Lupus Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Lupus - Research Paper Example The immune system of a person suffering from lupus cannot differentiate between normal body tissues and antigens. As a result of this, the immune system directs antibodies to normal tissues thinking that they are foreign materials. Due to this, there is swelling and pain felt by the person suffering from this disease. With advanced medical technology, different types of lupus have been identified by doctors. However the most common one is SLE or systemic lupus erythematosus. There are also others known as discoid, neonatal and drug-induced. Symptoms It is important to note that lupus is very variable. That is it is common for one to have the disease and not experience all the symptoms that other people feel. At the same time, every patient has their own feelings meaning that there are rare occasions when two or more patients experience similar symptoms. Severity also varies in individuals. Some patients experience symptoms that are severe and might last for a long time while others e xperience symptoms that are less severe and last for a few minutes but keep reoccurring. Sometimes, the patients expect to experience the severe pains that most textbooks describe but that never occurs. Some of the initial symptoms include (Basingtoke, 2011): 1. Lethargy, fatigue and weakness 2. Rashes in the skin. However, this occurs in very few cases. One in every five. 3. Swelling and pain of the join. This is experienced by almost half of the patients. Meaning that it is a very common symptom for patients with the lupus disease. 4. Fever; almost every patient experience this and it keeps occurring Diagnosis Since the symptoms of this disease vary, diagnosis of the disease is very difficult. The symptoms keep changing and in some cases, they become similar to symptoms of other diseases. For one to be confirmed as having this disease, several tests have to be performed. Urine and blood tests are however compulsory. The patient also has to be given a physical examination to know h ow fit they are. The laboratory tests include; 1. Complete blood count. This is the most common test for the disease. The number of white blood cells, platelets and red blood cells are counted and their ratio known. The results have to be analyzed properly since anemia also has almost similar results from the same test. 2. Sedimentation of erythrocytes rate. In this test, blood sample is taken and kept in a test tube from where the rate at which the red blood cells settle at the bottom of the test tube is measured. This test is very crucial since it determines the type of disease that one has. 3. Urinalysis. This is where the urine of the patient is analyzed to check the amount of proteins and red blood cells in the urine. Treatment Just like the difference in symptoms, the treatment of lupus is also different. Before administering any treatment, the doctor or physician has to analyze the signs and symptoms of the disease that the patient has shown and detriment the correct procedur e to use for treatment. As the signs keep changing, the nurse has to ensure that the patient changes the medication that they are using. This means that the nurse has to be able to closely monitor the changes that the patient is undergoing through and report this to the doctor who should change medication if necessary. Some of the treatments available include; 1. NSAIDs (Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). This kind of medication is available over the counter. Some