Lupus
is a chronic autoimmune disease that can damage any part of a person’s
body, Howard R. Smith, MD, director of the Lupus Clinic at the Cleveland
Clinic, tells Yahoo Health.
With
lupus, something goes wrong with your immune system. The immune system
of a lupus sufferer can’t differentiate between bacteria, viruses,
germs, and the person’s healthy tissue, Smith explains. As a result, the
immune system attacks and destroys that healthy tissue.
While
lupus has many manifestations it can involve the brain, heart, lungs,
kidneys, skin, muscles, blood vessels, and more, Smith says about three
out of four people experience issues with their skin and joints.
People
with chronic autoimmune disease need to modify their lifestyles to
manage the condition.
Selena Gomez made a startling revelation in a new interview: She has lupus.
“I was diagnosed with lupus, and I’ve been through chemotherapy,” she told Billboard magazine.
The 23-year-old recently took a break from the spotlight, which she
says happened so that she could seek medical care for her condition.
“That’s what my break was really about. I could’ve had a stroke,” she continued.
At the time in late 2013 and early 2014 Gomez canceled the Asian and Australian legs of her Stars Dance tour to take some time for herself. This break fueled media rumors that she was battling addiction.
“I
wanted so badly to say, ‘You guys have no idea. I’m in chemotherapy.
You’re assholes,’” she said. “I locked myself away until I was confident
and comfortable again.”
Gomez credits her close friend Taylor Swift with helping her through the tough time. “Taylor makes me feel empowered, like I can trust new people,” she told Billboard. “The way she cares about women is so adamant. It’s pulling me out of my shell.”
An estimated 1.5 million Americans have lupus, according to the Lupus Foundation of America.
The disease can impact anyone, but 90 percent of the people diagnosed
with lupus are women — and most develop it between the ages of 15 and
44.
Yahoo Health
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