fatigue: This is not the normal kind of fatigue you experience from working hard or long. This fatigue is the result of either too little or disturbed sleep, or a breakdown in your body's energy production mechanism. You often don't just feel tired you feel anxious and on edge.

Sleep Problems: You may wake up 3 to 4 times a night - 80% of people with Lupus do. And even if you don't come fully awake you may be subject to subliminal seizures which shock you out of a deep stage 4 sleep into a shallow stage 1 sleep. No matter how long you sleep, you rarely feel rested.

Short Term Memory Loss or Forgetfulness: This is a result of a lack of oxygen in your brain. If your thyroid gland is underactive - a condition which affects 85% of Lupus sufferers but only shows up in thyroid tests 10% of the time - or you have heart complications, the flow of blood to your brain is decreased. This deprives your brain cells of the oxygen they need to work properly.

Emotional Instability and Depression: Your hypothalamus gland, which controls your emotions, is affected. You may have a tendency to cry more easily, be more anxious and fearful, or feel depressed. These are all results of the disease, not reactions to it.

Hair Loss and Subnormal Body Temperature: Further indications that your thyroid gland is not working at 100%.

Gastrointestinal Problems: Excessive gas, bloating, cramps, diarrhea or constipation, hiatal hernia, irritable bowel syndrome or Crohn’s disease. One or more of these symptoms are experienced by 75% of people with auto-immune diseases.

Heightened Sensitivity: Your body becomes hyper-sensitive. Allergies often develop. Your eyes may become light sensitive. You may develop a sense of vertigo. Or experience swollen glands, a heightened sensitivity to certain chemicals, or more frequent headaches.

Overactivity: This can cause serious problems. In healthy people your body lets you know when you should take a break - you feel pain or muscle fatigue or both. When you have Lupus this warning system becomes impaired - There is a tendency to overwork or overexercise when feeling good and then to feel worse for days afterward. Instead of telling you when to stop, your body lets you continue. Lactic acid builds up in your muscles and carbon dioxide is recirculated, depleting your cells of oxygen.

Low Blood Pressure, Fluttering Heart, Panic Attacks, Rapid Heartbeat: Your heart receives the wrong messages from your autonomous nervous system. The body picks up these signals and over-reacts, usually causing your heart to reduce the amount of blood it pumps through your body and stimulating these other symptoms.

Body Acidity and Toxicity: Usually people with Lupus are very toxic. This can be the result of a buildup of bacteria, antigens, fungi, viruses, allergins; environmental pollution; mercury tooth fillings or improper diet. Diseases flourish in a toxic environment.

Candida Yeast Infections: These are very common. If your tongue has a white coating, you have a yeast infection.

Other Common Symptoms include: Difficulty Digesting Protein; Liver Dysfunction; Low Blood Sugar; Tingling Hands; Ringing Ears; Cold Toes and Fingers; Metallic taste in your Mouth.

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