According to a new Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences study, an MLV-related virus called XMRV was found to be present in blood cells of patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Some of the symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are:

• Fatigue so acute as to interfere with work, play and social activities and which shows no sign of abating even after 6 months.
• Memory loss, confusion, problems concentrating.
• There could be other physical symptoms such as fever and sore throat.
• The lymph nodes in the armpits of the neck could feel tender to the touch.
• There could be joint and muscle pain, which may be accompanied by swelling and reddening.
• Headaches that seem to be different from the usual kinds of headache.
• Awakening from sleep unrefreshed and unrested and still feeling tired.
• Feeling of being ill or unwell after exercise.

Early onset of multiple sclerosis is often seen only by mild symptoms which are only later realized as being caused by it. There can be:

• Neurological problems such as changes in sensation, difficult in movement or muscle weakness and spasms. There may be also some difficulty in balance and physical coordination
• Speech problems or difficulty in swallowing may also be present
• Visual problems
• Fatigue and chronic pain
• Bladder and bowel difficulties
• Cognitive impairment
• Depression and mood swings

There are several factors that are thought to increase risk of developing multiple sclerosis; though this is not a disease that is seen to be inherited, certain inherited characteristic and increase of getting this disease. Specific genes have been seen to be associated with MS.

Another theory, which is the hygiene hypothesis, says that those individuals who have had exposure to many infections early on in life may be better protected against this disease.

Some are therefore more susceptible than others. Certain viruses have also been linked to MS, such as the Herpes virus and the varicella virus.

Additionally environmental factors also contribute to MS, such as decreased exposure to strong sunlight and there is more incidence of the disease, the further one goes from the equator.

This is seen even in the migration of people who, if they have migrated to a region where there is increased incidence of MS before the age of 15 then the migrants take on that regions’ increased risk as well.

If the migration occurred after age 15 the migrant may retain his native land’s immunity or susceptibility.

Stress, even extreme grief has been linked to MS. Exposure to certain substances and toxins or chemicals and even some vaccines are being evaluated as a possible cause for MS however nothing conclusive has emerged from this so far.

MS is seen in twice as many women as men and so there appears to be a higher predisposition of one gender to the disease than the other. Also certain races such as Caucasians are also more susceptible than African or Hispanics to this disease.

Lab tests found that the generic drug, developed by Merck and sold as Prinivil or Tensopril, ‘Lisinopril’ prevented paralysis in mice, which is a form of multiple sclerosis.

Dr. Lawrence Steinman of Stanford University School of Medicine in California, says that Lisinopril is quite powerful and certainly it could even reverse symptoms of paralytic disease.

Lisinopril, also sold by AstraZeneca as Zestril, is an angiotensin-converting enzyme, or ACE inhibitor. It acts by blocking angiotensin, a hormone that makes blood vessels contract, increasing blood pressure.”The angiotensin system is critical for maintaining blood pressure, but it may play other roles,” Steinman said in an e-mail.

Read more at Reuters

Frederick W. Miller, M.D., Ph.D., chief of the Environmental Autoimmunity Group, Program of Clinical Research, at NIEHS, said, “this study found women who lived in areas with higher levels of ultraviolet radiation exposure when they developed an autoimmune muscle disease called myositis were more likely to develop the form known as dermatomyositis, which weakens the muscles and causes distinctive rashes, instead of the form called polymyositis that does not have a rash”.

Miller said, “although this study did not show a direct cause and effect link between ultraviolet radiation and this particular autoimmune diseasse, it confirms the link between ultraviolet radiation levels and the frequency of dermatomyositis that was found in previous investigation”.

Source: NIEHS

Many physicians and researchers believe that diet can play an important role in the management of Lupus.

Unfortunately, no one seems to have created an all inclusive diet, or plan for management of the disease.

It is generally recommended that children with lupus eat a healthy well balanced diet based on the food pyramid. However, there are certain foods that should be eaten on regular basis, and foods that should be avoided.

Avoid Immune System Boosting Foods

Certain foods such as alfalfa seed can actually lead to a lupus flare. Alfalfa seed contains compound called L-canavanine which acts as an immune booster. While this can be great for patients who are healthy, it can cause children with Lupus to become sicker.

In lupus, the immune system is fighting against itself. Therefore these foods will cause the disease to weaken the body even more.

Zinc should also be avoided as part of a regular diet. It is found in many forms of shell fish, including oysters. Zinc also acts as an immune booster, which will make the body attack itself faster.

Anti Inflammatory Foods Can Help

Certain foods can provide natural anti-inflammatory properties for children. Certain types of fish such as tuna, mackerel, herring, and whitefish contain anti-inflammatory properties.

Preliminary research shows these types of fish may slow the disease, and lessen any side effects.

It is also believed pineapple will provide the same effects for children with lupus.  Pineapple is used by many professional boxers as an anti-inflammatory after a fight. The research is not yet complete on this topic, but many physicians agree with the theory.

Diet High In Calcium and Vitamin D

Children with lupus are at a higher risk for developing osteoporosis as they age. One of the most common treatments for Lupus is steroids. Steroids are known to reduce bone density. Calcium is essential for proper bone health.

