May is Lupus Awareness Month
World Lupus Day is May 10. Lupus is still a relatively unknown and misunderstood disorder. According to a 2019 survey conducted by the Lupus Foundation of America, 63% of 1,241 respondents had never heard of lupus or knew nothing or very little about it.
The goal of World Lupus Day is to address the lack of awareness surrounding lupus symptoms, risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment
Most of the activities for World Lupus Day are educational campaigns. You may participate by wearing purple and sharing informational materials provided by your local lupus nonprofit on social media or with your friends, family, or co-workers.
To find out more about activities occurring in your region, get in touch with your local chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America.
Purple is the designated color for lupus awareness. This color may have been chosen because lupus can cause purple or red spots on your skin, a symptom known as purpura. In addition, some people notice livedo reticularis, a lattice-like pattern of purplish discoloration under the skin.
Lupus is a long-term autoimmune disorder that causes pain and inflammation. When you have lupus, your immune system recognizes otherwise healthy tissue as a threat and launches an attack.
Your immune system can target almost any part of your body. A lot of the time, though, it attacks your joints, skin, or organs such as your heart or kidneys.
Other types of lupus include drug-induced lupus and cutaneous lupus erythematosus, which affects your skin.
Lupus usually looks different from one person to the next. Symptoms can be limited to a specific region, or they can affect your entire body.
In addition, for many people living with lupus, symptoms flare up for a period of time and then disappear, sometimes for months or even years.
Lupus is a chronic illness, which means it won’t go away. But many cases of lupus are mild and can be improved with timely diagnosis and treatment.
If you have lupus, you can take steps to manage and prevent symptoms, including developing a treatment plan with your doctor and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Support is available for people living with lupus. If you have lupus, you might qualify for financial assistance to help with your medical bills, prescriptions, or other basic needs. Here are some resources to get you started:
If lupus is interfering with your ability to work, you might qualify for disability benefits.
Contact the Social Security Administration to learn more.
If you don’t have health insurance, you might qualify for a government assistance program such as Medicare or Medic- aid. Prescription assistance : Some drug manufacturers offer discounts for people who can’t afford their prescriptions. The Lupus Foundation of America provides a comprehensive list of prescription assistance programs and other sources of financial aid.