Do you ever hear the disease called lupus? Well, lupus erythematosus is the disease that occurs whenever the autoimmune system mistakenly attacks the healthy tissue and thus, this could cause some pretty dangerous effects in the body. The resulting inflammation from this disease could cause the pain and damage to almost all of the part of your body. So, this disease is classified as the dangerous disease.
Lupus Causes
The exact cause of this disease is still unknown, but several factors are linked with this disease, which are:
- Genetic. Although this is still the assumption, but in the most cases, people with the lupus have family members with the autoimmune disorders.
- Environment. This is also still the assumption, but several environmental conditions like ultraviolet rays, a virus, emotional stress, and trauma could stimulate the lupus disease.
- Gender and Hormones. Although the main cause of the lupus disease is still unknown, but there is a reality that this disease affects more women than men. Women also experiencing the worsen symptom of this disease, especially during the pregnancy and the menstrual period. Many health experts analyze that maybe the certain hormones could play the vital role to trigger this disease.
Lupus Symptoms
So, after you already know about the possible causes of this lupus disease, you also need to know about the various symptoms that could be the sign that you’re having the lupus disease. Here are the symptoms of lupus disease.
- Fatigue
The first symptom that could indicate that you’re having the lupus disease is the sudden fatigue. So, sudden fatigue is the condition whenever you’re feeling the tiredness although you’re not doing enough physical activity. As the matter of fact, according to the study conducted by the Johns Hopkins Lupus Center, about 90 percent of people with lupus disease experience the sudden fatigue.
So, whenever you’re having the sudden fatigue because of lupus, you need to ensure that you’re having the adequate time to sleep. But, remember that you are not suggested to sleep at the long time, especially during the day since it will cause you the trouble in sleeping in the night. Also, you need to remember although you’re experiencing the sudden fatigue, you need to stick on your daily routine as it will keep your energy levels up.
- Unexplained Fever
The next symptom that could be the sign that you’re having the lupus disease is the unexplained fever. Fever is the condition whenever your body alleviates the body temperature to fight against the harmful thing that invade your body, so that you will experience shaking and shivering in the body. Since the infections and inflammation could lead you to fever, there is no doubt that lupus would make you suffer from the fever.
Although fever is a common condition and at the most cases this is the condition that you shouldn’t worry about, but whenever you’re having the fever without any apparent reason regularly, and then if you feel some low-grade fevers, you need to make an appointment to see the doctor since they will prescribe you with the best medications depending on the main causes of your fever.
- Hair Loss
The next symptom that also could indicate that you’re having the lupus disease is the hair loss. So, the hair loss is the condition that occurs whenever you’re experiencing the thinning in your hair. Since the lupus could cause the inflammation, there is no doubt that the sign of lupus disease includes the hair loss. In fact, whenever you’re experiencing the hair loss, it means that there is the inflammation in your scalp and skin. Some people with lupus also commonly have thinning beard, eyebrows, eyelashes, and other body hair.
So, since the lupus could cause your hair become little bit brittle and ragged, you need to seek the medical treatment as soon as possible because whenever you have lesions on the scalp, the hair loss in those area would be permanent. The doctor would be likely to give you the treatment as the following choices:
- Prescribing you the over the counter medication that consist of topical cream and gel that you can apply directly in the scalp.
- Hair transplant surgery, which involves moving small plugs on the skin.
- Scalp reduction, which will remove the part of your scalp that lacks of hair.
- Skin Rash
The next symptom that also could indicate that you’re having the lupus is the skin rash. In the matter of fact, this is one of the most visible symptoms of lupus that appears over the bridge of the nose and also in the both cheeks. Skin rash is commonly described as the condition whenever you’re having a noticeable change in the texture or color of the skin, and it could be itchy too. In fact, according to the John Hopkins Lupus Center, about 50 percent of people with lupus have the skin rash.
Commonly the rash that appears in the skin of the people with lupus occurs whenever they have the excessive exposure of the sunlight because lupus could make the people become very sensitive with the direct sunlight. So, you need to take care of the rash and you can treat the lupus in the home too with the following tips.
- Stop using the cosmetic and let the rash breathe.
- Avoid scratching the rash although it is very itchy.
- Taking over the counter medication like acetaminophen and ibuprofen
- Inflammation in the Pulmonary System
The next symptom that also could indicate that you’re having the lupus is the inflammation in the pulmonary system. It turns out that lupus is not only can cause the inflammation n the lungs, but this disease is also could make the inflammation in the blood vessels too. So, there is no wonder that you’ll experience the chest pain whenever you’re breathing. This is very dangerous symptom since if you left it untreated, this disease could make the size of your lungs become smaller.
