Lupus

What is lupus?

Lupus is an autoimmune disorder that affects women more than men. There are four types of lupus, systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE, is the most common and serious form.

What are the symptoms?

•  Aching joints
•  Swollen joints
• Persistent fever 
• Prolonged, extreme fatigue
•  Weight loss or weight gain
•  Skin rashes
•  Butterfly shaped rash across the cheeks and nose
•  Easy bruising
•  Pain in the chest on deep breathing
•  Anemia
•  Sensitivity to sun or ultraviolet light
•  Hair loss
•  Abnormal blood clotting problems
•  Fingers turning white and/or blue in the cold
• Seizures
• Mouth or nose ulcers lasting longer than two weeks

Why does it cause pain?

Lupus causes pain in the joints and also muscle pain. According to the Lupus Foundation of America, “More than 90 percent of people with SLE will experience joint and/or muscle pain at some time during the course of their illness. At the onset of the disease, the major complaint of more than half of SLE patients is pain in the joints.”

What can be done?

There is no cure for lupus yet. Treatment focuses on treating and managing the symptoms.

For more in-depth information, here are some sites that have reliable and up-to-date information:

The Lupus Foundation of America

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases