There are three basic types of Lupus: Discoid Lupus, drug-induced Lupus and Systemic Lupus. Of the three, Systemic Lupus tends to be the most difficult to live with, and to treat. It is the only one of the three that affects more than one organ or part of the body, and is not easily taken care of.
Systemic Lupus can be very difficult to diagnose. Because the disease attacks more than one part of the body, there can be a wide array of symptoms, including:
A patient who has Systemic Lupus can have anywhere from one to all of the symptoms, which can make it difficult for a doctor to narrow his diagnosis down to Lupus. Every symptom that is caused by Systemic Lupus can be caused by another disease or condition, and as there is no one specific test to pinpoint Lupus as the cause of the problem, doctors sometimes need to be paying sharp attention to catch it.
Once a doctor has narrowed the condition down and given a diagnosis of Lupus, he will then discuss treatment options. One of the most commonly chosen treatment options is drug therapy. In a large majority of cases, the major complaint has to deal with inflammation. By using an anti-inflammatory, doctors can minimize the pain and aches that go hand-in-hand with the disease. If anti-inflammatory drugs are not enough, a doctor may use what is called an immunosuppressant. Immunosuppressants can be very harmful if they are not used under the supervision of a doctor. They are meant to stop your immune system from working, which can leave you susceptible to other diseases. Because of the side effects, doctors tend to use immunosuppressants as a last resort.