Patient Resources
What is Lupus?
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or lupus) is a disease that causes your body's immune system to attack its own cells and tissues. It causes episodes of inflammation to various parts of the body. It can affect your joints, tendons, and skin. It can affect blood vessels. And it can affect organs, such as the kidneys, heart, lungs, and brain. It can cause rashes, fatigue, pain, and fever. The heart, lungs, kidneys, and brain are the organs most affected. Severe lupus can cause harm to organs and other serious problems.
Lupus is a long-term (chronic) disease. It affects each person differently. The effects of the illness range from mild to severe. Symptoms of lupus may come and go. These are sometimes known as flare-ups, periods of remission, and relapse. Lupus has no known cure, but medicines may help manage symptoms. You can help manage lupus by living a healthy lifestyle and working with your healthcare provider. In children, lupus tends to get worse more quickly than in adults. Children may be affected in different ways, having mild to life-threatening symptoms.
Lupus Resources at UC San Diego
At the UC San Diego Lupus Center, we prioritize the health and well-being of our lupus patients. We provide a variety of resources for our patients that are unique to our center, with special attention on improving the quality of life of our lupus patients with evidence-based practices to ease chronic pain and fatigue. Our partnerships with the Center for Integrative Medicine at UCSD, Center for Mindfulness at UCSD, and the YMCA in La Jolla have made these particular programs possible.
The UC San Diego Lupus Center’s specialized patient-centered resources include:
- Aquatic therapy and training program at the YMCA
- Acupuncture
- Integrative pain management and pain reprocessing therapy (PRT)
- Mindfulness course for SLE
- Osteopathic/Manual Manipulation
Ask your doctor or Erica Brodie (ebrodie@health.ucsd.edu) for more information on these unique programs through our center.
More helpful resources about Lupus can be found in the following websites:
