There are plenty of conditions out there that are unfortunately uncurable or untreatable, however, when it comes to systemic lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, not all hope is lost. We are going to discuss how these conditions can be identified, and what are the possible treatments for them.
Systemic lupus
When it comes to systemic lupus, it is an autoimmune disease. That means that some parts of the immune system that are supposed to protect the body from foreign elements lost the ability to differentiate which elements are foreign, and which are their own, so they will attack both.
Lupus has a couple of variations, where the immune system will affect the skin or joints for some, while for others it is a bit more serious, as kidneys, lungs, blood vessels and the brain may be affected. If major organs are affected, the expectations for the patients are usually not good.
Some of the symptoms of lupus are shared with other similar conditions, such as the pain in the joints, however, skin rashes that are made worse in the sun, as well as sores in the mouth and a lowered number of red blood cells are symptoms that can help a systemic lupus erythematosus specialist in Brisbane at arthritisCARE diagnose the condition with ease, which will allow them to provide you treatment.
Symptoms for systemic lupus
Rheumatoid arthritis
When it comes to rheumatoid arthritis, it is also an autoimmune disease that causes swelling and pain in the joints. The joints are the targets of this condition, and they get inflamed and damaged. What makes rheumatoid arthritis specific, is that it does not attack bigger joints, but mostly smaller ones like feet and hands. Of course, larger joints like hips and knees can be affected, but not as often.
The main symptoms of this condition are joint pain, tenderness to the touch, and swelling. It is very characteristic that the stiffness can be experienced in the morning, after the person with this condition had a long rest. Another specific thing is that is the condition is symmetrical, which means that if a joint on your right side is affected, the one on the left side is affected too.
Just like with other cases of arthritis, the cause is unfortunately unknown, which is why the development of a cure is difficult. However, it can still be diagnosed with some blood tests for inflammation and antibodies, as well as x-rays. If you are wondering if there is a “rheumatoid arthritis specialist near me”, you can simply click on the highlight and you can receive your treatment.
Final word
One of the most important things to consider when it comes to auto immune conditions is that you should never give up, as there is some kind of treatment out there. If you notice that your body is going through some kind of changes, do not ignore it, contact your doctor immediately.
Difference between a healthy joint, and one affected by rheumatoid arthritis
