Lupus is an autoimmune disease affecting 1.5 million Americans. It is an inflammatory disease and occurs when your immune system attacks its own tissues. A lupus diagnosis is important because it can increase your risk for heart disease, osteoporosis and kidney diseases occurring earlier. However, lupus can be difficult to detect because the signs and symptoms may not always be clear.
Knowing if you have lupus is critical because it allows you to manage this disease better and also be proactive in your treatment. It also helps you to decrease how the disease progresses and the severity of the disease. The signs of lupus may vary from person to person.
Here are five facts which will help you to have a better understanding of lupus.
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1. Women are at a greater risk. Women tend to suffer from lupus in greater numbers than men. More than 90% of lupus sufferers are women, and it impacts women primarily between the ages of 15 – 44 years of age. Women of color are also more affected by this disease versus Caucasians. They are often likely to be diagnosed at 2-3 times greater rate.
2. Lupus can have many symptoms. The more prevalent symptoms of lupus include:
- Painful or swollen joints
- Low blood count
- Painless sores in the mouth or nose
- A rash which is apparent on the face, cheeks, or across the bridge of the nose
- Fingertips/toes becoming pale or purple from cold or due to stress
- Chest pain with breathing
- Fever which goes on for days at a time
- Depression
- Hair loss
- Protein in the urine
- Extreme fatigue
- Sun sensitivity
- Hair loss
- Memory loss
3. A lupus diagnosis varies depending on the person. There are four types of lupus. Some individuals with lupus may have milder symptoms while others may exhibit more severe symptoms.
- Systematic lupus erythematosus (SLE) affects the skin and also can be triggered by medications. The singer Seal has this form. SLE is the most prevalent and severe form of lupus. It can affect the kidneys, brain, or central nervous system, blood and blood vessels, skin, lungs, heart and joints. According to the Lupus Research Institute, the skin is affected in about 80% of lupus patients.
- Discoid (Cutaneous) - This form of lupus impacts the skin only and is evidenced by rashes. The rashes can occur on any part of the body but usually are on the face, neck and scalp. This type of lupus does not affect internal organs, but 10% of these patients can develop SLE.
- Drug- Induced Lupus (DIL) – DIL happens to a person when they take medication. The symptoms are very similar to SLE, but the symptoms disappear when the individual stops taking medication. It may take a period of at least six months for the symptoms to go away completely.
- Neonatal (Congenital) Lupus – This is a rare form of lupus and occurs at birth. Newborns may have rashes, liver problems or anemia. These symptoms may take several months to disappear, but they do not cause any permanent damage. However, babies born with neonatal lupus can suffer from heart defects.
4. One test does not diagnose lupus. Usually several tests take place to determine if a person has lupus. They include several tests of the blood and urine along with a clinical assessment by your physician. Typically, rheumatologists specialize in treating lupus, but if you are not sure which specialist you should see, you can start with your primary care physician. If your lupus causes you to have issues with other organs, there may be other physicians who help you with your treatment.
5. Treatment options vary depending on the severity of lupus. If you have a lupus diagnosis, you have several options concerning your treatment. Your physician may prescribe steroids, anti-inflammatory drugs, antimalarials or use cytotoxic chemotherapies which are often used with cancer patients to suppress your immune system. Clinical research continues to evolve for lupus, and other alternative therapies are being studied to determine their effectiveness.
Lupus is a lifelong condition, but treatment can help you to manage this autoimmune disease. If you feel you are suffering from lupus, see your physician and obtain medical tests as well as a clinical assessment.
