The Truth of Lupus

Symptoms of lupus

Because early symptoms are similar to those of other conditions, having them doesn’t necessarily mean you have lupus. Early symptoms can include:





Unexplained fever

One of the early symptoms of lupus is a low-grade fever for no apparent reason. Because it may hover somewhere between 98.5˚F (36.9˚C) and 101˚F (38.3˚C), you might not think to see a doctor. People with lupus may experience this type of fever off and on.

A low-grade fever could be a symptom of inflammation, infection, or imminent flare-up. If you have recurrent, low-grade fevers, make an appointment to see your doctor.





Fatigue

Lot of people with lupus experience some level of fatigue. An afternoon nap does the trick for some people, but sleeping too much during the day can lead to insomnia at night. It may be difficult, but if you can remain active and stick to a daily routine, you may be able to keep your energy levels up.

Speak to your doctor if you’re living with debilitating fatigue. Some causes of fatigue can be treated.





Painful, swollen joints

Inflammation can cause pain, stiffness, and visible swelling in your joints, particularly in the morning. It may be mild at first and gradually become more obvious. Like other symptoms of lupus, joint problems can come and go.

If over-the-counter pain medications don’t help, see your doctor. There may be better treatment options. But your doctor must determine if your joint problems are caused by lupus or another condition, such as arthritis.





Thyroid problems

It’s not uncommon for people with lupus to develop autoimmune thyroid disease. The thyroid helps control your body’s metabolism. A poorly functioning thyroid can affect vital organs like your brain, heart, kidneys, and liver. It can also result in weight gain or weight loss. Other symptoms include dry skin and hair, and moodiness.

When a thyroid is underactive, the condition is known as hypothyroidism. Hyperthyroidism is caused by an overactive thyroid. Treatments to get your metabolism back on track are available.





Skin rash or lesions

One of the most visible symptoms of lupus is a butterfly-shaped rash that appears over the bridge of the nose and on both cheeks. About a half of people with lupus have this rash. It can occur suddenly or appear after exposure to sunlight. Sometimes the rash appears just before a flare-up.

Lupus can also cause non-itchy lesions in other areas of the body. Rarely, lupus can cause hives. People with lupus are sensitive to the sun, or even to artificial lighting. Some experience discoloration in the fingers and toes.

Dry mouth and eyes

People with lupus may experience dry mouth. The eyes may feel gritty and dry, too. That’s because some people with lupus develop Sjogren’s disease, another autoimmune disorder. Sjogren’s causes the glands responsible for tears and saliva to malfunction, and lymphocytes can accumulate in the glands. In some cases, women with lupus and Sjogren’s may also experience dryness of the vagina and skin.





Causes of Lupus

What Problems Can People With Lupus Have?

People with active lupus feel ill in general and complain of fever, weight loss, and fatigue. People with lupus also develop specific problems when the immune system attacks a particular organ or area in the body. The following areas of the body can be affected by lupus:

Kidneys. Kidney involvement in people with lupus can be life threatening and may occur in up to half of those with lupus. Kidney problems are more common when someone also has other lupus symptoms, such as fatigue, arthritis, rash, fever, and weight loss. Less often, kidney disease may occur when there are no other symptoms of lupus.

Skin . Some people with lupus have a red rash over their cheeks and the bridge of their nose, it called a "butterfly" or malar rash. Hair loss and mouth sores are also common. One particular type of lupus that generally affects only the skin is called discoid lupus. With this type of lupus, the skin problems consist of large red, circular rashes that may scar. Skin rashes are usually aggravated by sunlight. A common lupus rash called subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus is often worse after exposure to the sun. This type of rash can affect the arms, legs, and torso. An uncommon but serious form of lupus rash results in the development of large blisters and is called a "bullous" lupus rash.

Blood. Blood involvement can occur with or without other symptoms. People with lupus may have dangerous reductions in the number of red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets (particles that help clot the blood).

Joints. Arthritis is very common in people with lupus. There may be pain, with or without swelling. Stiffness and pain may be particularly evident in the morning. Arthritis may be a problem for only a few days or weeks, or may be a permanent feature of the disease. Fortunately, the arthritis usually is not crippling.

Lupus is a basic immune system infection that happens when the body's insusceptible framework assaults tissues and organs. Irritation brought about by lupus can influence a wide range of body frameworks, including joints, skin, kidneys, platelets, mind, heart and lungs. Lupus also known as systemic lupus erythematosus, is a disease of the immune system. Normally, the immune system protects the body from infection. In lupus, however, the immune system inappropriately attacks tissues in various parts of the body. This abnormal activity leads to tissue damage and illness.Lupus can be hard to analyze. The fact that its signs and side effects frequently emulate those of different infirmities. The most particular indication of lupus, a facial rash that takes after the wings of a butterfly unfurling crosswise over the two cheeks, happens in numerous however not all instances of lupus.Common areas of the body that can be affected include the joints, skin, blood cells and kidneys. Other areas may include the brain and lungs. Lupus can affect all ages, genders and ethnicities but is most commonly seen in young female adults.The cause of lupus is thought to include both genetic predispositions and environmental triggers such as infections, medications and sunlight. Pregnancy can be seriously affected by lupus.No two instances of lupus are actually similar. Symptoms and side effects may come on all of a sudden or grow gradually, might be gentle or serious, and might be brief or perpetual. A great many people with lupus have mellow ailment described by scenes — called flares — when signs and indications deteriorate for some time, at that point enhance or even vanish totally for a period.Symptoms of lupus usually start in early adulthood, anywhere from the teen years into the 30s. People with lupus generally experience flare-ups of symptoms followed by periods of remission. That’s why early symptoms are easy to dismiss.Lupus happens when invulnerable framework assaults tissue in the body (immune system failment). All things considered, lupus results from a mix of your hereditary qualities and your condition.It gives the idea that individuals with an acquired inclination for lupus may build up the illness when they come into contact with something in the condition that can trigger lupus. The reason for lupus much of the time, in any case, is obscure. Some potential triggers include:Daylight. Introduction to the sun may expedite lupus skin sores or trigger an inside reaction in defenseless individuals.Contaminations. Having a contamination can start lupus or cause a backslide in a few people.Drugs. Lupus can be activated by particular sorts of circulatory strain meds, hostile to seizure prescriptions and anti-infection agents. Individuals who have tranquilize actuated lupus generally show signs of improvement when they quit taking the medicine. Once in a while, side effects may continue even after the medication is ceased.Heart. Lupus can cause irritation of your heart muscle, your conduits or heart film (pericarditis). The danger of cardiovascular infection and heart assaults increments enormously too.Different kinds of complexitiesCancer growth. Having lupus seems to build your danger of cancer growth; anyway the hazard is little.Bone tissue demise. This happens when the blood supply to a bone lessens, regularly prompting small breaks in the bone and in the long run deep down breakdown.Pregnancy entanglements. Women with lupus have an expanded danger of unnatural birth cycle. Lupus expands the danger of hypertension amid pregnancy (preeclampsia) and preterm birth. To lessen the danger of these inconveniences, specialists regularly prescribe deferring pregnancy until your illness has been leveled out for somewhere around a half year.