Lupus is an inflammatory disease that occurs as a result of the immune system attacking its tissues. The disease attacks individuals of all ages and the severity of the attack may differ from one individual to the other. Some of the known causes of this disease are factors such as infections, sunlight, and medications. Lupus is difficult to diagnose because its manifestations take after those of other ailments. Its risk factors include sex (it’s common in women), race (common in African Americans and Asian Americans), and age (common in older adults). Some of the warning signs of lupus include:

1. Butterfly-shaped rash on the face
This is among the visible manifestations of lupus. It commonly appears on the cheeks and the bridge of the nose. Statistics point out that approximately 30% of lupus patients have this lesion or rash. The rash may appear before a flare-up or after being exposed to sunlight.
This rash not only affects the face but also other parts of the body. Normally, most people with lupus are sensitive to sunlight and artificial lighting.

2. Joint pain and swelling
Inflammations may cause visible swelling, stiffness, or pain in the joints. This can occur especially in the morning. At first, it may be mild but over time it becomes obvious. Just like all other manifestations of lupus, the joint pains it causes may come and disappear with time.
Before your doctor administers lupus medication, it is wise to determine whether the joint pains and swelling are caused by lupus and not other conditions such as arthritis.

3. Chest pain and shortness of breath
Another possible manifestation of lupus is the inflammation of the pulmonary system. This may cause the lungs to become inflamed making the swelling extend to the blood vessels of the lungs. Furthermore, this may greatly impact the functioning of the diaphragm. The muscles of the diaphragm become weak and appear to move up. A combination of all these may result in chest pain during inhalation, a condition known as pleuritic chest pain. If immediate medical attention is not sought, over time, the lung size may shrink making chest pain and shortness of breath a characteristic of this condition.

4. Ulcers in the mouth or nose
Individuals with lupus can easily develop red ulcers on the tongue, inside the mouth, and on the lips. The ulcers are surrounded by a white halo. The ulcer effects range from person to person; it may either irritate or not. Individuals with flare-ups can develop ulcers more quickly compared to those with just lupus.

5. Hair thinning and hair loss
Hair loss occurs as a result of inflammation of the skin and the scalp. Individuals with this condition (lupus) lose hair by the clump. Often, people with lupus have slow thinning out of hair. Hair thinning may also occur in some other parts of the body such as eyelashes, beard, and eyebrows just to name but a few. This condition may make hair break easily, feel brittle, and appear a bit ragged.

6. Fingers and toes that turn white or blue
Raynaud’s phenomenon or Raynaud’s disease (RD) is a cardiovascular disorder that causes the blood vessels to contract and thus restricts the blood flow in feet or hands. RD occurs in one-third of lupus patients. Lupus-related Raynaud results from inflammation of blood vessels and can be triggered by cold temperatures or stress. With RD, the tips of the toes or finger or both turn white, red, purple, or blue.

Other warning signs of lupus include depression, muscle pain, osteoporosis, anemia, and prurigo nodularis lupus. Though this lupus cannot be cured, it can be treated. Prednisone is the most common lupus medication steroid. Other lupus medications include antimalarials, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, and immunosuppressive just to name but a few.