SIDDHASPIRITUALITY Lupus or Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Lupus, technically known as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue in many parts of the body. Symptoms vary among people and may be mild to severe. Common symptoms include painful and swollen joints, fever, chest pain, hair loss, mouth ulcers, swollen lymph nodes, feeling tired, and a red rash which is most commonly on the face. Often there are periods of illness, called flares, and periods of remission during which there are few symptoms. There is no cure for SLE. Although there are various treatments, some remedies under Swami Hardas Life System can be of great help. Let us discuss lupus in depth.

What is Lupus?

Systemic lupus erythematosus (also called SLE or lupus) is an autoimmune condition. The normal role of your body’s immune system is to fight off infections and diseases to keep you healthy. Like any other autoimmune disease in systemic lupus erythematosus also the body’s immune system attacks the body’s own cells. Inflammation caused by lupus can affect many different parts of the body like skin, joints, brain, heart, lungs, blood cells, and kidneys. In this disease, a rash may appear on the facial skin resembling the wing of a butterfly across both cheeks.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) Picture Lupus Rash — Lupus Being Seen on the Face of a Woman

Lupus Meaning

Any of various diseases or conditions marked by inflammation of the skin, especially lupus vulgaris or lupus erythematosus.

Lupus Symptoms

SLE is one of several diseases known as “the great imitator” because it often mimics or is mistaken for other illnesses. SLE is a classical item in the differential diagnosis because SLE symptoms vary widely and come and go unpredictably. Diagnosis can thus be elusive, with some people having unexplained symptoms of SLE for years.

Lupus common complaints

Common initial and chronic complaints include fever, malaise, joint pains, muscle pains, and fatigue. Because these symptoms are so often seen in association with other diseases. These signs and symptoms are not part of the diagnostic criteria for SLE. When occurring in conjunction with other signs and symptoms, however, they are considered suggestive.

Lupus among males and females

While SLE can occur in both males and females, it is found far more often in women, and the symptoms associated with each sex are different. Females tend to have a greater number of relapses, a low white blood cell count, more arthritis, Raynaud’s phenomenon, and psychiatric symptoms. Males tend to have more seizures, kidney disease, serositis (inflammation of tissues lining the lungs and heart), skin problems, and peripheral neuropathy.

Skin

As many as 70% of people with lupus have some skin symptoms. The three main categories of lesions are:

Chronic cutaneous (discoid) lupus,
Subacute cutaneous lupus, and
Acute cutaneous lupus.

People with discoid lupus may exhibit thick, red scaly patches on the skin. Similarly, subacute cutaneous lupus manifests as red, scaly patches of skin but with distinct edges. Acute cutaneous lupus manifests as a rash. Some have the classic malar rash associated with the disease. This rash occurs in 30 to 60% of people with SLE.

HAIR LOSS, MOUTH, and nasal ulcers, and lesions on the skin are other possible manifestations.

Muscles and bones

The most commonly sought medical attention is for joint pain, with the small joints of the hand and wrist usually affected, although all joints are at risk. More than 90 percent of those affected will experience joint or muscle pain at some time during the course of their illness. Unlike rheumatoid arthritis, lupus arthritis is less disabling and usually does not cause severe destruction of the joints. Fewer than ten percent of people with lupus arthritis will develop deformities of the hands and feet. People with SLE are at particular risk of developing osteoarticular tuberculosis.

A possible association between rheumatoid arthritis and SLE has been suggested, and SLE may be associated with an increased risk of bone fractures in relatively young women.

Blood

Anemia is common in children with SLE and develops in about 50% of cases. Low platelet count and white blood cell count may be due to the disease or a side effect of pharmacological treatment. People with SLE may have an association with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (a thrombotic disorder), wherein autoantibodies to phospholipids are present in their serum.

Heart

SLE may cause pericarditis—inflammation of the outer lining surrounding the heart, myocarditis—inflammation of the heart muscle, or endocarditis—inflammation of the inner lining of the heart. The endocarditis of SLE is non-infectious, and is also called Libman–Sacks endocarditis. It involves either the mitral valve or the tricuspid valve. Atherosclerosis also occurs more often and advances more rapidly than in the general population.

Steroids are sometimes prescribed as an anti-inflammatory treatment for lupus; however, they can increase one’s risk for heart disease, high cholesterol, and atherosclerosis.

