The disease can cause widespread damage to areas of the body, including the joints, skin, heart, blood vessels, brain, kidneys, bones, and lungs. There are several different kinds of lupus, each with slightly different triggers and symptoms.
The majority of people with lupus experience some type of skin issue during the course of their disease. Skin involvement and symptoms can vary depending on the type of lupus you have and how active your lupus is. One of the telltale signs of lupus is developing a rash on the face.
The rash is commonly called butterfly rash and usually appears on the face, but it can also show up on your arms, legs, or elsewhere on the body.
Lupus also causes your skin to be more sensitive to the sun or artificial ultraviolet light. Unprotected sun exposure can cause ring-shaped marks that can become red and scaly.
These can form on your scalp and face, or other areas that get sun exposure, like your neck or arms. Ulcers or sores can form in your mouth on the cheek or gums.
They can also form on your nose, scalp, or vaginal tissue. These sores may not hurt at all or they might feel like a canker sore. It causes your mouth and eyes to feel very dry. You might experience trouble speaking or swallowing, or have itchy, burning eyes.
Dry mouth can also put you at a higher risk of getting cavities, because saliva helps protect your teeth from bacteria. Some people with lupus may experience alopecia, or hair loss.
Lupus can cause hair to be dry or more brittle. Hair may break or fall out, particularly at the front of the forehead. The hair may grow back, or you may have permanent bald spots. The pancreas is a gland behind the stomach that controls digestion enzymes and hormones that regulate how your body processes sugar.
Lupus can cause inflammation of the pancreas, called pancreatitis, either from inflamed blood vessels or medications, like steroids or immunosuppressants used to treat the disease.
Having lupus can affect your heart and blood vessels. People with systemic lupus erythematosus SLE have a higher risk of developing heart disease. In fact, heart disease is one of the most common causes of death in people with lupus. Lupus also causes arteries to become inflamed. When this happens with smaller vessels, like in the skin, the only symptom may be some skin discoloration.
In other tissues, like the brain or heart, a bleeding vessel can become a major risk and be potentially deadly. Inflammation could also lead to infection. Although less common, anemia can also be caused by lupus. It happens when the body has less red blood cells.
For people with lupus, this can be due to inflammation, bleeding, or the immune system attacking them. Get Local Support. Join Our Support Community. Shareable Toolkit. Sign Up for Emails. Tell Your Story. Media Relations. Contact Us. Annual Report. National Lupus Partners Network. Lupus most commonly affects your: Skin Joints Internal organs, like your kidneys and heart Because lupus affects many parts of the body , it can cause a lot of different symptoms.
What are the types of lupus? But there are four kinds of lupus: Systemic lupus erythematosus SLE , the most common form of lupus Cutaneous lupus , a form of lupus that is limited to the skin Drug-induced lupus , a lupus-like disease caused by certain prescription drugs Neonatal lupus , a rare condition that affects infants of women who have lupus Who is at risk for developing lupus?
Read more facts and statistics about lupus What causes lupus? Learn more about possible causes and triggers of lupus What are the early symptoms of lupus? Want to print information about lupus? More resources to help you understand lupus.
See more at the National Resource Center. Was this resource helpful? Yes No. Understanding lupus. Last updated: October 21, Get lupus resources and updates. Subscribe to our emails. Close Choose a chapter. Lupus Foundation of America. Supporting lupus patients and advocates in Arizona. Serving southern Illinois up to and including Springfield, eastern Kansas, and Missouri. Serving northern and central Illinois. Serving all northern counties in New Jersey, south through Mercer and Ocean counties.
Supporting lupus patients and advocates in the Northeast. Close Find a walk. For example, if lupus damages your heart or blood vessels, you would see a cardiologist. Your primary care doctor should coordinate care between your different health care providers and treat other problems as they come up.
Your doctor will develop a treatment plan to fit your needs. You and your doctor should review the plan often to be sure it is working. You should report new symptoms to your doctor right away so that your treatment plan can be changed if needed. Besides taking medicines for lupus, you may need to take medicines for problems that are related to lupus such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or infection. Alternative treatments are those that are not part of standard treatment.
At this time, no research shows that alternative medicine can treat lupus. Some alternative or complementary approaches may help you cope or reduce some of the stress associated with living with a chronic illness.
You should talk to your doctor before trying any alternative treatments. It is important to take an active role in your treatment. It helps to learn more about lupus - being able to spot the warning signs of a flare can help you prevent the flare or make the symptoms less severe.
It is also important to find ways to cope with the stress of having lupus. Exercising and finding ways to relax may make it easier for you to cope. A good support system can also help. The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice.
Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health. See, Play and Learn Images. Research Clinical Trials Journal Articles. Resources Find an Expert. What is lupus? There are several kinds of lupus Systemic lupus erythematosus SLE is the most common type. It can be mild or severe and can affect many parts of the body. Discoid lupus causes a red rash that doesn't go away Subacute cutaneous lupus causes sores after being out in the sun Drug-induced lupus is caused by certain medicines.
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