Diseases, Conditions & Concerns / Question
Published: April 7, 2005
Dear TeenHealthFX,
What is Lupus?
Signed: Questions About Lupus
Dear Questions About Lupus,
A brief overview:
Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that can affect many parts of the body. It is an autoimmune disease, which means that the body attacks its own healthy cells and tissue in addition to the bad ones. Because the healthy cells and tissue are being attacked, the disease causes injury and pain to the body (especially the skin, joints blood and kidneys).
There are 3 forms of Lupus and the exact cause is unknown (there are both environmental and genetic links. Lupus occurs much more frequently in women, but many men do get it. Some symptoms of Lupus include achy joints. Arthritis, fatigue, skin rashes, anemia, pain in the chest, sun sensitivity, and hair loss. For many people who have Lupus, it is completely manageable while more serious cases can be life threatening.
For more information on Lupus Check out the Lupus Foundation of America
Signed: TeenHealthFX
The teen pregnancy rate in the United States is the highest of any industrialized democracy, nearly twice that of Great Britain and 10 times that of Japan. 
