Lupus is a complex disease. The key to treating lupus is early diagnosis; however, the symptoms of lupus are the same as other diseases. In the medical community, lupus is known to be a great imitator. Its similarities to other diseases often lead to misdiagnosis. If you are suffering from any of the symptoms below, make sure to consult a doctor and report all the symptoms that you have felt. The most common symptoms of lupus are:
- Fatigue
- Joint/muscle aches or pains
- Feverishness
- Appearance of rashes
- Weakness
- Weight gain/loss.
While lupus is higher in women than in men, men can still be diagnosed by lupus. There are slight differences when lupus manifests for both genders. Here are the symptoms of lupus manifested in different parts of the body.
Lupus Symptoms
- Central Nervous System (CNS) – Symptoms are the same for both genders. Patients suffer from seizures, paralysis, neuropathies like myasthenia gravis (abnormal weakness of the muscles), psychiatric disorders like clinical depression, and migraines.
- Blood – Decreased platelets and increased or abnormal autoantibodies are often observed.
- Musculoskeletal – Patients may suffer from arthritis and myalgia or muscle pain. Arthralgia or joint pain is also common.
- Skin – Discoid lesions or sores that inflame and eventually scar appear on the face, mouth, and ears for both men and women. Both genders also experience baldness, butterfly rash, photosensitivity, and Raynaud’s syndrome, a condition where the blood vessels narrow when a patient feels cold or stressed causing the affected area to turn blue. In men, ulcers appear on the nose and mouth while women experience it in the nose, mouth, and genitals.
- Gastrointestinal tract – Patients with lupus also have reduced appetite and diarrhea. Vomiting has also been observed.
- Kidney – With lupus nephritis, the kidney becomes severely affected. Reduction in the amount of urine, unexplained shortness of breath, edema or the swelling of the ankles, legs, and feet, and persistent nausea are some of the signs. During testing, high amounts of protein are found in the urine.
- Eye – There are small white or yellowish white deposits in the retina. The eyes are also very dry, and conjunctivitis is common.
- Tissues – Patients can experience pericarditis or inflammation of the lining surrounding the heart, endocarditis where the inner lining of your heart chambers are infected, and pleurisy, where the inner linings of the heart are inflamed.
- Lymph Nodes – The liver and the spleen are enlarged. Symptoms often include loss of appetite and discomfort or pain on the upper left side of the abdomen.
When you report these symptoms to your doctor, they will do several tests to confirm the diagnosis. Because lupus has periods of flares and wellness, routine blood tests are essential. Doctors request for routine blood tests and antibody blood tests. Antibody blood tests test for antinuclear antibodies (ANA). In 97% of lupus patients, ANA tests positively. Other tests include urine testing, tissue biopsies, and blood clotting time tests. Even when diagnosed, routine screening is vital in managing lupus. Some of the treatment available to lupus patients have side effects that can damage the organs.
References:
https://resources.lupus.org/entry/common-symptoms
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3108835/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4602487/
https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/enlarged-spleen-causes-symptoms-and-treatments#2
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