However, vitamin D is essential for proper absorption of calcium[Vitamin D supplements]. In many cases a calcium supplement taken on a daily basis, along with a glass of orange juice, will be effective. Calcium can also be effective when consumed in foods such as milk, cheese, and yogurt.

Healthy Diet Choices

While there are specific foods that seem to offer relief for children with Lupus, eating a well rounded healthy diet is key to good health.

Eliminating excess fat, sodium, and sugar will help the body to fight off additional conditions such as the flu or viruses. Since Lupus makes the immune system week, this is a huge concern for school age children.

Vitamins and minerals found in food are the basic tools a body needs to fight of illness and disease. A well rounded diet including plenty of protein, vegetables, and fruit will provide the tools necessary for daily health.

While there is no one miracle food that will cure lupus, or make it ineffective, eating a balanced diet high in anti-inflammatory foods, vitamins, and minerals is beneficial. They will not provide a cure, but they do provide a better quality of life.

Even though discoid lupus is not as serious as systemic lupus, it’s still something that can make life very uncomfortable for those who have it.

Discoid lupus is a form of lupus which mainly affects a person’s skin.  If you think that you might have discoid lupus, here are some of the things that you should look for.

Lesions

People who have discoid lupus will sometimes see a rash on their skin that is shaped like a disc, hence the name discoid lupus.

These skin rashes can be anywhere from five to ten millimeters across and may have a circle that is dark red in color which goes around another circle which is pink and scaly.  These lesions usually aren’t itchy or painful, although they can become hard.

Sensitivity

A person who has discoid lupus will likely find that they are sensitive to light and that they have trouble going outside on a sunny day without sunscreen.

If they are outside for a long period of time, they may find that they are getting some of the itchy skin lesions. These lesions can also happen because of cold, trauma, or mental anguish.

Other less common symptoms of discoid lupus are:

• lesions on mouth, eyes, or nose (mucosal)
• lesions on feet(Plantar) or hands (Palmar)

When you go to the doctor if you have discoid lupus, the doctor is likely to take a biopsy of your skin to make sure that it’s not anything else. He or she may also take blood work.

If you end up being diagnosed with discoid lupus, the doctor is likely to tell you to avoid direct sunlight or to wear sunscreen. You should also make sure that the clothing you wear outside is worn so that as little of your skin is exposed as possible.

When you have lesions, the doctor will likely give you some cream that is made to help with inflammation, ointments and aloe. Make sure that the lesions you have are kept clean so that you reduce your chance of infection.

Discoid lupus is not something that is fun to deal with, but as the time goes on you will find what works best for you.

Vitamin D is truly an essential vitamin, since a deficiency of vitamin D causes all sorts of bone disorders and muscular weaknesses in children.

Well, Vitamin D enthusiasts have another reason to champion this vitamin. Recently, Oxford University researchers found that Vitamin D lowers an individual’s risk of multiple sclerosis. But Vitamin D must be taken by the mother while the child is in the womb.

About multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is a disease that causes blindness and paralysis. Multiple sclerosis is a relatively rare disease, but the effects of this disease are devastating for those who suffer from it.

Vitamin D sources

Vitamin D is a very easy nutrient to get because the human body can get most of the Vitamin D it needs simply by being exposed to the sun for 10 minutes.

But since Vitamin D is so important, many foods have been enriched with Vitamin D including milk, fish, eggs and cod liver oil. In addition to this, Vitamin D supplements are available at most local pharmacies.

People having a high risk for vitamin D deficiencies include the elderly, obese individuals, breastfed infants, and people having limited exposure to the sun. In addition, those who suffer from fat malabsorption syndromes like cystic fibrosis or inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease are at risk.

But even though most people can get the Vitamin D that they need from the sun, experts still recommend that expectant mothers take Vitamin D supplements to minimize the dangers of Vitamin D deficiency.

Treatments for multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is a tragic disease, but there are several medical treatments that can help fight multiple sclerosis.

Beta infernos are copies of proteins that normally occur in the body and somehow help with multiple sclerosis, though researchers are not sure how this treatment benefits sufferers.

Glatiramer injections are also used in combination with Beta infernos. Other medications that help those with multiple sclerosis are muscle relaxants, corticosteroids and medicines designed to reduce fatigue.

When you suffer from this particular auto-immune disorder, you can experience several associated symptoms and conditions, which are collectively known as CREST syndrome.

CREST syndrome, commonly know as limited Scleroderma, mainly affects the connective tissue of your body, which in turn causes various other health disorders.

It affects any tissue along the digestive tract and also causes serious lung and heart disorders. It is a major contributor of blood vessel and skin damage.

If you want to know how it will affect your entire body, here are a few serious complications associated with CREST syndrome. As there is no perfect cure to treat CREST syndrome, it would be better for you to be aware of its harmful effects and take necessary measures to avoid them.

Be aware of serious health disorders

Most visible signs of CREST syndrome like tight, thick skin on your fingers and face can change the appearance of your skin. It can even make your everyday tasks such as shaving or opening a jar difficult.

