Systemic lupus erythematosus SLE is a multisystem disease in which antibodies are formed against one’s own immune system (autoimmune) and have clinical symptoms that may be associated with any organ or with the whole system. It involves almost all organs and tissues, so it is sometimes considered a syndrome rather than a disease.
Diseases: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
Definition: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. It can affect the skin, joints, kidneys, brain, and other organs.
Main cause: autoimmune disease, the body’s immune system attacks healthy tissue and also by the use of some medicines
Affected organs: Skin, joints, kidneys, brain, and other organs
Affected Population: Both sexes, females more affected
Age group: 10 and 50
Treatment: There is no cure for this disease. But the condition can be controlled by the use of medicines.
Causes of Systemic lupus erythematosus
1. Genetic factors – It is often seen in children with parents having the same disease.
Siblings of SLE patients are approximately 30 times more likely to develop SLE compared with individuals without an affected sibling.
2. Environmental factors like ultraviolet light, demethylating drugs, and infectious conditions, viruses, are associated with diseases.
Sunlight is the most obvious environmental factor which may worsen the disease. Epstein Barr virus may be considered an important factor in this disease. Certain drugs in addition to genetic inclination towards disease may also contribute to the disease. Drugs like procainamide and hydralazine may cause the disease.
Women are affected nine times more frequently than men.
3. Hormonal factor – Use of oral contraceptive use can cause the disease. Pregnancy can also be a cause.
Symptoms of Systemic lupus erythematosus
- Fever, fatigue
- Anorexia, weight loss
- Pain in joints that at times symmetrical and may involve many joints
- Muscle pain and inflammatory condition
- Osteoporosis due to lack of exposure to light and as a result of lack of Vitamin D
- Arthritis in toe joints with pain and signs of inflammation
- Dental caries, swelling of gums
- Irregularity of menstrual cycle
- Conduction abnormalities (initiation of heartbeat and its conduction) often seen in these patients. These patients are also associated with accelerated atherosclerosis as a result of excessive lipid. Chest pain is also seen in these patients
- An important symptom of this disease is shrinking lung syndrome, in which there is difficulty in respiration.
- Oral lesions are discoid with excessive redness and have a tendency for ulceration, which is usually painless.
- Diarrhea due to infections
- Protein discharge in urine, along with the presence of red cell and hemoglobin
- Seizure, altered ability to function in normal activity due to severe disturbance in the perception of reality
- Hallucinations, impoverished thought content, marked illogical thinking, bizarre disorganized behavior
- Retinal hemorrhages
- Ulceration gangrene, tender finger
As it is a skin disease it is associated with these symptoms:
- Malar rash (fixed redness that may be flat or raised, over the malar (near cheekbones) and may spare the nasolabial folds.
- Butterfly rash
- Photosensitivity, unusual reaction to sunlight.
- Discoid maculopapular lesions, also seen on fingers and toes.
- Alopecia (of hair)
- Mood disorder, Anxiety disorder,
- Movement disorder (chorea)
- Acute confusional state
- Headache including migraine
Diagnosis
It may include some blood tests like the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). It helps to detect if there is any inflammation in your body.
- Antinuclear antibody test – An anti-nuclear antibody test checks whether there is a certain type of antibody cell in your blood, known as the anti-nuclear antibody.
- Anti – DNA antibody test
- Other tests include
- X-Ray, ultrasound scan
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan
- Computerized tomography (CT) scan
Treatment of SLE
No definite cure is possible for this disease. Management of this disease is done by taking care of the disease and its symptoms.
Some tips for the patients are as follows –
Rest and relaxation as many of the symptoms of this disease become worse by stress. So a simple rule for the patient is to relax.
Sun protection – SLE got worse in sunlight as many rashes and skin conditions flare-up. So limited sun exposure is recommended. For this, a good quality sunscreen is recommended.
Avoid infection – As SLE has a direct effect on the immune system so it is very necessary to take care of the infection.
Diet – A diet low in saturated animal fat may be helpful in reducing joint pains and inflammation and will certainly improve overall health.
Homeopathic Medicines Useful in SLE
Some Homeopathic remedies can help to take care of some local symptoms. Below is given detail of such Homeopathic medicine.
