Systemic Lupus Erythematosus is an autoimmune disease that causes swelling and comes with a wide range of symptoms. Autoimmune implies that the bodies immune system attacks healthy cells.
The symptoms of the malady usually manifest during early adulthood—somewhere between the teenage to early 30s.
Professionally, early lupus symptoms are easy to dismiss as they often mimic symptoms of other diseases. People with the condition normally experience flare-up symptoms followed by periods of remission.
Additionally, Lupus attacks people differently. In many cases, it may take a couple of months or even years for a qualified physician to come up with a confident diagnosis—not the nicest fact to know.
Therefore, it is important we examine some of the early Lupus Symptoms.
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The Top Eight Early Lupus Symptoms
1. Fatigue
Statically, over 90% with this condition will experience fatigue. A nap in the afternoon can help to counter this symptom but oversleeping during the day might cause insomnia at night.
2. Hair Loss
Inflammation of the scalp normally leads to hair loss. In many occasions, hair thins out of the head gradually but some individuals might lose hair in clumps.
Furthermore, the malady at times affects the eyebrows, beards, eyelashes, and other body parts that have hair. Often patients with Lupus say they feel as if they have brittle hair and look a bit ragged.
3. Fever
This is the earliest symptom where people suffering from the condition will often experience unexplained low-level fever—somewhere between 98.5˚F (36.9˚C)-101˚F (38.3˚C) to be precise.
4. Lesions/Skin Lash
This is an early Lupus symptom where the individual develops a butterfly-shaped rash on both cheeks and the bridge of the nose. Furthermore, it can cause non-itchy lesions in other regions of the body.
5. Kidney Inflammation
Also known as nephritis. This early Lupus symptom makes it very hard for the kidney to perform its functions of filtering toxins. Occurs within the first five years of infection.
6. Pulmonary Issues
This is the inflammation of the lungs and in extreme cases, it can extend to the lungs blood vessels and diaphragm. The latter condition can result in chest pain when breathing.
7. Gastrointestinal Disorders
From time to time victims with the malady experiences acid reflux and heartburn.
8. Thyroid Problems
Even though it is uncommon, some people might develop an autoimmune thyroid condition that may affect vital organs such as the heart, brain, liver, and kidney.
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Treatment Options for Lupus
Good news is that Lupus is treatable. Early Lupus symptoms usually manifest differently in different people.
Thus, doctors treat the malady using a variety of medication ranging from extremely strong to mild prescriptions depending on the severity of the disease.
Nonetheless, the medications approved by the FDA in the US include:
- Aspirin
- Acthar
- Corticosteroids
- Antimalarial
- Benlysta
Other medications also used include:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for instance Respawn and Boswellia Extract
- Immune Modulating Drugs, for instance, Astragalus Max-V
- Anticoagulants
Summing it up, it is always important to remember if you experience the symptoms listed above, it does not mean necessarily you have Lupus.
Therefore, you should always consult with your physician for a complete diagnosis to determine the presence of the condition.
