Lupus is an autoimmune disease in which your body attacks its healthy cells and tissues. The disease can cause achy joints, swelling, inflammation, skin rashes, chronic pain, hair loss, blood clotting, anemia, weight loss/gain, and extreme fatigue.
Lupus can also cause some serious damage to other parts of your body, like your kidneys, lungs, heart, bone tissue, and your central nervous system. According to the Lupus Foundation of America, there is an estimated 1.5 million Americans living with lupus. Doctors believe that if you have lupus it's from a combination of both genetic and environmental factors such as smoking, stress, and chemical exposure.
Lupus can be very difficult to diagnose, since there are several types with a myriad of vague symptoms... all which can cause doctors to believe it's something else.
Even though lupus can be treated to ease symptoms, there is no cure. However, there are changes on the medical and scientific horizon in terms of diagnosing and treating lupus.
Currently, treatments for lupus depend on your age, symptoms (since symptoms can vary from patient to patient), overall health, and current lifestyle. Typically, treatment includes several medications to help manage the pain and inflammation your body chronically feels.
What's the future of lupus?
Marisa Zeppieri-Caruana joins Dr. Mike to discuss the current treatment options for lupus, as well as the future of the disease.
Monday, 02 March 2015 10:22
The Future of Lupus: Is Hope on the Horizon?
Unfortunately, there is no cure for lupus. But, treatment options are available to help manage your symptoms.
Additional Info
- Segment Number: 3
- Audio File: healthy_talk/1510ht1c.mp3
- Featured Speaker: Marisa Zeppieri-Caruana, Author
- Book Title: Lupus: Real Life, Real Patients, Real Talk
- Guest Website: Lupus Chick
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Guest Bio:
Marisa Zeppieri-Caruana is an author, freelance writer and speaker, currently residing in New York and Florida.
Marisa has had over 300 articles published covering a wide variety of topics including health, business, religion, women's issues, and current events. She has been featured and interviewed on the topic of Lupus in Glamour, Eating Well, WebMD, MSNBC, South Florida Today, The Good News, Chicago Tribune and Yahoo.
Formally educated in Chemistry and Fine Art, Marisa was about to graduate with her RN degree when she was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus. Confined to a bed, she rekindled her love for writing and embarked on a new and fulfilling career. She is currently working on her second Lupus-related book and serves as a board member for the Lupus Foundation of America, Southeast Florida Chapter.
Marisa is also the founder of www.LupusSurvivalGuide.com, a website and blog designed for Lupus patients and their families, and www.Wordslingergal.com, a website for those interested in a writing career. - Length (mins): 10
- Waiver Received: No
- Host: Mike Smith, MD
Published in
Healthy Talk w/ Dr. Michael Smith
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