There is no one known cause of lupus and no one knows why our immune system – our body’s army gets confused and starts attacking its own self. Many online articles suggest that lupus could develop in response to a combination of factors – it could be through exposure to medications, infections, and environmental factors. It could even be genetics or hormones.
Here’s a bit more information on the potential triggers of lupus:
- Genetics – researchers say there may be more than 50 genes which are likely to contribute towards lupus, though there is no evidence to suggest that these genes directly cause lupus. Having these genes could set the scene, but it is other environmental factors that contribute to whether or not you will develop lupus, and when. Having the lupus gene does not necessarily mean you will develop lupus, and not having the gene does not necessarily mean you will not develop lupus! You could still get lupus without having any family history of it. Though anyone can get lupus, certain ethnic groups may be at a higher risk – like people of Africa, Native America, Asia and the Pacific Islands. Also, lupus affects people of all ages, but it is most often diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 45.
- Hormones – lupus is more common in women than in men – 9 out of 10 cases of lupus are in females, hence, research suggests that female hormonal activity, which could be the production of high oestrogen, use of contraceptive pills or pregnancy that could onset lupus. Once again there is ongoing research beyond hormonal levels which could shed some light on why women are more prone to lupus than men.
- Environmental factors could trigger lupus in genetically susceptible people –
- Sunlight – exposure to direct sunlight could trigger an internal autoimmune response and could set off that dormant lupus gene. There is on-going research on harmful effects of ultraviolet rays from the sun to exposure to fluorescent light on lupus sufferers.
- Various infections and viruses – like the common cold, zika virus, Ebola, tuberculosis, – these could also initiate lupus.
- Exposure to chemicals in the environment – examples of chemical exposure could be paint fumes, drugs, detergents, cylindered gas, etc.
- Medications – lupus could be triggered by certain type of medications, but usually medical drug-induced lupus gets better once the medication stops.
- Stress – it could be emotional stress, mental stress, breakups, death in the family, or just other lifestyle complications. It could also be stress to the body through surgery, injury, pregnancy, and so on.