Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Decoding Lupus, the disease Selena Gomez is battling

Lupus is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues and organs.

Decoding Lupus, the disease Selena Gomez is battling

American singer and actor Selena Gomez, has informed her fans about her health condition after they noticed her trembling hands in a recent TikTok video. In the video, she was performing her skincare routine and applying makeup removal products when her shaky hands caught the attention of her fans.

Quick to respond, Selena used TikTok to share her health update with her fans. She wrote, “I shake because of my medication for lupus. Also read my disclaimer. I ain’t no pro,” The Times of India informs.


According to Mayo Clinic, Lupus is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the body's own tissues and organs. This results in inflammation that can affect various body systems, such as the joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart, and lungs.

Diagnosing lupus can be challenging as its symptoms often resemble those of other illnesses. However, a distinctive symptom, known as the butterfly rash, which appears on the face and resembles a butterfly with its wings spread across both cheeks, can be a tell-tale sign of lupus.

But it is important to note that not all individuals with lupus will experience this symptom.

In 2019, Selena told People, "As many of you know, around a year ago I revealed that I have lupus, an illness that can affect people in different ways. I’ve discovered that anxiety, panic attacks and depression can be side effects of lupus, which can present their own challenges. It's an everyday struggle.”

Since being diagnosed, Selena has reportedly been transparent about her health condition and the disease. In 2017, she underwent a kidney transplant and received chemotherapy as part of her treatment for the autoimmune disease.

Selena took to Instagram to express herself in a lengthy post, where she encouraged her fans and followers not to misunderstand the disease. "I’m very aware some of my fans had noticed I was laying low for part of the summer and questioning why I wasn’t promoting my new music, which I was extremely proud of. So, I found out I needed to get a kidney transplant due to my Lupus and was recovering," she wrote.

In her 2022 documentary, Selena opened up about her battle with the disease. "I haven't felt it since I was younger. In the morning when I wake up, I immediately start crying because it just hurts, like, everything," she said.

The documentary covers a six-year period of Selena's career and was premiered at the AFI Fest on November 2, 2022.

Symptoms

Each case of lupus is unique, with signs and symptoms that can either appear suddenly or develop gradually. They can range from mild to severe and may be temporary or permanent.

Apparently, the majority of people with lupus experience mild symptoms, characterised by periodic outbreaks, referred to as flares, where the symptoms worsen for a period, then improve or even disappear for a time.

The symptoms of lupus that an individual experiences depend on the affected body systems, explains Mayo Clinic. The most frequent signs and symptoms include:

• Fatigue

• Fever

• Joint pain, stiffness, and swelling

• Butterfly-shaped rash on the face or other areas of the body

• Skin lesions that worsen with sun exposure

• Fingers and toes that turn white or blue in cold temperatures or during stressful times

• Shortness of breath

• Chest pain

• Dry eyes

• Headaches, confusion, and memory loss.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that 90% of individuals with lupus are women, making it a disease that affects women more than men.

"About 9 out of 10 diagnoses of lupus are in women ages 15 to 44," the US CDC report states.

It adds, "Lupus is most common in women ages 15 to 44, or during the years they can have children. Having lupus raises your risk of other health problems. Lupus can also make these problems happen earlier in life compared to women who do not have lupus," it adds.

Can lupus be cured?

Cleveland Clinic affirms that at present, there is no cure for lupus. The goal of treatment is to control the symptoms and limit the damage the disease causes to the body.

Although the condition can be managed to minimise its impact on one's life, it will reportedly never completely go away.

In most cases, death from lupus is not direct, but rather from the symptoms and damage to organs. Complications such as kidney damage, cardiovascular disease, and infections can cause significant harm and pose a threat to life.

Additionally, lupus is not contagious and cannot be transmitted from one person to another through touch, coughing, or sneezing.

More For You

'Companies with diverse leadership are better positioned for growth'

From LtoR- Lord Karan Bilimoria, Sir Trevor Phillips, Seema Malhotra MP, David Tyler and Nathan Coe

'Companies with diverse leadership are better positioned for growth'

COMPANIES with diverse leadership are better positioned for sustainable growth, improved decision-making, and will connect better with multicultural markets, equalities minister Seema Malhotra has said.

She added that the government will soon launch a public consultation on their approach to mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting.

Keep ReadingShow less
Subrahmanyam Jaishankar with  Wang Yi (right)

Subrahmanyam Jaishankar with Wang Yi (right)

S Jaishankar: ‘Delhi’s global interests shape its regional ties'

INDIA today sees itself as a global power or, at least, a country with global interests, which is why Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has spoken of its equation with Russia, China and notably the Middle East.

India’s external affairs minister was in conversation last Wednesday (5) in London with Bronwen Maddox, director of the Royal Institute of International Affairs at Chatham House.

Keep ReadingShow less
'Hundreds of million pounds can be saved by abolishing NHS'

Keir Starmer speaks with medical staff during a visit to the Elective Orthopaedic Centre at Epsom Hospital in Epsom, England. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

'Hundreds of million pounds can be saved by abolishing NHS'


HUNDREDS of millions of pounds could be saved and patient waiting lists reduced as prime minister Keir Starmer announced plans to abolish NHS England, the body overseeing the state-funded health system.

In a speech delivered in Hull, Starmer explained his decision to streamline the National Health Service's management structure: "I can't, in all honesty, explain to the British people why they should spend their money on two layers of bureaucracy."

Keep ReadingShow less
Early risers in the UK witness stunning Blood Moon eclipse

The lunar eclipse of Friday may not have been as dramatic as the total eclipses seen in other parts of the world

iStock

Early risers in the UK witness stunning Blood Moon eclipse

In the early hours of Friday morning, stargazers across the UK were treated to a partial lunar eclipse, with many enthusiasts rising before dawn to catch a glimpse. The celestial event, which saw the Earth's shadow partially covering the Moon, began at 05:09 GMT. Although only partial for most UK observers, it still presented a spectacular sight, with western parts of the country and regions further afield, such as the Americas and some Pacific islands, witnessing the eclipse.

For some, like Kathleen Maitland, the experience was magical. Stargazing from Pagham Harbour in West Sussex, she described the beauty of watching the Moon gradually darken and transform into a reddish hue, with the sunrise unfolding behind her. The eclipse gave rise to the so-called "blood Moon," a phenomenon that occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth’s shadow, turning a dusky red as sunlight is refracted through the Earth's atmosphere.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sangam Foundation celebrates Women's Day

From L- Reetu Kabra, Maya Sondhi, Shobu Kapoor and Meera Syal during Sangam Foundation's Women's Day celebrations.

Sangam Foundation celebrates Women's Day

HUNDREDS of women gathered for the International Women's Day celebrations of Sangam Foundation last week. Prominent actresses Meera Syal, Shobhu Kapoor and Maya Sondhi have attended the event, a statement said.

The British Asian celebrities shared their experiences of breaking into an industry rife with misogyny and prejudice. The industry veterans also talked about challenges they faced in a male-dominated field.

Keep ReadingShow less