For joints pains
Aconite – There are numbness and tingling, shooting pains icy coldness, and insensibility of hands and feet. Arms feel lame, bruised, heavy feeling numb. Pain is felt down the left arm. Hot hands and cold feet. Rheumatic inflammation of joints, worse at night, red shiny swelling, very sensitive. The hip joint and thigh feel lame, especially after lying down. Knees unsteady, disposition of the foot to turn. Weak and lax ligaments of all joints. Painless cracking of all joints.
Apis – There is oedematous swelling of joints. Knee swollen, shiny, sensitive, sore, with stinging pain. Feet swollen and stiff. Rheumatic pain in the back and limbs. Tired, bruised feeling. Numbness of hand and fingertips. It is a very good remedy for conditions like cellulitis, with oedematous swelling.
Bryonia – It is a very good remedy for arthritis. Knee stiff and painful. There is hot swelling of feet. Joints red, swollen, hot, with stitches and tearing, worse on least movement. Every spot is painful under pressure. The constant motion of the left arm and leg.
Dulcamara – Patients feel paralysis, feet icy cold. Warts on hands. Perspiration on the palms. Pain in the shin bones. Rheumatism alternates with diarrhea. Rheumatic symptoms after acute skin eruptions.
Rhus tox – Hot, painful swelling of joints. Pain tearing in tendons, ligaments. Rheumatic pains spread over a large surface at the loins, neck, and extremities, which is better by motion. Soreness of bones. Limbs feel paralyzed. There is tearing down the thighs. It is a very good remedy for sciatica, which is worse by damp weather, at night. The patient feels paralyzed and trembles after exertion. There is tenderness around the knee joint. Loss of power in the forearm and fingers.
Rhododendron – Joints are swollen. There is gouty inflammation of the great toe joint. Rheumatic tearing in all limbs, especially the right side which is worse, at rest and in stormy weather. There is stiffness in the neck. There is a pain in the shoulders, arms, wrists, which is worse when at rest. Pains in the bones in spots reappear with the change of weather, Cannot sleep unless legs are crossed.
Ruta – Spine, and limbs feel bruised. Legs give out on rising from a chair, hips, and thigh, weak. Contraction of fingers. Pain and stiffness in wrists and hands. It is a very good remedy for ganglion. Sciatica, which worse, lying down
For Skin
Apis – Swelling is seen after bites, sore, sensitive. Stinging. Redness, with sensitiveness and swelling, rosy hue. Eruptions, with burning, stinging pain. Sudden puffing up of the whole body. There is swelling and redness of the face with piercing pain. Waxy, pale, and oedematous face.
Fluoric acid – Ulcers, with red edges and vesicles. Itching in body, Feels as if burning vapors were emitted from the pores. Itching especially in the orifices and in spots. Worse warmth. Nails grow rapidly. Profuse, sour, offensive perspiration. There is dropsy of limbs in old, feeble persons. There is edema of tissues of the body.
Sepia – There are yellow blotches on the face, pale face. There is yellowish discoloration around the mouth. There is a condition which is called Rosacea (redness of the face) saddle-like brownish distribution on nose and cheeks. Itching, not better by scratching and feels worse in bends of elbows and knees. This herpetic eruption on lips, around the mouth and nose. Ringworm like eruption every spring. Urticaria when going in the open air, better in a warm room.
Sulphur – This remedy especially for skin ailments. Dry, scaly, unhealthy, there is the tendency of pus of little injury. Itching, burning, worse scratching, and washing. Pimply eruption on face. The sensation of a band around the bones. Skin affections after local medication. Extreme itching especially from warmth, in the evening, often recurs in spring-time, in damp weather.
Symptoms related to lungs
Aconite – There is difficult breathing on least motion. Hoarse, dry, croupy cough, loud, labored breathing. The child grasps the throat every time he coughs. Very sensitive to inspired air. There is shortness of breath. The larynx is sensitive. Stitches through the chest. Cough dry, short, hacking worse at night and after midnight. Hot feeling in the lungs. Blood comes up with hawking. Tingling in the chest after cough.
Bryonia – There is soreness in the larynx and trachea. Hoarseness, worse in the open air. Dry, hacking cough from irritation in the upper trachea. Cough, dry at night, must sit up, worse after eating or drinking, vomiting, with stitches in the chest and expectoration of rust color sputa. Must support the chest.