What causes Lupus? No one knows what causes lupus. Scientists think that people are born with the genes to develop lupus and that something brings on or "triggers" the disease and symptoms. However, a combination of genetics (heredity), environment, and hormones is involved.*
What causes Lupus is one of those questions that I don't believe can ever be answered in a way that satisfies everyone. Over the last year; in our support group; we've posed the question many different times. Certainly there are commonalities that quite a few of us share: problems with sun exposure, allergies to sulfa drugs, at least one relative with an auto-immune disease, infections, giving birth, and stress.
Unfortunately there are just as many triggers that are unique to us as well: exposure to chemicals in rural farming areas, chemical plants in cities, drug induced Lupus, and injuries.
We've conducted our own informal polls on mixed racial heritages, physical and sexual abuse, childhood trauma, adult trauma, and our age at the time of diagnosis. Needless to say we've been unable to come up with any sort of consensus on Lupus.
In my heart I believe that each persons Lupus diagnosis may be unique to the individual. What may cause one person to flare may not have the same effect on anyone else. However the more questions you can ask of those around you with Lupus, the more information you may find that will help in narrowing down some of the possible causes.
For instance, I always believed myself to be healthy until shortly after the birth of my daughter. In group we'd been discussing reactions to the sun, and I remembered that I've had issues with the sun since I was very young. I remember not being able to go to the pool with my summer camp due to several instances of blacking out and nose bleeds. These came after prolonged exposure when I was just 5 and 6 years of age. I'm allergic to penicillin, there is a family history of auto-immune diseases, and I was hospitalized pretty young due to an illness. Like many African-Americans, there is a mixed racial background in my family also.
As you can see the possibilities of what causes Lupus are endless. I am not sure if we'll ever know the cause for each and every one of us; however if the scientist can narrow it down it may help in finding a cure. Meanwhile we'll keep researching and asking questions. You never know; we might find our missing link.
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