So, since this symptom could be very dangerous for you, you need to seek the medical treatment as soon as possible. The doctor will be more likely to treat this symptom with  the following steps:
- Giving you the respiratory medications, such as bronchodilators.
- Inducing the oxygen therapy
- Giving you the artificial surfactant that can prevent the lungs being collapses.
- Kidney Inflammation
The next symptom that also could indicate that you’re having the lupus disease is the kidney inflammation. The kidney inflammation that cause by the lupus is commonly called as the lupus nephritis. This inflammation would make the kidneys become harder to filter the toxic and waste from the blood. So, whenever you’re experiencing the blood urination, dark urine, high blood pressure, having the urination often, especially during the night, and gaining weight without no apparent reason, this could be the sign there is an inflammation in the kidneys.
To treat the inflammation of the kidneys, you need to go to the hospital as soon as possible to get the best medical treatments. The common treatment of lupus nephritis is stated as the following:
- Minimizing the intake of salt and protein.
- Taking blood pressure medications
- Using steroids to reduce the swelling and inflammation.
- Taking medicine such as prednisone to reduce the inflammation of the kidneys.
- Kidney transplant, whenever you’re experiencing the chronic nephritis.
- Joints Pain
The next symptom that also could indicate that you’re having the lupus is the pain and swelling in the joints. The lupus could inflame the joints too and it is very painful to feel. The swelling could be visible, especially in the morning, started from the mild one and then gradually become more obvious as the time goes by.
So, whenever you’re having the joint pain, you could either treat this at home and also you could treat this disease in the hospital.To treat this disease in the home, you could do the following tips:
- Use topical pain relievers or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Make sure that you always exercise the muscle and it is fine to have the physical activity.
- You need to control and maintain the body weight at the proper range.
- Always have the stretching just before you’re having the physical activity.
Whenever you’re experiencing the extreme pain in the joints, you need to seek the medical treatment as soon as possible since the doctor might will induce the surgery to replace the inflamed joint.
- Gastrointestinal Problems
The next symptom that could be the sign that you’re having the lupus is the problem related to your gastrointestinal. Whenever you’re having lupus, the chance of you develop the nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea is very high since this disease could cause the inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. This is considered one of the symptoms that sometimes could be the common condition and sometimes could be the dangerous condition.
So, whenever you’re having the nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea in a regular basis without any apparent reason, it means that probably you’re having the lupus and whenever you’re experiencing those conditions, you could treat it on your own by following these tips:
- Taking over the counter medications like antacids
- Try to cut down the size of your meal or eat at smaller portion but frequently.
- Avoid any beverages that contain alcohol and caffeine
- Don’t lie down right after you’re having the meal.
If the symptoms related to this gastrointestinal problem don’t reduce after several weeks, you need to seek the medical treatment and see the doctor to find the best medication for you.
- Thyroid Problems
The next symptom that also could be the sign that you’re having the lupus is the thyroid problems. So, it is uncommon for the people with lupus to develop the autoimmune thyroid disorder because lupus could also cause the inflammation in the thyroid, which will lead you to either hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. Basically, the thyroid is very beneficial to maintain the balance of the body’s metabolism. When the thyroid become inflamed, the thyroid will not be functioning properly and it could affect the health of the kidneys, brain, and heart.
So whenever you’re having the thyroid problems, you need to make the appointment with the doctor to diagnose whether you’re suffering from hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. If you’re suffering from hyperthyroidism, the surgery, medications, and changes in diet would be beneficial. But, whenever you’re facing the hypothyroidism, you need to take the synthetic thyroid hormone called levothyroxine.
- Dry Mouth
The next symptom that also could indicate that you’re having the lupus is the dry mouth. So, the dry mouth is the condition that occurs whenever the salivary glands in the mouth don’t work properly. One of the common cause of the dry mouth beside you’re dehydrating, also because of the autoimmune disorder, including lupus. Since this is the common symptoms and totally treatable, you shouldn’t worry to much about this symptom.
Whenever you’re having the dry mouth, you could induce some of the treatments on your own by following these tips.
- Sucking on ice cubes and sugarless candy could be useful.
- Always limiting the sugar intake to the body.
- Avoiding the beverages that contain alcohol and caffeine.
- Quit smoking and use any tobacco products.
- Drinking the water more often.
- Using the humidifier in the bedroom during the night.
