Systemic Lupus in Psychology - Essay Example

The purpose of this essay is to study of systemic lupus (or lupus). The disease has physiological as well as psychological impact on the afflicted individuals. An examination of causes, symptoms and treatment of lupus helps to understand the physiological impact of the disease, while looking at families coping with, the psychological aspects. By focusing on these aspects of lupus, one is fully aware of the effects of lupus. A study of the available research materials indicates that a lot more information is needed to combat the disease.

Given the severity and debilitating effects of lupus, further research is imperative. Unlike most common illness such as flu or asthma, their diagnosis is rather simple in comparison. In the case of lupus, this tends to be a more complicated. Lupus is a disease that affects our immune system, which is the defense system of our body. This illness is an autoimmune disorder in people, which the immune system turns against the body. Furthermore, there is no definitive test in the medical community to diagnose lupus.

The disease is commonly known as the great mimic. Lupus gives-off the some symptoms of other illnesses. As mentioned earlier, there is not a single test to determine whether someone has lupus. Most healthcare professionals have patients who undergo a series of test to help determine the diagnosis. Over the years, this has been discovered, if patient posses four of the eleven symptoms then patient are diagnosed with lupus. There is a vast array of symptoms associated with systemic lupus; and eleven criteria are known today.

Many reports also indicated that patients have experienced a molar rash across the face. People suffer from lesions that spread all over the body. The most common symptom appears to be overlooked as arthritis, which is pain in the joints. There has been documentation of people suffering from pain in the chest and the lungs due to inflammation. I have mentioned thus far are physiological signs, here are a few psychological aspects. When people are undergoing this kind of illness, they tend to be extremely fatigue.

They will suffer from a lack of energy and their coordination will be difficult to manage. Their moods will change suddenly and will affect their diets as well. Science is imperfect and learning process leads us to discover the correct treatment. Lupus is chronic and there is no cure for it. The main goal when it comes to the treatment is to prevent our immune system from attacking itself. The main idea is to keep the disease in check, which is known as remission. These days there are four drugs used widely to battle lupus and they are ‘anti-malaria’, ‘non-steroidal anti-flammatory drugs’, ‘immune suppressants’ and steroids.

Anti-malaria was originally designed to fight off the common disease known as malaria. In a twist of faith, it is used today for soothing skin lesions. When patients are suffering from muscle aches and joint pains than non-steroidal anti-flammatory drugs are administered. Knowing that this illness uses our immune system against us, immune suppressants are an intelligent design. Naturally, our immune system is working in overdrive, so this drug literally slows it down nearly shutting it off. Finally, steroids are today’s modern miracle drugs of the twenty-first century.

When the disease begins to attack the body organs the only options is to administer steroids. It is the only way to reverse its affects by using steroids to combat lupus affectively. This disease does not have a wonder pill to take and the next day you are fine. It is imperative that research must be conducted to find a cure. Lupus has a profound impact on the individual both as physiologically and psychologically. The majority of people think that physicians are just working to make money, in retrospect the doctors are servants to patients.

They must work together to find middle ground and work as a team to combat this illness effectively. Our best hopes in finding a cure is through further research in etiology by understanding how it affects us and learning from the past to gain access to developing a cure for the future.