May is Lupus Awareness Month. It’s important for people, especially women, to understand this illness as it often goes undiagnosed due the vague symptoms that can flare up, yet also disappear just as quickly. In the past few years, both the CDC and other partners have made a passionate effort to join together to raise awareness so that patients don’t have to experience long term suffering without even knowing what is wrong with them.
While the cause is not known, Lupus affects a higher percentage of African Americans than it does White people. Within certain demographics such as Hispanics and African Americans, this condition often shows up with greater severity and most often in women of all ages.
What is Lupus
Many people are surprised to even hear that this type of illness exists. In common medical terms, Lupus is identified as a chronic (long-lasting) type of autoimmune disease. Autoimmune diseases happen when your immune system attacks healthy cells and tissues by mistake. This attack causes inflammation. It can also damage many parts of the body, including the joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, and brain. If Lupus is left untreated, it can often lead to problems with your organs and other parts of your body.
Symptoms of Lupus
It’s usually a challenge to first identify Lupus as its symptoms can often be mistaken for other illnesses. It’s particularly frustrating as symptoms can come and go, which often leads to many people putting off a visit to their physician when they could instead be getting appropriate treatment. If one or more of these symptoms continue to appear, it’s best to document them and check in with your doctor.
Symptoms
Arthritis, causing painful and swollen joints and morning stiffness
Fever
Fatigue or feeling tired often
Red rashes, most often on the face (also called the “butterfly rash”)
Chest pain when taking a deep breath
Hair loss
Pale or purple fingers or toes, from cold and stress (Raynaud’s disease)
Sensitivity to the sun
Swelling in legs or around eyes
Mouth ulcers
Swollen glands
Headache and dizziness
Confusion and memory problems
Types of Lupus
What many people don’t realize is that there is more than one type of Lupus. Some can be mild, some severe, and others can go away when certain conditions are addressed.
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the most common type. It can be mild or severe and can affect many parts of the body.
Cutaneous lupus affects the skin. It causes a rash or sores, usually after your skin is exposed to sunlight. The two major types of cutaneous lupus are discoid lupus and subacute cutaneous lupus.
Drug-induced lupus is caused by a reaction to some medicines. The symptoms may start 3 to 6 months after starting the medicine. The symptoms usually go away when you stop taking the medicine.
Neonatal lupus, which is rare, affects newborns. It is caused by certain antibodies that are passed from the pregnant parent to the baby.
Lupus Diagnosis and Treatment
How is lupus diagnosed?
There is no specific test for lupus, and it’s often mistaken for other diseases that cause similar symptoms. So it’s often a frustrating journey to obtain a diagnosis. To find out if you have lupus, your doctor:
Will ask about your symptoms, medical history, and family health history
Will do a complete physical exam
May order blood tests, such as ANA (antinuclear antibody), antibodies, complete blood count, and complement tests
May order other tests, such as urine tests
May do biopsies:
Skin biopsy (looking at skin samples under a microscope)
Kidney biopsy (looking at tissue from your kidney under a microscope)
What are the treatments for lupus?
There is no cure for lupus, but medicines and lifestyle changes can help control it. Your primary healthcare provider will often team up with a variety of different specialists, all who can work together to determine the best treatment for your and your lifestyle. They will help you to come up with a plan to manage your symptoms and adjust your medications as necessary. New providers may be added if additional symptoms appear.
You Are Not Alone
At any given time, several million people suffer from Lupus. If you are diagnosed with this condition, it’s important that you share your news with your family and friends so that you can have a support system. You never know. By telling your story, you could ultimately help someone else find the answers to the mysterious symptoms they have been experiencing that just don’t make sense.