- Dry Eyes
The next symptom that also could indicate that you’re having the lupus disease is the dry eyes. So, the dry eyes are the condition whenever the eyes couldn’t produce enough tears, or maybe they could produce the tears, but tears can’t effectively keep your eyes moist, which then resulting the dry eyes. Since one of the main causes of the dry eyes is the inflammation, there is no doubt that the lupus could lead you to the dry eyes. Lupus could inflame the eyelids, which causing this condition.
Whenever you’re having the dry eyes, you could either treat it on your own or seek the medical treatments. If you want to treat it on your own, make sure that you have the eye drops that you can buy in many drugstores. Make sure that you buy the eye drops that contain electrolytes, such as potassium and bicarbonate. But, if you want to ask the doctor recommendations, you will be more likely to give the prescription of ophthalmic cyclosporine eye drops or topical corticosteroids.
- Photosensitivity
The next symptom that also could indicate that you’re having the lupus disease is the photosensitivity. So, photosensitivity is the disorder that occurs when the skin have abnormally high sensitivity of the sunlight. In the matter of fact, lupus erythemateous is the most common cause on why you could suffer from the high sensitivity of the sunlight. Basically, people who have the photosensitivity could suffer from the rash or severe burn after limited exposure to the sun.
Whenever you’re having the photosensitivity, you need to make an appointment to see the doctor so that they can assist you with the beneficial medication and also suggestion. Usually the treatment of the photosensitivity includes lower exposure of the sun. Also, you need to avoid certain chemicals that can stimulate the photosensitivity. When the skin condition is already developed, the intake of the corticosteroid cream could be induced to decrease the inflammation.
- Mouth Ulcers
The next symptom that also could be the sign that you’re having the lupus is the mouth ulcers. So, mouth ulcers are the condition whenever there are some painful lesions that develop in the mouth or at the base of the gums. The mouth ulcers could make some uncomfortable feeling whenever you’re eating, drinking, and talking. The mouth ulcer commonly related to the inflammation in the bowel and gastrointestinal tract, which is also the symptom that you’re having the lupus.
Whenever you’re experiencing the mouth ulcers alongside with the symptoms that already mentioned above, you need to treat it as soon as possible since this condition could lead you to the extreme pain. You could treat the mouth ulcer by following these conditions:
- Taking the over the counter medications like benzocaine.
- Applying ice cubes to reduce the inflammation and mouth ulcers.
- Using topical pastes
- Taking nutritional supplements like Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, folic acids, and zinc
- Taking the rinse of the baking soda and saltwater.
- Muscle Aches
The next symptom that also could be the sign that you’re having the lupus is the muscle aches or muscle pain. So, muscle ache is the condition whenever you’re experiencing the pain around your muscles. In the case of lupus, this disease could cause the inflammation in the joint as well as the muscle, which then lead you to the muscle aches or muscle pain. Whenever you’re having the muscle aches, you could treat it on your own with the following steps:
- Resting the area of muscles where you’re experiencing aches and pain.
- Taking over the counter medications such as ibuprofen that can relieve the pain.
- Applying the ice into the affected area where you’re experiencing the aches and pain.
But, whenever you’re suffering from the extreme pain in the muscle alongside with the pain that won’t go away after several weeks, you need to take the medical treatment as soon as possible.
- Chest Pain
The next symptom that could also indicate that you’re suffering the lupus is the pain around the chest. Whenever you’re feeling the chest pain, you might think that you’re having the heart attack. But, that could be wrong since the chest pain could cause by many various conditions, including the inflammation around the gallbladder or pancreas, which is can be caused by the lupus. As already mentioned earlier, lupus disease could inflame almost all of the body parts, and the inflammation in the pancreas could lead you to the chest pain while breathe in.
So, whenever you’re having the chest pain, you need to go to the hospital to seek the medical treatment as soon as possible so that the doctor could diagnose the possible cause of the chest pain. The common treatment of the chest pain that caused by other than the heart attack are mentioned as the following.
- Lung re-inflation for a collapsed lung.
- Taking the antacid medication.
- Anti-anxiety medications related to the panic attacks.
- Difficulty in Breathing
The next symptom that also could indicate that you’re having the lupus disease is the difficulty in breathing. This symptom is closely related to the chest pain. So, the difficulty in breathing is commonly described as the discomfort when breathing and the feeling that you couldn’t get enough air whenever breathing. The main cause that could lead you to the difficulty in breathing is the asthma, which is the disease that occurs whenever there are inflammation and narrowing of the airways. Since lupus could cause the inflammation, there is no doubt that this disease could lead you to the difficulty in breathing.
