10 early signs of lupus
lupus is an autoimmune disease that causes swelling
inflammation and a wide variety of symptoms symptoms usually start in early
adulthood anywhere from the teen years to the 30s as with some other autoimmune
diseases people with lupus generally experience flare-ups of symptoms
followed by periods of remission one fatigue a whopping 90% of people with
lupus experienced some level of fatigue according to the Johns Hopkins lupus
Center an afternoon nap does the trick for some people but sleeping too much
during the day can lead to insomnia at night it may be hard to do but if you
can remain active and stick to a daily routine you may be able to keep your
energy levels up if you are living with debilitating fatigue speak to your
doctor some causes of fatigue can be successfully treated to unexplained
fever
one of the early signs of lupus is a low-grade fever for no apparent reason
because it may hover somewhere between 98.5 and 101 degrees Fahrenheit you
won't necessarily think to see a doctor people with lupus may experience this
type of fever in an on-again-off-again fashion low-grade fever could be a sign
of inflammation infection or imminent flare-up if you have recurrent low-grade
fevers make an appointment to see your doctor 3 hair loss
thinning hair is often one of the first signs of lupus hair loss is the result
of inflammation of the skin and scalp some people with lupus lose hair by the
clump but more often hair thins out slowly some people also have thinning of
the beard eyebrows eyelashes and other body hair lupus can cause her to feel
brittle break easily and look a bit ragged earning it the name lupus hair
for skin rash or lesions butterfly rash
one of the most visible signs of lupus is the butterfly shaped rash that
appears over the bridge of the nose and both cheeks about 50% of people with
lupus have this rash according to the Johns Hopkins lupus center the rash can
occur suddenly or appear after exposure to sunlight sometimes the rash appears
just before a flare-up 5 pulmonary issues inflammation of the pulmonary
system is another possible marker of lupus not only can the lungs themselves
become inflamed but the swelling can also extend along blood vessels even the
diaphragm may be affected these can all need to chest pain when you try to
breathe in a condition often refer to as pleuritic chest pain 6 kidney
inflammation
people with lupus can develop a kidney inflammation comp nephritis inflammation
makes it harder for the kidneys to filter toxins and wastes from the blood
according to the Lupus Foundation of America nephritis usually begins within
five years of the start of lupus seven painful swollen joints inflammation can
cause pain stiffness and visible swelling in your joints particularly in
the morning it may be mild at first gradually becoming more obvious like
other symptoms of lupus joint problems can come and go eight gastrointestinal
problems some people with lupus experienced occasional heartburn acid in
digestion or other gastrointestinal problems mild symptoms can be
successfully treated with over-the-counter antacids if you have
frequent bouts of acid indigestion or heartburn try cutting down on the size
of your meals avoid beverages containing caffeine don't lie down right after a
meal if symptoms continue see your doctors so other conditions can be
rolled out 9 thyroid problems it's not uncommon for people with lupus to
develop autoimmune thyroid disease the thyroid helps control your body's
metabolism a poorly functioning thyroid can affect vital organs like your brain
heart kidneys and liver it can result in weight gain or weight
loss other symptoms include dry skin and hair as well as moodiness 10 dry mouth
dry eyes if you have lupus you may have dry mouth your eyes may feel gritty and
dry - that's because some lupus patients develop Sjogren's syndrome another
autoimmune disorder Sjogren's syndrome causes malfunctioning
of the glands responsible for tears and saliva in some cases women with lupus
may also experience dryness of the vagina other symptoms include dry skin
and hair as well as moodiness