Lungs

SLE can cause pleuritic pain as well as inflammation of the pleurae known as pleurisy, which can rarely give rise to shrinking lung syndrome involving a reduced lung volume. Other associated lung conditions include:

Pneumonitis,
Pulmonary hypertension,
Chronic diffuse interstitial lung disease,
Pulmonary emboli, and
Pulmonary hemorrhage.

Kidneys

Painless passage of blood or protein in the urine may often be the only presenting sign of kidney involvement. Acute or chronic renal impairment may develop with lupus nephritis, leading to acute or end-stage kidney failure. Because of early recognition and management of SLE with immunosuppressive drugs or corticosteroids, end-stage renal failure occurs in less than 5% of cases; except in the black population, where the risk is many times higher.

The histological hallmark of SLE is membranous glomerulonephritis with “wire loop” abnormalities.

Neuropsychiatric

Neuropsychiatric syndromes can result when SLE affects the central or peripheral nervous system. The American College of Rheumatology defines 19 neuropsychiatric syndromes in systemic lupus erythematosus. The diagnosis of neuropsychiatric syndromes concurrent with SLE (now termed as NPSLE), is one of the most difficult challenges in medicine because it can involve so many different patterns of symptoms, some of which may be mistaken for signs of infectious disease or stroke.

Eyes

Eye involvement is seen in up to one-third of people. The most common diseases are dry eye syndrome and secondary Sjögren’s syndrome, but episcleritis, scleritis, retinopathy (more often affecting both eyes than one), ischemic optic neuropathy, retinal detachment, and secondary angle-closure glaucoma may occur.

In addition, the medications used to treat SLE can cause eye disease: long-term glucocorticoid use can cause cataracts and secondary open-angle glaucoma, and long-term hydroxychloroquine treatment can cause vortex keratopathy and maculopathy.

Reproductive

While most pregnancies have positive outcomes, there is a greater risk of adverse events occurring during pregnancy. SLE causes an increased rate of fetal death in utero and spontaneous abortion (miscarriage). The overall live-birth rate in people with SLE has been estimated to be 72%. Pregnancy outcome appears to be worse in people with SLE whose disease flares up during pregnancy.

Systemic

Fatigue in SLE is probably multifactorial and has been related to not only disease activity or complications such as anemia or hypothyroidism, but also to pain, depression, poor sleep quality, poor physical fitness, and lack of social support.

What Are the 12 Symptoms of Lupus? — Symptoms of Lupus

Lupus Causes

SLE is presumably caused by a genetic susceptibility coupled with an environmental trigger which results in defects in the immune system. One of the factors associated with SLE is vitamin D deficiency.

Genetics

SLE does run in families, but no single causal gene has been identified. Instead, multiple genes appear to influence a person’s chance of developing lupus when triggered by environmental factors. HLA class I, class II, and class III genes are associated with SLE, but only classes I and II contribute independently to the increased risk of SLE.

Since SLE is associated with many genetic regions, it is likely an oligogenic trait, meaning that there are several genes that control susceptibility to the disease.

SLE is regarded as a prototype disease due to the significant overlap in its symptoms with other AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES.

Drug reactions

Drug-induced lupus erythematosus is a reversible condition that usually occurs in people being treated for a long-term illness. Drug-induced lupus mimics SLE. However, symptoms of drug-induced lupus generally disappear once the medication that triggered the episode is stopped. More than 38 medications can cause this condition, the most common of which are procainamide, isoniazid, hydralazine, quinidine, and phenytoin.

Non-systemic forms of Lupus

Discoid (cutaneous) lupus is limited to skin symptoms and is diagnosed by biopsy of rash on the face, neck, scalp, or arms. Approximately 5% of people with DLE progress to SLE.

Lupus Pathophysiology

In the complement system, low C3 levels are associated with systemic lupus erythematosus:

Cell death signaling

Apoptosis is increased in monocytes and keratinocytes
Expression of Fas by B cells and T cells is increased
There are correlations between the apoptotic rates of lymphocytes and disease activity.
Necrosis is increased in T lymphocytes.

Tingible body macrophages (TBMs) – large phagocytic cells in the germinal centers of secondary lymph nodes – express CD68 protein. These cells normally engulf B cells that have undergone apoptosis after somatic hypermutation.

Clearance deficiency

Impaired clearance of dying cells is a potential pathway for the development of this systemic autoimmune disease. This includes deficient phagocytic activity, impaired lysosomal degradation, and scant serum components in addition to increased apoptosis.

