Physician Calls for More Awareness for Lupus

Dr. Amina Dorayi, who is a renown Public Health Professional and has been asked to speak at several conferences, including the “She Forum Africa” in 2016, has called lupus a deadly disease and is pushing for an increase of awareness around it. Because the symptoms of lupus vary so widely, doctors are less likely to think to identify lupus than they are to think of ways to treat the specific symptoms presented to them.

Dr. Dorayi, who is affiliated with an Abuja-based international organization, made this request for a bigger emphasis on lupus awareness at a conference organized by an NGO called “Eye on Lupus Foundation” as well as some other local partners. The “Eyes on Lupus” campaign, started by Mrs. Ummahani Amin, it began in memoriam of her sister Maryam, who sadly passed away from lupus earlier in 2017. Amin said that she wanted to start this foundation because many Nigerian women did not know about the disease. She encourages women who do not know about their health to check their status and do research about symptoms they feel on their own.

What is Lupus?

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease. It occurs when the body’s immune system attacks healthy tissues and organs rather than viruses. Studies show that under normal function, the immune system is able to make proteins (antibodies) which protect and fight against antigens, like viruses and bacteria. So, basically, they are the body’s security guards and they fight away anything that shouldn’t be near the immune system. When someone has lupus, however, that means that their immune system cannot tell the difference between antigens (“bad guys”) and healthy tissue, which means that the immune system begins to attack healthy tissue. So when lupus develops, the body guards for the immunes system do not just attack “bad guys” who shouldn’t be near the immune system, but everything around it.

Symptoms vary greatly, which is part of why it is so hard to diagnose. 1.5 million people in the United States alone live with diagnosed Lupus. Dr. Dorayi went on to further explain Lupus in a conference by saying “Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects mostly women and occurs when the body’s immune system attacks tissues and organs in the body.” Any body part can be affected by lupus, including, but not limited to, all internal organs, kidneys, blood vessels, brains, skin, and joints.

Dr. Dorayi went on to explain that “Lupus takes two to four years to diagnose; Lupus is a multi-systematic disease which affects all the systems in the body. It is a cruel and mysterious disease to the world. It is cruel because it makes an individual to feel he or she does not know what is wrong with them and it is when it gets to the terminal stage that is seen.” Dorayi is unfortunately spot on. The non-uniformity of the symptoms, as well as the fact that many of the symptoms lend themselves so easily to a myriad of ailments, makes it difficult to diagnose before it is too late. That is why increased awareness, as well as individuals being mindful of the symptoms, is of the utmost importance.

Who Does Lupus Effect?

Lupus can happen to anyone, however certain demographics are impacted at a higher rate than others. Women, of example, are much more likely to get lupus than males. Additionally, people aged 15-44 are also more likely to be diagnosed with lupus than those under 15 or over 44. This is an especially tricky age range because general symptoms of lupus may be dismissed by younger people because they don’t fully understand the fragility of life. Additionally, many people in their 20's and even 30's do not go to doctors unless something is very wrong. The symptoms of lupus are often not so extreme that it would alarm an average 33-year-old. Additionally, lupus is more prevalent in People of Color than it is in their White counterparts. Dr. Dorayi said “this disease affects people of African, Asian, or Native American descent two to three times as often as it affects Whites.”

Symptoms to Look For

The best weapon against danger is education. The more that the average person knows about what symptom to look for, the better off they are. While lupus is trickier than symptoms of a heart attack, for example, where the symptoms are pretty uniform between each patient, there are still some common symptoms that people can watch for. Because of the nature of lupus, there is no one part of the body that may hurt from lupus. Below, find the various areas of the body that are affected by lupus.         

Head

Sudden and persistent headaches are one symptom. If a patient who does not have regular headaches (such as migraines or tension headaches), but begins to get regular ones out of nowhere, it is a possible sign of lupus. Additional signs are instances of memory loss or confusion. It is easy to dismiss these symptoms as side-effects of stressful lives that so many Americans lead. Rashes on the face are also common. Often referred to as a “butterfly” rash, a rash that covers the cheeks and bridge of the nose that worsens with sun exposure is a symptom.  Developing sores inside of the mouth or nose can also be symptomatic. Finally, if unusual bouts of dryness or puffiness in the eyes arise, or eyes become more sensitive to light, these may be symptoms of lupus.

Chest

Patients who may begin to feel tightness or pain in the chest may be suffering from symptoms of lupus. People also may begin to experience shortness of breath if they are dealing with lupus.

Stomach Area

If a person experiences problems with their stomach for a while that do not seem to have cause, then this may also be a sign of lupus. Instances of nausea, vomiting, regular abdominal pain could be warning signs about this dangerous disease. Bladder infections as well as blood in the urine, symptoms often associated with urinary tract infections, may actually be symptoms of lupus.

Extremities

The extremities are the fingers, toes, and tip of the nose. If a person’s extremities begin to turn white or blue when exposed to the cold or when stress is particularly high.

General/All Over

Not all symptoms are so specific to one part of the body. There are general symptoms also. If a person feels themselves experiencing fatigue and unexplained fevers. Other signs include persistent pain and swelling, which can affect every part of the body, but especially in the legs, joints, and/or feet.

The Importance of Catching Lupus Early

As with most diseases, the key to beating it is to catch it early. Lupus is no different. According to Dr. Dorayi, early diagnosis of lupus often means that patients received better treatment.

What Can Be Done

Spread Awareness

With all of the advancements in medicine, it is important to remember to use all the technology and advancements that are at the public’s disposal productively. While scientists and researchers are looking for cures for lupus, there are things the general public can do to raise awareness. People can use their social media as a means of distributing information about the disease and raising awareness.

Early Diagnosis and Proactive Steps

Dr. Dorayi said an early diagnosis of the disease was most often better treated. This means that people should be mindful of the above outlined symptoms and to notice how frequently they experience these symptoms. If there is real concern, people should speak to their doctors and voice their concern.

Dr. Nasir Ismail, who is a neurosurgeon with Usmanu Dan Fodio Teaching Hospital in Sokoto, Nigeria, warned people that the cause of lupus is still not known. Because there is not a clear cut cause, it is difficult to tell people what they should avoid doing in order to remain healthy. Dr. Ismail advised people in Nigeria to be cautious and mindful of their health and to do all they can to avoid a sedentary lifestyle.