Symptoms of Lupus

There are many signs and symptoms of lupus that you should be aware of in order to be able to judge whether or not you are suffering from this disease. Be aware that it can sometimes be difficult to get a proper diagnosis of lupus because –

• There are so many different symptoms

• The symptoms can be like those of other illnesses and diseases

• The symptoms are different in each individual. No two lupus cases are just alike!

So just what are these signs and symptoms?

• One of the most notable symptoms of lupus is pain. You can have a hot, burning pain in any part of your body from your head all the way down to your toes. It can affect your feet and render you unable to walk, your hands and fingers, making it impossible to grip or hold anything in/with them, or your knees, hips, shoulders, elbows, jaw… any joint in the body can be affected. This pain can move from one place to another and can cause swelling and redness.

• Muscle weakness in the knees and hips as well as any of the muscles that are in the area in between the elbow and the neck, most notably the upper arms and shoulders.  Your hands and feet, wrists and ankles can also be affected by muscle weakness due to damage to the nerves in these areas caused by inflammatory pain.

• Lupus can cause you to have a fever that comes and goes much as your pain does, or hangs around as a low-grade annoyance.

• Loss of appetite affects about half of all lupus sufferers. This is often one of the very first symptoms that people notice.

• Fatigue and very little energy is also a hallmark of lupus, and one of the most common symptoms, too. People have described this fatigue as feeling as if they always have the flu. 

• Rashes on the skin are common in someone with lupus. One rash is known as a “butterfly” rash, as it lies across the cheeks and nose almost in the shape of a butterfly. Another type of rash will pop up not only on the face, but in the scalp, the ears, on the arms or the chest.  The rash can be faint or extensive, and can also cause you to lose the hair on your scalp. More than ninety percent of all people with lupus are bothered with skin rashes.

• Mucosal Ulcers or sores in the mouth or inside the nose can develop in lupus patients. Oddly, these sores do not hurt.

• Sunlight sensitivity is common, and can make the lupus rashes seem worse.

• Skin color changes, especially in the fingers when your hands get cold. The fingers take on a paler or a purplish color.

• Chest pain when drawing in your breath is another lupus symptom.

• Fuzzy thinking, memory problems, and depression can also be signs of lupus.

Lupus as a disease has been called the “Great Imitator” for its ability to mimic many other different diseases. Only a health practitioner can tell you for sure if you have lupus.