Lupus and the Male Sufferer

While the Lupus Foundation of America estimates more than 1.5 million Americans suffer from lupus, only 10 percent of these are believed to be men. As a rare auto-immune disease of men's health, lupus is commonly misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed leading to life impacting complications. For men, understanding the signs, symptoms and diagnostic processes of lupus, and the early treatment and early intervention of lupus, will ensure optimal health outcomes with aging.

As an autoimmune disease, lupus is a commonly misunderstood condition. For individuals who do not suffer from lupus, the symptoms, pain and complications are often hard to perceive. As an inflammatory disorder, lupus creates a physiological change within a man's body involving the creation of antibodies which, when complicated, attack the man's own healthy tissue. The result leads many men to feel fatigued, often lethargic and somewhat confused. With societal pressures, men suffering from undiagnosed lupus will often disregard the symptoms and, as a result, suffer from lupus for years, taking anti-inflammatories to reduce inflammation associated with undiagnosed lupus pain. This prolonged use of anti-inflammatories, in men, leads to complications of the gastrointestinal tract and can impact liver and kidney function.

As a man suffering from severe joint pain and inflammation, consultation with a healthcare professional is strongly recommended. Request diagnostics to rule out a lupus diagnosis. Such diagnostics might include a simple blood test to rule out the presence of antibodies. Once diagnosed, there are a variety of treatment options available to remedy the symptoms associated with lupus. The key to optimal health, in men with lupus, is to obtain early detection and treatment.

Treating lupus in men will vary depending on the age and health status at the time of diagnosis. For most men, the symptoms, and progression of lupus, are controlled well with not only anti-inflammatories but also the use of corticosteroids, drugs which are commonly used to treat malaria and immuno-suppressive drugs; all of which can lead to health complications in and of themselves but, none the less, in combination work to fight the debilitating symptoms of lupus in men.

As with any chronic and debilitating healthcare condition, it is imperative that men listen and follow the signs and symptoms of the body. Even beyond joint pain, lupus, in men, can appear as a rash, show as lung pain and even affect the central nervous system. In fact, some men, suffering from undiagnosed lupus, may exhibit sexual health complications including impotency and erectile dysfunction. The key to ensuring effective treatment of symptoms is found in the confidence of men to seek out medical attention when symptoms are questionable as early treatment may prevent the deteriorating progression of lupus.