Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Supportive Homeopathic Treatment

SLE or systemic lupus erythematosus is a chronic inflammatory disorder that can affect many different parts of the body like the lungs, heart, joints, kidneys, skin and the brain. SLE is an autoimmune disease that can affect many systems of the body, and so the signs and symptoms that appear depend upon the body system that is affected. No two people with SLE will present the same symptom picture. Homeopathic medicines for SLE play a supportive role in the treatment of the condition and should be taken along with conventional medicines for best results. Rhus Tox, Arsenic, and Natrum Mur are the top homeopathic remedies used as supportive remedies for SLE.

homeopathy SLE
Homeopathic treatment of SLE.

Although the signs and symptoms of SLE are highly variable, the most common ones include a butterfly shape rash/malar rash on the face covering the cheeks and bridge of the nose, joints pains, fever, and fatigue.

Role of Homeopathy in Treating Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
It is advisable to take homeopathic medicines for SLE in conjunction with the conventional means of treatment to manage the disease in the best way possible. Homeopathic medicines help in managing SLE symptomatically. Homeopathic medicines for SLE are safe to use among people of all age groups. A person should consider the use of homeopathic medicine for SLE strictly under the supervision of a homeopathic physician, and avoid self-medication.

Homeopathic Medicines for Symptomatic Management of SLE
Rhus Tox – Natural Medicine for Joint Pains in SLE
Rhus Tox is an effective homeopathic medicine for treating joint pains in SLE. Along with pain, Rhus Tox also helps reduce stiffness and swelling of the joints. The joint pains worsen during rest and get better by motion. Warm applications over the joint and massaging the joints tend to make the joint pains and stiffness better.

Arsenic Album – Natural Remedy for Fatigue in SLE
Homeopathic medicine Arsenic Album helps manage fatigue that arises in cases of SLE. People needing this medicine feel exhausted, and the slightest bit of exertion causes fatigue. A desire to lie down all the time is present. Anxiety and restlessness are the major features that are present with fatigue.

Natrum Mur – Homeopathic Medicine for Skin Lesion from Sun Exposure in SLE
Natrum Mur is a natural medicine that is used to treat a skin lesion that develops or worsens due to exposure to the sun. The person needing Natrum Mur suffers from skin lesions like skin rash or vesicular eruption from sun exposure. The skin rash is attended with an itching and stinging sensation. In some cases, a crawling sensation on the skin arises from sun exposure.

Belladonna – Homeopathic Remedy for Headache in SLE
Belladonna is a natural medicine prepared from a plant named Deadly Nightshade. It belongs to the natural order Solanaceae. Belladonna is an effective homeopathic medicine used to manage headaches that arise as a result of SLE. Most people needing Belladonna experience a congestive and throbbing type of headache. Extreme fullness is felt in the head, and the headache gets worse by noise and light. Applying pressure on the head helps ease the headache.

Aconite – Effective Homeopathic Medicine for Dry Eyes in SLE
Aconite is prepared from plant Aconitum Napellus commonly known by the name of Monkshood. It belongs to the natural order Ranunculaceae. Aconite as a natural treatment for SLE helps manage dry eyes. Along with dryness, heat is felt in the eyes, along with a sensation of sand. Sensitivity to light (especially of the sun) is present in most cases.
Some other accompanying symptoms that may be present include itching, lachrymation and burning in the eyes.

Ignatia – Effective Homeopathic Remedy for Depression in SLE
Ignatia is a well indicated homeopathic medicine for treating depression in SLE. The key features to use Ignatia here is extreme sadness with excessive weeping. A desire to be alone is present with the above features. People needing Ignatia may also experience sudden mood swings. Other symptoms include dullness of mind, indifferent behavior, and intense mental and physical fatigue.

Colocynthis – Natural Homeopathic Treatment for Abdominal Pain in SLE
Colocynthis is a prepared from the pulp of the fruit of plant named Citrullus Colocynthis or Bitter Apple. It belongs to the natural order Cucurbitaceae. Colocynthis helps treat abdominal pain in people suffering from SLE. Colocynthis is indicated in cases where the abdominal pain is strong, colicky, cramping or cutting in nature. The pains tend to get worse on consumption of the slightest food or drinks. Bending over double or pressing the abdomen helps relieve the abdominal pain.

Phosphorus – Natural Homeopathic Remedy for Hair Loss in SLE
Phosphorus is an effective natural remedy used to manage hair loss in cases of SLE. People who need Phosphorus experience excessive hair fall where the hair comes out in bunches. In some cases, hair fall occurs in circumscribed spots. In addition to hair fall, copious dandruff may be present.

Symptoms of SLE

The most common symptoms of SLE include chest pain, skin lesion worsening from sun exposure, shortness of breath, pain in the head, dry eyes, abdomen pain, hair loss, depression, confusion, loss of memory, and swollen lymph glands. Swelling in the legs, seizures and Raynaud’s phenomenon (blueness/whitening of fingers and toes on exposure to cold or from stressful conditions) are other symptoms of SLE. The intensity of symptoms also varies from mild to a severe degree. The disease also shows a relapsing and remitting course. Even if mild, SLE needs to be taken seriously; it needs to be regularly monitored and treated appropriately because it carries a risk of various complications that at times can be life-threatening.

Complications of SLE

SLE can lead to various complications that sometimes can be profoundly serious and life-threatening. The complications in SLE include kidney damage, cardiovascular disease, vasculitis, pleurisy, avascular necrosis, stroke, brain and CNS disorders.

Diagnosing Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Diagnosing SLE can be a difficult task. It may take months to even years to diagnose a case of SLE, the reason being that SLE presents signs and symptoms that mimic many other ailments. To reach a diagnosis, the clinical picture and various investigations need to be done. The investigations include ESR, ANA test (antinuclear antibody test), and Anti-DNA test. Further to these tests, in order to check the damage to internal organs, other tests are X-ray, USG, MRI, CT scan, ECG, LFT, and RFT.

Our body has an immune system that comes into play whenever any virus, bacteria or other microorganism invades our body. Here, the immune system fights the infection and exudes it out of the body. Autoimmune diseases are those diseases that arise when the immune system out of a misdirected response starts to destroy healthy body tissues in the absence of any actual infection in the body. So in autoimmune diseases, our immune system in spite of serving protective purpose starts an inimical destructive process. In SLE, the same autoimmunity process is present. The risk factors for SLE include a genetic predisposition towards SLE, being a woman (chances of SLE in women are ten times higher than in males) and certain environmental factors. Certain factors that are thought to trigger SLE include infections like Epstein-Barr virus, excessive sunlight exposure, smoking, medications like anti-seizure medications, blood pressure medicines and hormonal changes in women during puberty or pregnancy. The diagnosis of SLE majorly appears in the age group of 15 to 40 years.