Recent research has found an association between certain people with lupus (especially those with lupus nephritis) and an impairment in degrading neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). These were due to DNAse1 inhibiting factors, or NET protecting factors in people’s serum, rather than abnormalities in the DNAse1 itself. DNAse1 mutations in lupus have so far only been found in some Japanese cohorts.

Germinal centers

In healthy conditions, apoptotic lymphocytes are removed in germinal centers (GC) by specialized phagocytes, the tingible body macrophages (TBM), which is why no free apoptotic and potential autoantigenic material can be seen. In some people with SLE, a buildup of apoptotic debris can be observed in GC because of an ineffective clearance of apoptotic cells.

Anti-nRNP autoimmunity

Anti-nRNP autoantibodies to nRNP A and nRNP C initially targeted restricted, proline-rich motifs. Antibody binding subsequently spread to other epitopes. The similarity and cross-reactivity between the initial targets of nRNP and Sm autoantibodies identify a likely commonality in cause and a focal point for intermolecular epitope spreading.

Others

Elevated expression of HMGB1 was found in the sera of people and mice with systemic lupus erythematosus, high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a nuclear protein participating in chromatin architecture and transcriptional regulation. Recently, there is increasing evidence that HMGB1 contributes to the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases due to its inflammatory and immune stimulating properties.

Lupus Diagnosis

Laboratory tests for Lupus

Antinuclear antibody (ANA) testing and anti-extractable nuclear antigen (anti-ENA) form the mainstay of serologic testing for SLE. If ANA is negative the disease can be ruled out.

Screening

ANA screening yields positive results in many connective tissue disorders and other autoimmune diseases and may occur in normal individuals. Subtypes of antinuclear antibodies include anti-Smith and anti-double stranded DNA (dsDNA) antibodies (which are linked to SLE) and anti-histone antibodies (which are linked to drug-induced lupus).

Complement system levels

Other tests routinely performed in suspected SLE are complement system levels (low levels suggest consumption by the immune system), electrolytes and kidney function (disturbed if the kidney is involved), liver enzymes, and complete blood count.

The lupus erythematosus (LE) cell test was commonly used for diagnosis, but it is no longer used because the LE cells are only found in 50–75% of SLE cases and they are also found in some people with rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, and drug sensitivities. Because of this, the LE cell test is now performed only rarely and is mostly of historical significance.

Diagnostic criteria

Some physicians make a diagnosis based on the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) classification criteria. The criteria, however, were established mainly for use in scientific research including use in randomized controlled trials which require higher confidence levels, so many people with SLE may not pass the full criteria.

Criteria for individual diagnosis

Some people, especially those with antiphospholipid syndrome, may have SLE without four of the above criteria, and also SLE may present with features other than those listed in the criteria.

Recursive partitioning has been used to identify more parsimonious criteria. This analysis presented two diagnostic classification trees:

Simplest classification tree: SLE is diagnosed if a person has an immunologic disorder (anti-DNA antibody, anti-Smith antibody, false positive syphilis test, or LE cells) or malar rash. It has sensitivity = 92% and specificity = 92%.
Full classification tree: Uses 6 criteria. It has sensitivity = 97% and specificity = 95%.

Other alternative criteria have been suggested, e.g. the St. Thomas’ Hospital “alternative” criteria in 1998.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Symptoms, Treatment, Diagnosis & Causes — How Lupus is Diagnosed

Lupus Treatment

The treatment of SLE involves preventing flares and reducing their severity and duration when they occur.

Treatment can include corticosteroids and anti-malarial drugs. Certain types of lupus nephritis such as diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis require intermittent cytotoxic drugs. These drugs include cyclophosphamide and mycophenolate. Cyclophosphamide increases the risk of developing infections, pancreas problems, high blood sugar, and high blood pressure.

Hydroxychloroquine was approved by the FDA for lupus in 1955. Some drugs approved for other diseases are used for SLE ‘off-label’. In November 2010, an FDA advisory panel recommended approving belimumab (Benlysta) as a treatment for the pain and flare-ups common in lupus. The drug was approved by the FDA in March 2011.

In terms of healthcare utilization and costs, one study found that “patients from the US with SLE, especially individuals with moderate or severe disease, utilize significant healthcare resources and incur high medical costs.”

Lupus Medications

Due to the variety of symptoms and organ system involvement with SLE, its severity in an individual must be assessed to successfully treat SLE. The mild or remittent disease may, sometimes, be safely left untreated. If required, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and antimalarials may be used. Medications such as prednisone, mycophenolic acid, and tacrolimus have been used in the past.

Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs

Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) are used preventively to reduce the incidence of flares, the progress of the disease, and the need for steroid use; when flares occur, they are treated with corticosteroids. DMARDs commonly in use are antimalarials such as hydroxychloroquine and immunosuppressants (e.g. methotrexate and azathioprine).

Immunosuppressive drugs

In more severe cases, medications that modulate the immune system (primarily corticosteroids and immunosuppressants) are used to control the disease and prevent the recurrence of symptoms (known as flares). Depending on the dosage, people who require steroids may develop Cushing’s syndrome, symptoms of which may include:

Obesity,
Puffy round face,
Diabetes mellitus,
Increased appetite,
Difficulty sleeping, and
Osteoporosis.

These may subside if and when the large initial dosage is reduced, but long-term use of even low doses can cause elevated blood pressure and cataracts.

Analgesia

Since a large percentage of people with SLE have varying amounts of chronic pain, stronger prescription analgesics (painkillers) may be used if over-the-counter drugs (mainly nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) do not provide effective relief. Potent NSAIDs such as indomethacin and diclofenac are relatively contraindicated for people with SLE because they increase the risk of kidney failure and heart failure.

Intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIGs)

Intravenous immunoglobulins may be used to control SLE with organ involvement or vasculitis. It is believed that they reduce antibody production or promote the clearance of immune complexes from the body, even though their mechanism of action is not well understood. Unlike immunosuppressives and corticosteroids, IVIGs do not suppress the immune system, so there is less risk of serious infections with these drugs.

Lifestyle changes

Avoiding sunlight in SLE is critical since sunlight is known to exacerbate skin manifestations of the disease. Avoiding activities that induce fatigue is also important since those with SLE fatigue easily and it can be debilitating.

These two problems can lead to people becoming housebound for long periods of time. Drugs unrelated to SLE should be prescribed only when known not to exacerbate the disease. Occupational exposure to silica, pesticides, and mercury can also worsen the disease.

Kidney transplantation

Kidney transplants are the treatment of choice for end-stage kidney disease, which is one of the complications of lupus nephritis, but the recurrence of the full disease is common in up to 30% of people.

Antiphospholipid syndrome

Approximately 20% of people with SLE have clinically significant levels of antiphospholipid antibodies, which are associated with antiphospholipid syndrome. Antiphospholipid syndrome is also related to the onset of neural lupus symptoms in the brain. In this form of the disease, the cause is very different from lupus: thromboses (blood clots or “sticky blood”) form in blood vessels, which prove to be fatal if they move within the bloodstream. If the thromboses migrate to the brain, they can potentially cause a stroke by blocking the blood supply to the brain.

If this disorder is suspected in people, brain scans are usually required for early detection. These scans can show localized areas of the brain where blood supply has not been adequate. The treatment plan for these people requires anticoagulation. Often, low-dose aspirin is prescribed for this purpose, although for cases involving thrombosis anticoagulants such as warfarin are used.

Lupus management of Pregnancy

While most infants born to mothers who have SLE are healthy, pregnant mothers with SLE should remain under medical care until delivery. Neonatal lupus is rare, but identification of mothers at the highest risk for complications allows for prompt treatment before or after birth. In addition, SLE can flare up during pregnancy, and proper treatment can maintain the health of the mother longer. Women pregnant and known to have anti-Ro (SSA) or anti-La antibodies (SSB) often have echocardiograms during the 16th and 30th weeks of pregnancy to monitor the health of the heart and surrounding vasculature.

Contraception and other reliable forms of pregnancy prevention are routinely advised for women with SLE since getting pregnant during active disease were found to be harmful. Lupus nephritis was the most common manifestation.

Ayurveda for Lupus

Ayur Healthcare offers holistic treatment for SLE which includes various Ayurvedic preparations, Panchakarma therapies, and customized diet plans that deal with the root cause of systemic lupus erythematosus.

Ayur Healthcare provides Panchakarma treatment for overall detoxification of the body. It removes all toxins & rejuvenates naturally. Patra potli pind Sweda (herbal bolus bag massage), Shashti shali pind Sweda (herbal rice bolus bag massage), oil massage, Basti (enema), and Lepa (herbal paste application) help in reducing the symptoms of SLE.

Ayurveda medicine for long-term use has the added benefit to promote the curative action on afflicted organs and slowly prevent relapse of the disease.

