Lupus is a rare and complicated disease; it attacks the immune system of human body. In this disorder, the immune system starts attacking some parts inside our body instead of protecting them as it mistakes them for foreign substances. The disorder can prove to be fatal for the patient, who is suffering from it as it damages their various body parts including skin, kidneys, joints, heart, lungs, brain, blood vessels etc.

Let’s have a look at an in-depth guide on this disorder and study its symptoms, types, and diagnosis.

Symptoms of Lupus

The symptoms of this disorder vary from person to person. However, some of the symptoms, which are most commonly observed among the lupus patients, include swelling in joints, legs, or around the eyes, red rashes on the face, hair loss, pain in chest when the patients take a deep breath, fever without any particular known cause, pain in muscles, pain in joints, swollen glands, mouth ulcers, purple toes or fingers, feeling or tiredness etc. Some other symptoms of lupus, which are not very common, are headaches, seizures, rapid loss in red blood cells, feeling of sadness and dizziness.

Types of Lupus

There are five commonly known types of lupus. These include:

  • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE): This type of lupus normally affects people within the age bracket of 15 to 45. Many parts of the body of the patient are affected in this type of SLE. Its symptoms can range from mild to severe.
  • Discoid Lupus: This particular type of lupus affects the skin of the patient. They will have red and raised rashes on their skin, which will occur for days or weeks.
  • Subacute Cutaneous Lupus Erythematous: Subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus doesn’t cause scars, but it can cause lesions on the parts of the patient’s body, which are under the sun.
  • Drug-induced Lupus: It is a type of lupus that is caused by side effects from certain medications. Drug-induced lupus usually goes away when the patient stops taking the medicine, which initially caused this disease.
  • Neonatal Lupus: Neonatal lupus affects the newborn babies of those women who are suffering from SLE or certain other diseases.

Causes & Diagnosis of Lupus

The exact cause of lupus is yet unknown. However, experts believe that this disorder is caused by genetics, hormones, and the environment. Some other factors, which may also trigger lupus, include sunlight, certain medicines, viruses, stress, and other infectious agents.

Lupus cannot be diagnosed by a single test. The diagnosis of lupus may take months or years. Your physician may need to conduct various tests and use numerous medical tools in order to make a diagnosis. The tests and tools the physicians usually use to diagnose this particular disorder include the complete medical history of the patient, their blood test, complete exam, kidney and skin biopsy for examining the skin samples and kidney tissues under a microscope.

You need to consult your physician as soon as possible if you notice any of the above-mentioned symptoms.

DISCLAIMER: The medical information on this site is provided as an information resource only, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information is not intended to be patient education, does not create any patient-physician relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.