Lupus: Signs, Symptoms & Celebrities Struck by Condition

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The human body has a natural line of defense in the immune system, which normally attacks foreign, unhealthy substances that enter the body. However, what happens when something goes wrong and the immune system attacks the healthy cells and tissues inside the body? Lupus happens.

Mayo Clinic described Lupus as a “chronic inflammatory disease that occurs when your body's immune system attacks your own tissues and organs." It affects different body systems, including the joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, the brain, heart and the lungs.

It is quite hard to determine if a person has lupus because it often mimics the symptoms of other health problems. Its symptoms include fatigue and fever; joint pain, stiffness and swelling; butterfly-shaped rash on the face that covers the cheeks and bridge of the nose; skin lesions that appear or worsen with sun exposure; fingers and toes that turn white or blue when exposed to cold or during stressful periods (also known as Raynaud's phenomenon); shortness of breath, chest pain, dry eyes, headaches, confusion and memory loss.

National Institutes of Health revealed that the cause of lupus is unknown until now.  Research has suggested that genes might play an important role in acquiring the disease, however, genes alone cannot cause it to happen.

On the good side, there are possible treatments for lupus but only to help control its symptoms.

Health revealed that anybody can get lupus; even celebrities. Here are some celebrities have some form of lupus.

Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez went out of the spotlight in 2014 because she needed treatment for lupus.

"I was diagnosed with lupus, and I’ve been through chemotherapy [which can also be used in rheumatology],” Gomez said. “That’s what my break was really about. I could've had a stroke."

Nick Cannon

The TV personality has been outspoken about lupus since being diagnosed with the said disease.

"I have lupus, but lupus doesn't have me," he said. “I'm one of those people who wants to wave the flag and say, you can win this fight."

Toni Braxton

Braxton has been diagnosed with the disease in 2008.

"Lupus medication actually causes most women to gain weight. But we’re still fabulous!” she tweeted in 2011. “I’m going to work it on out."

Seal

The singer's facial scars are actually the result of discoid lupus erythematosus, a type of lupus that only involves the skin. This type of lupus causes people's skin to be highly sensitive to ultraviolet light.

Other celebrities that have lupus include Cori Broadus (Snoop Dogg's daughter), Tim Raines, Lady Gaga, Charles Kuralt and Flannery O'Connor.