As a supplier of quality mobility equipment in Essex, the team at 1st Step Mobility know that there can be any number of reasons that someone might be in need of our equipment, and sometimes these reasons may not always be obvious at first (or even second) glance. With May marking Lupus Awareness Month in the US (and #WorldLupusDay scheduled for 10th May), now seemed a good a time as any to shine a light on what can be an invisible ailment that can adversely affect mobility.
Lupus manifests as a myriad of symptoms which are often attributed to other causes and ailments, which can lead to an average delay in proper diagnosis of Lupus of 6 years! Lupus affects the immune system, meaning many areas of the body can become inflamed due to an excess of antibodies being released unnecessarily. Symptoms include facial rashes, sensitivity to sunlight, joint pain, fatigue, hair loss, and more. These symptoms have to be managed by the patient as there is no known cure. It is not an infectious disease, and is instead thought to be triggered by certain events like viral infections and drastic hormone changes, such as during puberty, childbirth, and menopause. As such, women are more likely to suffer from Lupus than men.
Lupus can weigh quite heavily on a sufferer’s quality of life, and can be life threatening if vital organs are affected, which can be difficult to predict. People with Lupus can manage the disease by eating a healthy diet, taking medication, monitoring their sunlight exposure, finding the right balance between exercise and rest, and not smoking. Joining support groups or using home nursing equipment or appropriate mobility aids can also help various individuals with Lupus, especially if they suffer heavily with joint pain and fatigue.
You can find out more about the disease as well as what you can do to help raise awareness by visiting the Lupus UK website.
