Early Signs and Symptoms of Lupus
Lupus is considered an autoimmune disease, which means that the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the body, even if its tissues are healthy. It is chronic, which means it lasts for a long time, and the most common type of lupus is systemic, which means that it affects many systems in the body—including the skin, the joints, blood circulation, oxygen intake and more. Here are the most common symptoms of systemic lupus: 1. Low fever and fatigue Lupus patients may notice that they are constantly running a low-grade fever even if they don’t have another low-grade fever-producing illness such as a cold. Again, this is the body’s response to the overall inflammation caused by lupus. The chronic inflammation often causes chronic fatigue, which may impede overall quality of life. 2. Headache Headache is another sign of lupus and can be a consequence of how the disease affects the nervous system. Though headache is one symptom of the involvement of the nervous system, others are more serious—including confusion, seizures, ringing in the ears, drooping eyelids, dizziness, vision issues, unstable blood pressure, or carpal tunnel syndrome. 3. Painful and swollen joints Joint pain and swelling are common symptoms of lupus. A patient might see the swelling in their hands or feet, or even around their eyes.