At Biosalud Day Hospital we look for the origin of the disease and we create a personalised treatment protocol with techniques that allow us to regulate the immune system.

The American singer and actress Selena Gomez has taken a temporary leave of absence from the stage to undergo a kidney transplant a few weeks ago. The cause: the Lupus she suffers from, which has also manifested itself in the form of fatigue, stress, depression and panic attacks. And, as the former Disney star has commented, Lupus is a disease that is not always easy to treat, "although progress is being made, it is still not well known". (even for those who suffer from it).

But Selena Gomez is not alone in this fight. Other celebrities such as singers Seal and Toni Braxton, and a few 40,000 people in Spain (based on their prevalence according to the EPISER study of the Spanish Society of Rheumatology fight against the disease on a daily basis. And while anyone can get Lupusnine out of ten patients with this disease are women of childbearing age..

But what exactly is Lupus? It is an autoimmune diseasewhere, as such, your own immune system mistakenly attacks your healthy cells and tissues. Specifically, Lupus affects collagen, the protein common to all our tissues.. In this case, the attack on the immune system occurs in those parts of our body where there is collagen, from the skin or joints to any of our organs (lungs, kidneys, liver, brain...). Lupus causes this tissue to be destroyed and, consequently, the functionality of the affected organs (including vital ones, with the risk that this entails) is eliminated or diminished.

But not all Lupus is the same. Several types can be distinguished:

• Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE): It is the most common. It can be mild or severe, and can affect almost any organ or system in the body, including the blood vessels, muscles, joints, digestive tract, lungs, kidneys, heart and central nervous system.
• Lupus discoide: It causes a red rash, usually on the face, scalp and neck and may cause scarring.
• Drug-induced lupus: It is caused by certain medicines. It usually disappears when they are stopped.
• Neonatal lupus: is a rare disease that can affect some newborns born to women with SLE or certain other immune system disorders. These babies may have a heart defect, skin rash, low blood counts and/or liver problems. However, most newborns born to mothers with SLE are born healthy.

Like most autoimmune diseasessThe diagnosis of Lupus is complicated and can be delayed. However, improved treatments and a better understanding of the disease have improved diagnosis in recent years. Why might you suspect you have Lupus? The symptoms may differ from person to person, but some of the most common are:

• Joint pain and stiffness, with or without inflammation
• Muscle aches, pains or weakness
• Fever with no known cause
• A lot of fatigue
• Butterfly-shaped rash over the nose and cheeks and other skin rashes
• Unusual weight gain or loss
• Anaemia (too few red blood cells)
• Difficulty in thinking, memory problems, confusion
• Kidney problems with no known cause
• Chest pain with deep breathing
• Sensitivity to sunlight
• Hair loss
• Purple or pale toes

The symptoms Less common symptoms include blood clots, seizures, mouth or nose sores (usually painless), severe headache, dizziness, not being able to judge reality, feeling sad, dry or irritated eyes or strokes. In addition, all these symptoms can come and go. This is called "flares", which can also be mild or severe.

Chronic illness does not mean uncontrollable

In this sense, Lupus is considered a chronic disease, meaning that the signs and symptoms tend to last longer than six weeks and can often last for many years. However, this does not mean that it cannot be controlled. At Biosalud Day Hospital we have an analysis department with access to diagnostic tests which, combined, will allow us to find out the origin of the disease. In this way, we will try to put an end to the pathology or, at least, control it.

At Biosalud we can help you. We design personalised treatments with techniques that allow us to regulate your immune system.. In the event that we have to promote the correct functioning of a damaged organ, we will do so by means of homeopathic medicines, enzymes, medicinal plants... Our aim is none other than for you to obtain the maximum level of comfort in your daily life.