Lupus treatment varies from person to person because each person with lupus is different. Some patients hardly notice symptoms while others have symptoms that are very debilitating. The patient's physician individualizes lupus treatment with a goal of symptom reduction and disease remission.

Reducing inflammation is the focus of lupus treatment because this is what causes a majority of Lupus symptoms. Drug medications such as NSAIDs (non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, DMARDs (disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs) and cytotoxic drug medications are often used in lupus treatment..

Eating right, exercise, avoiding sun/use of sunscreens, and avoiding harmful habits such as smoking and drinking are also important. Counseling and support groups help the patient deal with depression and stress associated with a chronic illness.

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The following are descriptions of lupus treatment and drug medications.

Cytotoxic drugs are used in lupus treatment because they work by causing a reduction in inflammation in quickly growing cells in the body. These drugs are mainly used when Lupus is affecting many organs of the body. Side effects of this lupus drug medication include infection, anemia, low white blood cell count, and cancer.

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Chloroquine (Aralen) or hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) are anti-malarial drugs used in lupus treatment for skin and joint conditions of lupus. The side effects of this lupus drug medication include diarrhea, rashes and eye problems.

Diseases modifying anti-rheumatic drugs or DMARDs are other drugs used in lupus treatment, which reduce lung inflammation, tiredness, and painful joints. DMARDs work by interfering with the body's immune system and protect the patient from sun damage. This lupus disease drug medication, when used regularly, also suppresses flares and allows the patient to use low-dose (instead of side-effect causing high dose) corticosteroids.

Corticosteroids work by quickly lowering inflammation and reducing the speed of the disease progression. The drug medication most often used in lupus treatment is Prednisone. Side effects include osteoporosis, hypertension, weight gain, cataracts, diabetes, ulcers in the stomach, and infection. This lupus treatment is more likely to cause negative side effects when used in high doses and when used for extended periods.

Furthermore, Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), good for treating arthritis, joint pain and muscle aches are also used in lupus treatment. The six most common NSAIDs used in Lupus treatment are Tolectin (tolmetin), Clinoril (sulindac), Motrin (ibuprofen), aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid), Indocin (indomethacin) and Naprosyn (naproxen).

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Finally, a lupus drug medication that may be used is Tylenol (acetaminophen). This over the counter drug medication is useful for pain but not inflammation. Tylenol is used because it does not cause stomach irritation like aspirin.

Lupus treatment involves many various drug medications to reduce symptoms and suppress flares as well as common sense lifestyle changes such as eating right, exercise and quitting smoking. Although there is no cure for Lupus, individual lupus treatment can greatly improve the quality of life of the patient. It is important for the patient to follow the advice of their doctor, become as informed as possible and to seek the help of a specialist if necessary.

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