Living with a chronic illness such as lupus can be challenging and unpredictable, with the condition changing daily. Knowing its early signs and symptoms is an important part of living with this disease since it allows for better management. This article will discuss nine common symptoms of lupus. Read on to explore the warning signs, from skin rashes to joint pain, and get in touch with a healthcare professional if you identify any of them.

What is lupus?
Lupus, also known as systemic lupus erythematosus, is a complex autoimmune disease affecting the body’s immune system, which normally protects it against foreign invaders such as bacteria and viruses. It is a chronic disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks its healthy tissues and organs. It can cause inflammation throughout the body, but mostly in joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, the brain, and other organs. Lupus can affect people differently; its symptoms range from mild to life-threatening.
Systemic lupus erythematosus diagnosis often involves an assessment of a patient’s overall health history, physical exams, laboratory tests, and imaging studies like X-rays or ultrasounds. If you experience any of the symptoms detailed below, visiting your physician at the earliest is advisable.

9 early symptoms of lupus

Light sensitivity
Light sensitivity with lupus occurs when the skin breaks out in rashes or blisters in certain areas as a reaction to sunlight. While everybody may experience mild skin reddening after prolonged exposure to the sun, people with lupus experience much more severe symptoms, such as itching and burning sensations. Such reactions can be even more severely heightened when using tanning beds or under other forms of artificial light sources.

Fever
In people with lupus, fever often appears as sudden periods of high temperature followed by sudden returns to normal body heat. The cause of the fever during a lupus flare is believed to be due to inflammation, triggered when the body’s immune system inappropriately attacks itself. Other symptoms accompanying lupus fever include chills, headaches, and general fatigue.

Hair loss
Hair loss is a surprisingly common health issue that can be attributed to lupus. This autoimmune disorder affects many different areas of the body, including skin, hormonal health, and even hair health. In some cases, people may experience alopecia areata, which manifests as patches of hair loss across the scalp. Lupus can also cause androgenic alopecia, leading to diffuse thinning (hair shedding from all areas of the scalp) or baldness. The hair loss may be due to inflammation caused by the immune system attacking the body’s organs.

Anemia
Anemia is a common symptom of lupus. It occurs because lupus can cause the immune system to attack red blood cells. This causes inadequate oxygen to be delivered to other parts of the body, thus leading to fatigue, shortness of breath, and pallor (paleness) from a lack of healthy red blood cells. Additionally, due to the decreased oxygen levels in affected individuals, their organs have difficulty working properly, and they may experience dizziness or become lightheaded.

A butterfly-shaped rash
A butterfly-shaped rash on the face, spanning across the bridge of the nose and cheeks, is a telltale sign of lupus. Generally, this rash appears in shades of red, which can sometimes cause discoloration on your skin. While this may be alarming to some people at first sight, it is typically a relatively harmless symptom associated with lupus. Health professionals advise seeking professional attention once this type of rash appears.

Cognitive problems
It is estimated that cognitive issues, such as confusion and memory loss, occur in up to half of people with lupus. Cognitive problems can manifest in different forms for different patients – from memory loss, slowed thought processes, and difficulty concentrating to disorientation, confusion, and hallucinations. Disturbances in mental health, also known as “lupus fog”, are also possible. As lupus is an autoimmune disorder, it causes immunological (relating to the immune system) changes within the brain, leading to such issues.

Joint pain
Joint pain is a common health complaint among those with lupus and can appear in more than one body part. Joint pain is one of the body’s responses to lupus attacking the body’s healthy tissues. It can be mild, such as a subtle achy feeling in certain joints, or immense and severe, causing debilitating pain. Joint issues often flare up or swell while experiencing an episode of lupus, leaving sufferers feeling immobile and sore. Symptoms may be localized to a single joint or affect multiple joints simultaneously. Commonly affected areas include knees, wrists, elbows, hips, hands, shoulders, and feet.

Mouth sores
Mouth sores can be a troublesome symptom of lupus, typically presenting as ulcers in the mouth or nose. These sores can also range from tiny red bumps to, in more severe cases, inflamed gums and jaw pain. Such sores are often painful and difficult to treat. In some cases, they can lead to loss of appetite, malnutrition, and a weakened immune system if left unmanaged. These so-called ulcerative mucocutaneous lesions can also appear on different body parts. It further contributes to physical discomfort and health complications.

Kidney problems
Lupus can cause inflammation and damage to the kidneys. This condition is known as lupus nephritis, which can affect up to 50% of people with lupus. Lupus nephritis occurs when the immune system attacks the kidneys, causing damage to the kidneys’ small blood vessels and leading to various issues with the organ’s functioning. Some of them are given below:
Proteinuria
The presence of excess protein in the urine indicates that the kidneys are not functioning properly.
Hematuria
This is the presence of blood in the urine, which can be a sign of kidney damage.
High blood pressure
Lupus nephritis can cause high blood pressure, further damaging and disturbing the immune system.
Edema
Lupus nephritis can cause fluid retention, leading to
swelling in the legs, ankles, feet, and sometimes in the face and hands.
Decreased kidney function
Over time, lupus nephritis can cause a decrease in kidney function, which can lead to kidney failure if left untreated.

In conclusion
Living with lupus can seem daunting, but understanding the signs and symptoms is a great place to start. Becoming familiar with the signs is important to know when to seek professional attention.

Talking to friends, family, and other members of your support system can also be quite beneficial when it comes to living with lupus. Seek resources such as local support groups or mental health providers specializing in chronic illnesses. These tools can help those with lupus understand how best to deal with their condition in the long run.