Lupus is a chronic (long-term) disease that can cause inflammation and pain in any part of your body. It’s an autoimmune disease, which means that your immune system — the body system that usually fights infections — attacks healthy tissue instead.

Lupus most commonly affects your: 

• Skin
• Joints
• Internal organs, like your kidneys and heart

Because lupus affects many parts of the body, it can cause a lot of different symptoms.

Learn more about lupus signs and symptoms

What is inflammation?

Inflammation usually happens when your immune system is fighting an infection or an injury. When lupus makes your immune system attack healthy tissue, it can cause inflammation in lots of different body parts. Symptoms can include swelling and pain.

When people talk about lupus, they’re usually talking about systemic lupus. But there are four kinds of lupus: 

• Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the most common form of lupus
• Cutaneous lupus, a form of lupus that is limited to the skin
• Drug-induced lupus, a lupus-like disease caused by certain prescription drugs
• Neonatal lupus, a rare condition that affects infants of women who have lupus

Anyone can develop lupus. But certain people are at higher risk for lupus, including:

• Women ages 15 to 44
• Certain racial or ethnic groups — including people who are African American, Asian American, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, or Pacific Islander
• People who have a family member with lupus or another autoimmune disease

9 out of 10

people with lupus are women.

Read more facts and statistics about lupus

The primary goal of Mental Health Awareness Month, observed in May, is to raise public awareness and education about mental health and wellness, particularly mental illnesses. This includes highlighting the importance of mental health, understanding the realities of living with mental health conditions, and promoting strategies for maintaining and improving mental well-being. Here's a more detailed breakdown of the month's goals:

• Raising Awareness:. Mental Health Awareness Month aims to educate the public about mental illnesses, their prevalence, and their impact on individuals and society. 
• Reducing Stigma:. A key objective is to combat the stigma associated with mental health, encouraging open conversations and normalizing the experience of seeking help. 
• Promoting Support and Access:. The month encourages individuals to seek support, access resources, and advocate for improved mental health services. 
• Emphasizing the Importance of Mental Health:. It emphasizes the interconnectedness of physical and mental health, highlighting the importance of prioritizing mental well-being for overall health and well-being. 
• Fostering Open Dialogue:. Mental Health Awareness Month encourages individuals to talk about their own mental health and to listen to others, promoting empathy and understanding. 

National Nurses Day is the first day of National Nursing Week, which concludes on May 12, Florence Nightingale’s birthday. Yet the week was first observed in the US in October 1954 to mark the 100th anniversary of Nightingale’s pioneering work in Crimea.

In 1953, Dorothy Sutherland of the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare sent a proposal to President Eisenhower asking him to proclaim a “Nurse Day” in October of the following year to coincide with the anniversary. Although the President didn’t act, the celebration was observed thanks to a bill sponsored by Representative Frances P. Bolton, and the following year a new bill was introduced to Congress lobbying for official recognition of the celebration.

Twenty years later, in February of 1974, President Nixon proclaimed a National Nurse Week to be celebrated annually in May. Over the next eight years, various nursing organizations including the American Nurses Association (ANA) rallied to support calls for a “National Recognition Day for Nurses” on May 6, which was eventually proclaimed by President Ronald Reagan in 1982.

With over 3 million working nurses in the US today, nurses make up the highest percentage of the US healthcare workforce. Although you might not imagine it, nurses are more likely to sustain a back injury on a shift than construction workers, and they walk an average of 5 kilometers per shift, as caring for others’ health is such an active job!

If you think nurses are only found in hospitals, then think again! The majority of registered nurses (59%) practice elsewhere, such as in a nursing home or on home visits. They work across communities to keep people worldwide happy and healthy, and National Nurses Day is the perfect opportunity to show your appreciation for their important work!