Lupus got its name from the Latin word “wolf” because some people with lupus will develop a butterfly shaped rash across their nose and cheeks- it was thought that this rash gave them a wolf-like appearance! Lupus is an autoimmune disease that affects connective tissues (such as joints and muscles) in your body. The immune system is supposed to distinguish normal body cells from those of invaders: in auto-immune diseases the body thinks normal cells ARE the invaders. This means that the normal immunity and defense systems have gone into over-drive and the body attacks its own cells causing tissue … Continue reading →