So, whenever you’re suffering from the difficulty in breathing, you need to treat it as soon as possible, there are several ways to treat this problem, which are:
- Changing the lifestyle
- Reduction in stress, because the stress could make the difficulty in breathing become worse than before.
- Taking the medications such as the inhaler immediately right after you’re suffering from the difficulty in breathing.
- Osteoporosis
The next symptom that also could be the sign that you’re having the lupus is the osteoporosis. So, the osteoporosis is the disease that could happen whenever the bone become weakened because of the aging process. While the common cause of osteoporosis is related to the aging process, but the osteoporosis could speed up whenever you’re having the lupus disease. Osteoporosis could be the dangerous diseases since osteoporosis doesn’t have any apparent symptom and it’s commonly called as the silent disease.
So, the osteoporosis commonly could lead you to the fracture because the bone lose its mass and density and you need to seek the medical treatment for this disease as soon as possible. the common treatment of the osteoporosis including:
- Eating the healthy diet and foods that contain high amount of the Vitamin D, folic acids, and also Vitamin B12.
- Engaging in a regular weight-bearing activities
- Taking the medications, such as calcitonin and bisphosphonates that cain maintain the bone density and strength.
- Seizures
The next symptom that also could indicate that you’re having the lupus disease is the seizures. So, seizures is the condition that occurs when there is a change in the brain’s electrical activity and lupus could also lead you to this disease. Seizures is very dangerous whenever you left it untreated because it can getting worse as the time goes by. Whenever you’re experiencing the seizures or you see that your beloved ones having the seizure, you need to seek the medical treatment as soon as possible.
The common treatment related to the seizures depends on the main cause. But, the medication that commonly uses as the treatment of the seizures described as the following:
- Taking various medications.
- Inducing the nerve stimulation.
- Taking the ketogenic diet, the special diet that commonly used to treat seizures.
- Surgery to fix the brain abnormalities.
- Depression
The next symptom that also could indicate that you’re having the lupus disease is the depression. So, depression is the condition whenever you’re feeling the extreme sadness, frustration, anger, and fatigue. It turns out that the lupus disease could affect your mood too since this disease could make you suffer in almost all of the parts of the body. Whenever you’re feeling the symptom of the depression, you need to seek the help from other people.
Basically, depression could be reduced if you’re sharing the problems with other people. Other than that, you also need to go to the doctor to get the further assistance related o your depression. The common treatment related to the depression are:
- Taking the therapy sessions with the health experts, including interpersonal therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and psychotherapy.
- Always ensure that you have the adequate time to sleep.
- Avoiding foods and drinks that can prevent the good night sleep like caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco.
- Always talk to other people related to your problem so that the depression could go away.
- Dizziness
The next symptom that also could indicate that you’re having the lupus disease os the dizziness. So, dizziness is the condition that occurs whenever you’re having the feeling of being lightheaded, woozy, or unbalanced. This condition can affect the sensory organs, which then could make you faint. The lupus disease turns out also could lead you to this condition.
So, whenever you’re feeling the lightheaded, unsteadiness, and loss of balance, this is the sign of dizziness and you should treat this condition as soon as possible, either you treat it on your own, or go to the hospital. The treatment related to the dizzines are:
- Drinking plenty of fluids.
- Taking the medications that prescribed by the doctor.
- Lifestyle change.
- Taking the healthful low-salt diet.
How to Prevent and Treat Lupus
After you already know all of the symptoms that could occur and could indicate the sign of lupus, now you might wonder how to treat lupus properly so that it wouldn’t affect your body before it is too late. Basically, the treatment of lupus disease is depending on the underlying cause. In the article below, you will find the steps or the ways how to treat lupus properly.
- Taking various medications, such as the anti-inflammatory medications for joint pain and stiffness, steroid creams for rashes, and anti-malarial drugs for skin and joint problems.
- Talking with your doctor about your diet and lifestyle habits, because your doctor might want to recommend eating or avoiding certain foods.
- Always try to manage the stress level to reduce the symptom of lupus.
- You could also taking the preventive ways such as having the immunization and cardiac screening.
Now you already know everything that you need to know related to the lupus disease. This disease is considered as the dangerous disease because it can affect almost all of the parts in the body. So, you need to take the attention if you’re suffering from the symptoms that already stated above. Also, it is better if you’re having the immunization so that you could protect yourself from the lupus disease. Stay healthy.