While these problems are manageable, the most serious complications associated with CREST syndrome are beneath your skin. Some of those serious health problems include:

1. Lung damage: Excess collagen accumulated in lungs causes scarring of the tissue present between air sacs of your lung. This kind of scarring is commonly known as pulmonary fibrosis. When pulmonary fibrosis occurs, the transfer of oxygen from your lungs to blood stream is disturbed. As a result, it gradually causes high blood pressure in your lungs and potentially leads to a fatal condition.
2. Gastrointestinal problems: CREST syndrome can affect any tissue along your digestive tract and causes damage to your esophagus. When the normal functioning of your esophagus is disturbed, it results in a difficulty in swallowing and chronic heart burn. This in turn leads to Barrett’s esophagus.
3. Heart problems: As a result of excess collagen in heart, scarring to heart tissue will occur and it leads to abnormal heart rhythms (heart murmur). In very rare cases, it results in inflamed heart muscles.

However, other than these severe health disorders, you can also experience arthritis, arthralgia, various dental problems, depression and anxiety.

Try to identify the early signs of CREST syndrome, like numbness, pain or even color changes in your fingers as well as gradual thickening of skin. Seek proper medical attention before the disease progresses and avoid severe health problems associated with it.

Vasculitis changes the walls of blood vessels and interrupts the exchange of blood between heart and body tissues.

Any change to the walls of blood vessels including weakening, thickening, scarring and narrowing is generally due to inflammation of blood vessels.

The signs and symptoms of vasculitis vary according to which organs of the body are affected.  However, a few common symptoms you may experience with any inflammation of blood vessels include weight loss, fatigue, loss of appetite, nerve problems, fever as well as muscle and joint pains.

Is vasculitis a serious health condition?

Vasculitis can be very serious and in an extreme situation, if a segment of your blood vessel becomes weak, it may stretch and bulge. This condition is known as aneurysm. The wall of the blood vessel becomes so weak that at some point it ruptures and bleeds, and occasionally results in death.

If the condition is severe, the tissues and organs which receive blood from the affected blood vessels don’t get enough blood. If alternate blood vessels fail to supply blood to those specific organs, organ and tissue damage can cause serious complications, and in rare instances, to death.

It is impossible to predict which particular organs are more prone to vasculitis. Any tissue or organ of your body can be affected.

Is it possible to cure inflammation of blood vessels?

Treatment mainly depends on the diagnosis and the position of the organs affected by the infected blood vessels. When vasculitis is an allergic reaction, it usually disappears without treatment.

For most systemic inflammations, treatment generally includes corticosteroid medications. Chemotherapy agents that are used to treat cancer are also used, but the doses are considerably less.

Make sure you have regular check-ups and identify the condition in early stages to ensure you treat it in time. Once vasculitis is under control, medication can gradually be withdrawn under the careful guidance of your personal physician.

If this inflammation mainly involves your body joints, blood vessels, kidneys and mucus membranes, then it is considered as systemic lupus.

Lupus more frequently occurs in women when compared with men.

Basically, there are four types of lupus, which mainly includes systemic lupus erythematosus, drug induced erythematosus, neonatal lupus and discoid lupus erythematosus.

Among these, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the most serious form of lupus.

But, once if you get appropriate treatment then it will be easy for you to cope up with this autoimmune disease.

One of the most important mechanisms that your body immune system uses to fight against infections is the production of antibodies.

But, if you are suffering with systemic lupus, your body immune system mainly produces abnormal antibodies in your blood.

These abnormal antibodies mainly target the tissues within your body rather than fighting with foreign infectious agents.

As the abnormal anti-bodies and its accompanying inflammatory cells mainly involve tissues anywhere in the body, lupus is quite potential to affect many areas of your body.

At times, lupus can cause damage to your skin, heart, kidneys, lungs, joints, and also to your nervous system.

When the inflammation mainly involves your skin, this condition is referred as discoid lupus. On the other hand, if your body internal organs such as kidneys, joints, blood vessels are involved, it is referred as systemic lupus erythematosus.

Is systemic lupus hereditary?

The exact reason for the production of abnormal antibodies is still unknown. But, it is usually believed that inherited genes, viruses, ultraviolet light and also the drugs that you use for other body conditions plays critical role to develop SLE.

Usually, genetic factors greatly increase the tendency of developing autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus, immune thyroid disorders and also rheumatoid arthritis are more common among relatives of persons suffering with some form of lupus.

It is also believed that some women with systemic lupus erythematosus, often experience worsening symptoms of SLE prior to their menstrual periods.

This occurrence, in addition with female predominance of systemic lupus, implies that female hormones plays critical role in the expression of systemic lupus.

Can systemic lupus have any effect on pregnancy or new born?

Most of the pregnant women with this autoimmune disease are considered to be at high risk of experiencing miscarriages or they can face flare ups of SLE. But don’t worry; you can easily avoid such undesired conditions with effective treatments and proper medications.

There is also chance for these inflammatory antibodies to transfer from you to your unborn offspring. So, when you are aware that you have systemic lupus, take proper care of yourself during your pregnancy period and give a healthy life to your baby.