Lupus
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Symptoms of Lupus
Normally, lupus develops slowly, with symptoms that come and go. The symptoms of SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) may be mild or serious. For most people, lupus is a mild disease, but for others, it may cause serious problems. Lupus is a disease of flares (the symptoms worsen and you feel ill) and remissions (the symptoms improve and you feel better). Even if your lupus symptoms are mild, it is a serious disease that needs treatment. It can harm your organs and put your life at risk if untreated. People with lupus may have many different symptoms, some include:
- Extreme fatigue (feeling very tired)
- Painful or swollen joints (arthritis)
- Muscle pain
- Unexplained fever
- Unusual hair loss
- Trouble thinking, memory problems, confusion
- Chest pain when taking a deep breath
- Butterfly-shaped or malar rash across the nose and cheeks
- Rashes may also occur on the face and ears, upper arms, shoulders, chest, and hands
- Sun or light sensitivity
- Swelling (edema) in legs or around eyes
- Swollen glands
- Pale or purple fingers or toes from cold or stress (Raynaud's phenomenon)
- Sores in the mouth or nose
- "Seeing things", not able to judge reality
- Feeling sad
- Kidney problems - inflammation of the kidneys (nephritis) can impair their ability to get rid of waste products and other toxins from the body effectively. There is usually no pain associated with kidney involvement, although some patients may notice swelling in their ankles. Most often, the only indication of kidney disease is an abnormal urine or blood test. Because the kidneys are so important to overall health, lupus affecting the kidneys generally requires intensive drug treatment to prevent permanent damage.
- Central nervous system: In some patients, lupus affects the brain or central nervous system. This can cause headaches, dizziness, memory disturbances, vision problems, seizures, stroke, or changes in behavior.
- Lungs - some people with lupus develop pleuritis, an inflammation of the lining of the chest cavity that causes chest pain, particularly with breathing. Patients with lupus also may get pneumonia.
- Blood vessels - blood vessels may become inflamed (vasculitis), affecting the way blood circulates through the body. The inflammation may be mild and may not require treatment or may be severe and require immediate attention.
- Blood - people with lupus may develop anemia (too few red blood cells), leukopenia (a decreased number of white blood cells), or thrombocytopenia (a decrease in the number of platelets in the blood, which assist in clotting). Some people with lupus may have an increased risk for blood clots.
- Heart - in some people with lupus, inflammation can occur in the heart itself (myocarditis and endocarditis) or the membrane that surrounds it (pericarditis), causing chest pains or other symptoms. Lupus can also increase the risk of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).
References:
1) The National Women's Health Information Center - U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office on Women's Health - May 2008 - www.4woman.gov
2) National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) - Information Clearinghouse - National Institutes of Health - Department of Health and Human Services - NIH Publication No. 03-4178 - September 1997 - Revised August 2003 - www.niams.nih.gov
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