What is lupus?

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Lupus is a chronic (long-term) disease that can cause inflammation and pain in any part of your body. It’s an autoimmune disease, which means that your immune system — the body system that usually fights infections — attacks healthy tissue instead.

Lupus most commonly affects your: 

• Skin

• Joints

• Internal organs, like your kidneys and heart

Because lupus affects many parts of the body, it can cause a lot of different symptoms.

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What is Inflammation?

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Inflammation usually happens when your immune system is fighting an infection or an injury. When lupus makes your immune system attack healthy tissue, it can cause inflammation in lots of different body parts. Symptoms can include swelling and pain.

What are the types of lupus?

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When people talk about lupus, they’re usually talking about  systemic lupus. But there are four kinds of lupus: 

• Systemic lupus erythematous   (SLE), the most common form of lupus

• Cutaneous lupus, a form of lupus that is limited to the skin

• Drug-induced lupus, a lupus-like disease caused by certain prescription drugs

• Neonatal lupus, a rare condition that affects infants of women who have lupus.