Health tips and Diet for Lupus

Walk for around 30 minutes every day,
Avoid deep-fried and processed food products,
Limit saturated and trans fats,
Avoid excess use of Alfalfa sprouts and garlic,
Consume citrus fruits like oranges, limes, and grapefruits which are rich sources of vitamin C. Fruits like guava, mango, cherries, blueberries, raspberries, and grapes are very good in SLE, and
An omega-3 fatty acid is beneficial for inflammation. It is abundant in certain foods, such as salmon, flax seeds, walnuts, and tofu.

Siddha remedies for Lupus

1. Siddha preventive measures

Everybody must practice Siddha preventive measures, whether a person is affected by lupus or not, but preventive measures are the primary steps for switching on to any other Siddha remedies, and hence they are important. It helps in one’s capability, effectiveness, productivity, decision-making power, intellectuality, and removing minor health problems. There are three types of preventive measures:

Earthing – performed for removing and earthing the negativity of our body
Field cleaning – cleans the energy field (Aura) of our body
Siddha brain exercise/Energizing – energizes our brain for proper functionality

Everybody’s tendency is to get attracted to the word ‘free, however, don’t neglect even these Siddha preventive measures are free. Avail of the benefits by practicing them sincerely, and regularly. For ease of understanding of what Siddha preventive measures are, please watch a video for a live demonstration.

2. Siddha Shaktidata Yoga

This unique Siddha Shaktidata Yoga of Siddha Spirituality can solve the problems related to lupus with Siddha remedies. There is no compulsion of training in ‘Swami Hardas Life System’ methods. This not only gives benefits to self but also it can be used for other affected persons, whether a person is in the same house, distantly available in the same city, same nation, or might be in any corner of the world, however, both the procedures have been explained here.

3. Siddha Kalyan Sadhana

Recite this Sadhana with a Sankalp “My problems of lupus are solved as early as possible and I should gain health”, which should be repeated in mind 3 – 3 times after each stanza. Any person irrespective of caste, creed, religion, faith, sex, and age can recite this Sadhana for free, which should be repeated at least twice a day. To know more, please click on this link.

4. CCPE products

These products work on the concepts of ‘Conceptual CreativePositive Energy’ (CCPE) within the provisions of the ‘CCPE Life System’ and the theory of Quantum Technology to a certain extent. However, please use these products for lupus as mentioned below:

CCPE Extractor: The CCPE Extractor should be gently moved over the Agya Chakra in a circular motion at least for 30 to 60 seconds, thereafter, follow the same process on the head, heart, and naval which finishes within almost 2-4 minutes.

CCPE Booster: Keep one Booster over the Agya Chakra and another on the head, heart, and naval for 3 minutes. You may need to have 4 Boosters, which establishes positivity.

5. UAM or Touch Therapy

For quick and effective results, it is advisable to learn the unique methods of the Swami Hardas Life System. A trained person can only apply the UAM method or Touch therapy himself/herself and also become capable of healing others.

How To Do Facial Massage: Step By Step Guide – SkinKraft — Touch Therapy as Siddha Remedy for Lupus

A daily routine

In general, a daily routine for lupus may look like this:

Follow the instructions of your Doctor
Consume Sattvic diet
Perform breathing exercises regularly
Perform walking exercises
Apply free touch therapy (UAM) a minimum 3 times a day, as explained above
Perform Swayamsiddha Agnihotra or Agnihotra daily, either self or the caretaker can perform
In case, if someone wishes to learn advanced methods of Swami Hardas Life System, undergo unique training

Ensure to sprinkle in some fun during the day: Don’t forget to relax and laugh in between. Laughing is a great way to boost your immune system and help you.

Along with all the above activities, apply above explained free Siddha remedies minimum 3 times a day, the more is good. Just try the methods of Siddha Spirituality of Swami Hardas Life System. I am confident that you will surely find improvements within 3 days.

Training of Swami Hardas Life System

Any health, peace, and progress-related problem can be solved independently by undergoing Swami Hardas Life System training. It needs no money and medicines. Any person irrespective of religion, caste, creed, faith, sex, and age can undergo this unique training.

Conclusion

Because of the above, I am confident that you have learned about lupus, its meaning, symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment, Ayurveda, and Siddha remedies. Now, that you have become self-sufficient, hence it’s the right time to use your acquired knowledge for solving problems as per the provision available in Siddha Spirituality of Swami Hardas Life System.

However, keep learning and practicing the free Siddha remedies, which would help guide how to solve various problems regarding health, peace, and progress, without money and medicines.

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