Lupus Causes

Arthritis, Daily Health Solutions, Healthy Aging, Healthy Living
on October 23, 2011

As with many autoimmune disorders, the cause of lupus largely remains a mystery to the medical world. The Lupus Foundation of America Inc. states, “While a person’s genes may increase the chance that he or she will develop lupus, it takes some kind of environmental trigger to set off the illness or to bring on a flare.” It’s not clear what type of genetic inheritance exists for lupus, but there does seem to be a trend within families. Finding a specific gene that may be the culprit is made even more difficult by the fact that you could have the gene for lupus, but if you never encounter the specific environmental triggers that will cause the disease to flare, you may never even be aware of it.

Possible causes. Since the risk of getting lupus increases if other people in your family suffer from the disease, there does seem to be some type of genetic component to lupus. Beyond that, all that’s really clear is that the pain of the disease is caused by an autoimmune response — your body essentially turns on itself and attacks various tissues in the body. The most common and widely recognized type attacks the joints, resulting in pain and inflammation similar to rheumatoid arthritis. However, lupus may attack any tissue in the body, including bone, heart, lungs, liver, kidneys and other internal structures.

Probable environmental triggers. Sunlight is possibly the most widely recognized environmental trigger for lupus, though evidence suggests that even fluorescent light may be sufficient to trigger the disease. Viral or bacterial infections, stress, childbirth and some types of medications may all be triggers as well. Injury, overwork or any other similar situation that requires the body to work harder than usual, especially if the body requires healing, seems to be a trigger. Once the disease is triggered, you may experience a wide range of symptoms, from simple skin discolorations to severe arthritic pain and/or chest pain. If you experience any unexplained pain, especially if there is a history of lupus in your family, contact your doctor immediately. Lupus can be treated if it is identified promptly.