Do you have a facial rash that’s shaped like butterfly wings? More than 16,000 Americans are diagnosed with lupus every year. This autoimmune disease can occur at any time, without notice. Christi Kenyon, MD helps her patients in and around Seattle manage their symptoms and maintain their lifestyle. Call Dr. Kenyon’s practice today or request an appointment online.
Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that can cause inflammation in many parts of your body: your joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart, and lungs. When suffering from an autoimmune disease, your immune system attacks your tissues and organs.
Lupus is not contagious. You can’t "catch" lupus, nor "give" it to someone else.
The symptoms depend on which part of your body lupus affects, and they can fluctuate from mild to severe. Most people experience episodes or “flare-ups” of their symptoms, meaning that their symptoms worsen for a time before disappearing for a while.
The most common symptoms include:
Lupus results from your immune system attacking your healthy tissue after encountering an external factor.
Although the cause of the disease is unknown, it's likely that lupus results from a combination of your genetics and your environment. If you have an inherited predisposition for the disease, you are more likely to experience a flare-up of symptoms.
Possible triggers include:
Although lupus can affect you regardless of your age, the disease typically occurs in people between the ages of 15 and 45. Lupus is most commonly found in women, as well as in African-Americans, Hispanics, and Asian-Americans.
Dr. Kenyon can help determine which treatment plan is best for your symptoms and lifestyle. Here are some medications that Dr. Kenyon can use to help manage your condition:
Knowing which external factors might trigger an immune response can help you to avoid a flare-up in symptoms.
If you think you or a loved one has lupus, call Dr. Kenyon or request an appointment online to discuss your options.