{"id":1001,"date":"2017-06-29T09:59:58","date_gmt":"2017-06-29T09:59:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=1001"},"modified":"2021-06-04T12:36:16","modified_gmt":"2021-06-04T12:36:16","slug":"11-common-symptoms-lupus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/11-common-symptoms-lupus\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Most Common Symptoms of Lupus"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack healthy tissue. This can in turn lead to a number of serious and painful symptoms that can impact on the quality of life.
Usually, the body will create antibodies in order to combat antigens such as bacteria and viruses. In Lupus however, the immune system is unable to tell the difference between antigens and health tissue, which causes the creation of antibodies that are directed to attack that healthy tissue. In effect, the body becomes allergic to itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This can then cause all of the symptoms that you might normally expect to see in an allergic reaction but it can become even more serious if the body starts to attack the vital organs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lupus is not contagious and is most common in women aged between 15-45 years old. The causes of lupus are not fully understood but doctors generally agree that it is likely caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Certain conditions seem to make lupus more likely. For example, prolonged exposure to sunlight, prescription medications and infections with the Epstein-Barr virus can all make the condition more likely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are numerous different kinds of lupus and learning to identify the symptoms of each can help with a fast and accurate diagnosis, along with rapid, effective treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this post, we will look at 11 of the most common symptoms of Lupus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1.  Fatigue<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Lupus causes the body to react as though it were reacting to a bacterial or viral infection. This causes the immune system to kick into overdrive as it fights what it deems to be a foreign invasion. This is likely to cause tiredness and lethargy<\/a>, causing the patient to be less able to engage in their usual activities and potentially also causing muscle aches and weakness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>2.  Fever<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another common effect of the body\u2019s immune system going into action is the appearance of a fever<\/a>. The body\u2019s core temperature increases in an attempt to make the environment less hospitable to any invading bacteria or virus but of course in this case, there is no such invader present!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fever can cause chills and sweating and make it hard for the patient to get comfortable. The fever itself is not dangerous however unless it is allowed to get very high, or it causes dehydration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is very important to keep drinking lots of water to prevent this from happening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3.  Rash<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the most common symptoms of any allergy <\/a>or infection is the appearance of a rash. This is very common in patients with lupus and will likely appear much like a contagious rash \u2013 creating blotches around the skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some forms of lupus, the condition will be limited to affecting only the skin. This is referred to as discoid lupus and this will usually cause the rash to appear on the face, neck and scalp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most often, the word \u2018lupus\u2019 is used to refer to systemic lupus, which is the kind that affects the organs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>4.  Joint Pain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In SLE \u2013 another form of lupus – sufferers might notice that they have inflammation <\/a>in the joints causing pain and discomfort. This can make it difficult to do normal things and make moving painful, causing the patient to become less mobile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Muscle ache meanwhile is common in all forms of lupus, just as fever and tiredness are common.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>5.  Flare Ups<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In SLE, the joint pain can appear similar to arthritis and often it will cause periods of \u2018flare\u2019 when the symptoms become most noticeable, with intermittent periods of remission where the disease is dormant and stops affecting the patient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are other causes for similar symptoms however, so it is important to rule these out when attempting to make a diagnosis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>6.  Drug Induced Lupus<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Drug induced lupus <\/a>is \u2013 as the name suggests \u2013 caused by a reaction to prescription medication. Often the symptoms are similar to SLE. Certain drugs are more commonly associated with the condition than others, which include hydralazine and procainamide \u2013 hypertension and heart medications respectively. However, there are also 400 other drugs that are known to potentially cause lupus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The good news is that drug induced lupus will stop once the patient ceases to take the medication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>7.  Hair Loss<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As the immune system<\/a> attacks the body, this can result in a number of side effects depending on the healthy tissue that is attacked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One common symptom for example is hair loss and if you notice clumps of hair falling out when you are washing or combing, then this could be a sign of lupus. Of course there are many other potential causes for hair loss, so it\u2019s important to consider this in light of your other symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>8.  Kidney Issues<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As mentioned, lupus can attack the organs, which might in turn cause symptoms associated with damage to those organs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kidneys <\/a>are a common area to be affected, which can cause similar symptoms to chronic kidney disease. These include alterations in the frequency of urination, as well as the color and texture of urine. It can also cause tiredness and lethargy, alongside anemia \u2013 low red blood cell count due to changes in the production of EPO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kidney damage can also cause discoloration, a feeling of itchiness, as well as a lack of appetite and swelling in the ankles, hands, feet and face. This can all also point to other types of kidney disease however, so again you need to consider the symptoms together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>9.  Thyroid Problems<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If the lupus causes the body to attack the thyroid<\/a>, then this can trigger alterations in the production of hormones T3 and T4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These hormones are responsible \u2013 among other things \u2013 for regulating the metabolism. They help the body to burn energy and to regulate fat storage, as well as helping with the regulation of yet more hormones like testosterone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thyroid problems can therefore cause the metabolism to either slow down \u2013 leading to weight gain, low energy, hair growth, temperature changes etc. \u2013 or to ramp up causing heightened energy, anxiety, jitters, weight loss and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>10.  Gastrointestinal Problems<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Part of the problem with lupus is that it can have so many different effects depending on the organs affected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These include gastrointestinal problems, meaning that you might experience heart burn, indigestion or frequent need to vacate the bowels. These symptoms might also include wind, stomach pain and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The symptoms are very similar to IBS <\/a>\u2013 irritable bowel syndrome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>11.  Many more<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Again, many more potential side effects can also occur depending on the parts of the body that are affected. For instance, a common problem is that the mouth and eyes become very dry and you might generally notice symptoms of dehydration<\/a>. The heart rate can also change and become less regular, faster, or slower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pulmonary problems are also common as the swelling can extend to lung blood vessels and the diaphragm. These can cause chest pain, difficulty breathing, pleuritic chest pain and even a shrinkage in lung size over time. The diaphragmatic muscles can also become very weak. Blood pressure can similarly rise or fall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inflammation in organs can also lead to feelings of pain or discomfort. For instance, if the kidneys become swollen then you might notice mild pain or a feeling of pressure around the back on either side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Again, it\u2019s important to consider these symptoms in conjunction with others in order to successfully identify lupus as the cause. A further issue is that it can take a long time for symptoms such as nephritis (kidney problems) to occur \u2013 often within five years of the start of lupus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For all these reasons, if you notice any of these symptoms or generally don\u2019t feel as healthy and well as you normally do \u2013 if your health changes most importantly \u2013 then you should seek counsel from your physician.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>12. Shortness of Breath<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

People with asthma experience a narrowing of the airways that starts to produce symptoms of shortness of breath. Most of the people afflicted with this disorder use medicated inhalers to open the airways and eliminate their symptoms of shortness of breath. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, people with Lupus may begin to develop asthma<\/a> symptoms, including shortness of breath. This symptom occurs when The immune system mistakes healthy lung tissues in the bronchial tubes and alveoli, as invading pathogens or bacteria. As a result, the immune system sends more white blood cells to the lungs to fight the mistaken infection, leading to symptoms of shortness of breath. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some cases, this symptom of the disease can cause serious harm to the affected individual. They may feel like someone is covering their mouth and struggle to catch their breath, even when they lie down. These patients require immediate assistance and a trip to the emergency room.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your doctor will put you on oxygen to relieve the symptoms until the attack dissipates and shortness of breath decline.<\/span><\/wp-block><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>13. Risk Factors and Causes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are a set of risk factors that make some people prone to developing Lupus. If you fall into any of these high-risk categories, speak to your doctor for a diagnosis and treatment of your condition. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n