What is Lupus | Lupus/ SLE Frequently Asked Questions| PatientsEngage

Submitted by PatientsEngage on 16 August 2021

Picture of Dr. Nolkha and overly with the topic Understanding Basics of Lupus/ SLE and his credentials

In this webinar we spoke with Dr. Nilesh Nolkha, Consultant Rheumatologist and Clinical Immunologist addressed some of the most common questions on Lupus as part of the “Know Lupus” series.

Dr. Nilesh Nolkha answers the following questions (marked with timestamps on the youtube recording)

03:52 What is Lupus?

05:30 What are the signs and symptoms of Lupus

10:00 How is Lupus diagnosed? Are there any tests for this?

12:00 What are the treatment options for Lupus?

16:05 Can a Lupus patient stop their medications when they are feeling better?

21:40 Are recurrent fevers and mouth ulcers common in Lupus

24:40 Can hair loss reduce over time and can hair be recovered

31:20 Is it safe for Lupus patients to take Covid vaccine

38:10 Do diet and lifestyle changes help lupus patients?

46:20 What is the role of complementary and alternative treatments like homeopathy and ayurveda?

Stories

Forms of Lupus

There are several types of lupus: 1. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the form of the disease that most people are referring to when they say “lupus”. The word “systemic” means the disease can affect many parts of the body. Although SLE usually first affects people between the ages of 15 and 45 years, it can occur in childhood or later in life as well. 2. Discoid lupus erythematosus is a chronic skin disorder in which a red, raised rash appears on the face, scalp, or elsewhere. The…
Lupus Symptoms and Signs

Each person with lupus has slightly different symptoms that can range from mild to severe and may come and go over time. Usually the joint and muscle pain, rashes on skin are seen all the time but the intensity of the symptoms decrease with treatment. Painful or swollen joints and muscle pain Unexplained fever Red rashes, most commonly on the face Chest pain upon deep breathing Unusual loss of hair Pale or purple fingers or toes from cold or stress (Raynaud's phenomenon) Sensitivity to the sun…
Lupus Causes and Risks

Although the exact cause of lupus and other autoimmune diseases is unknown, most believe that lupus results from both genetic and environmental stimuli. Since lupus is known to occur within families, doctors believe that it is possible to inherit a genetic predisposition to lupus. It is probable that having an inherited predisposition for lupus makes the disease more likely only after coming into contact with some environmental trigger. The higher number of lupus cases in females than in males…
Lupus

Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body (skin, joints, and/or organs inside the body). Chronic means that the signs and symptoms tend to last longer than six weeks and often for many years. Lupus affects about 5 in 10,000 people. Who is affected by lupus? Most often, lupus starts in people in their 20s and 30s. It occurs 10 times more often in women than in men. The disease is more common in some ethnic groups, mainly blacks and…
Inflammation

Inflammation has been linked to a slew of diseases – from allergies to cancer, heart trouble, bowel problems and diabetes. What is it and how can we protect ourselves. - By paediatrician and family practitioner Dr Gita Mathai. What is inflammation? The word is derived from the Latin “inflammo” meaning ignite or set alight. It conjures up visions of fire, and it is the body’s response to an injury, like a broken bone, a scrape in the skin or an infection by an organism (…