Lupus is a chronic, inflammatory, autoimmune disease. A person’s immune system turns against itself. Lupus sees healthy cells as foreign invaders and attacks them. This causes the body to react with inflammation to expel the invaders. This inflammation is what causes the pain and discomfort and sometimes-permanent damage to the cells. Lupus is a disease of flares (periods of activity) and remission (inactive or less active).
Different Kinds of Lupus
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) - most common, it affects the whole body: skin, joints, organs, blood vessels, etc.
- Life Threatening Lupus - affecting one or more vital organs: heart, kidneys, lungs, liver
- Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus (CLE) - affects the skin alone.
- Drug Induced Lupus - caused by medications, often goes away when medication is discontinued.
- Lupus in Overlap With/Other Connective Tissue Diseases - Lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, Scleroderma, Sjogren’s syndrome.
- Neonatal Lupus - babies born to mothers with Lupus.
There is no cure for Lupus and there is no known cause.
Medical Marijuana's affect on Lupus
Medical Marijuana can effectively treat many of the symptoms of Lupus with no harmful side effects.
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