waste products and other toxins from the body effectively.
What you can do: Experiencing kidney problems? Schedule an appointment with your doctor. He or she can do blood tests to make sure your kidneys are working well.
6. 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 pain or other symptoms.
7. 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 may also get pneumonia.
8. Brain
In some patients, lupus affects the brain or central nervous system. This can cause headaches, dizziness, depression, memory disturbances, vision problems, seizures, stroke, or changes in behavior.
What you can do: Try to ease your stress as much as possible. Consider cognitive therapy, which may help manage thinking issues, or counseling if you are anxious or depressed. Lupus medicine may help memory and thinking.
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9. Mouth
Some lupus patients may develop sores in the inner cheek and lower mouth as well as dryness that can lead to gum disease. Additionally, patients may develop Sjogren’s, which causes your mouth to feel extremely dry and affects your ability to swallow.
10. Digestive problems
If your body isn’t moving waste at a normal pace, you may experience digestive problems. Additionally, the medications you are taking for lupus can cause digestive problems. In this case, it is best to consult with your doctor to discuss changing your medication.
11. Eyes
The most common eye problem people with lupus experience is dryness or a gritty feeling. Although rare, blood vessel changes in the retina can weaken your vision. Lupus can also damage nerves in the muscles that control your eye movements.
What you can do: Artificial teardrops are helpful for people suffering from dry eyes.
Although lupus has the ability to cause symptoms throughout your body, it doesn’t mean you’re going to experience all of these.
Lupus affects everyone differently, so your individual symptoms and their severity will depend on the type of lupus you have and other factors. This includes your genetics and how long you’ve had the disease. The best way to avoid severe symptoms is to avoid smoking, get regular exercise and eat healthy. If your lupus is well-controlled, you may have very mild symptoms.