Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsPossible SignsMild LupusEarly Lupus TestingSpecialists to See
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Possible Signs
Mild Lupus
Early Lupus Testing
Specialists to See
Early signs of lupus in females, such as fatigue, joint pain, and rashes, are commonly mistaken for other conditions. Lupus is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues. It canaffect any part of the bodyand is difficult to diagnose.
Although lupus can affect anyone, females are 9 times more likely thanmalesto develop the disease. The onset of symptoms typically begins between the ages of 15 and 45.
This article will discuss the signs of undiagnosed lupus in females, how symptoms start and flare in mild lupus, testing methods for lupus, and specialists to see for suspected lupus.
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A Note on Gender and Sex TerminologyVerywell Health acknowledges thatsex and genderare related concepts, but they are not the same. To accurately reflect our sources, this article uses terms like “female,” “male,” “woman,” and “man” as the sources use them.
A Note on Gender and Sex Terminology
Verywell Health acknowledges thatsex and genderare related concepts, but they are not the same. To accurately reflect our sources, this article uses terms like “female,” “male,” “woman,” and “man” as the sources use them.
Possible Signs of Undiagnosed Lupus in Females
Whilelupus signscan be similar to other conditions, experiencing a combination of these symptoms simultaneously or at different points in time can signallupusin females.
Rash
Pain Sensations
Pain in the jointsor arthritic-type pain on a regular or continuous basis can be a first sign of lupus.Inflammation from lupus can cause joint stiffness. Stiffness typically occurs upon waking and may take 30 minutes or longer to loosen.
Pain from lupus manifests in several different ways. Pain levels can vary from mild to severe and can have a profound effect on daily life. Chronic widespread pain that affects the muscles, joints, and skin can also affect people with lupus. This type of pain is typical offibromyalgia(a condition of chronic widespread pain) but occurs in lupus too.
The Great MimickerLupus is often called the great mimicker because many of its symptoms are like those of other conditions such asHashimoto’s thyroiditis(an autoimmune thyroid disease) orfibromyalgia. It is important to mention all symptoms to your healthcare provider so that they can determine whether they are due to lupus or another condition.
The Great Mimicker
Lupus is often called the great mimicker because many of its symptoms are like those of other conditions such asHashimoto’s thyroiditis(an autoimmune thyroid disease) orfibromyalgia. It is important to mention all symptoms to your healthcare provider so that they can determine whether they are due to lupus or another condition.
Mood Changes
Depression and anxiety are common in people with lupus. People with lupus are twice as likely to experience depression and anxiety than the general population.
These mood changes can be a direct effect of lupus on the body but can also occur due to the decreased quality of life from living with other symptoms of lupus, such as pain and fatigue.
Fatigue
Fatigueis a common symptom of lupus.Fatigue may be the first sign that something is wrong.
Fatigue is a tiredness that occurs for seemingly no reason and cannot be relieved with a nap. People with lupus fatigue may go from having no issue walking around the block to feeling like they have run a marathon after walking that same block.
Taking a shower can feel exhausting with fatigue. For this reason, fatigue is often noted as the most bothersome symptom, having a large effect on quality of life.
Hair Loss
Females can experienceloss of hair with lupus.The loss of hair can present in different ways. Hair can be patchy with complete bald spots, or areas that have thinned. Hair around the hairline can become weak and break.
In some people, scarring can also occur—leaving bald or thinned areas with red spots or loss of pigmentation.
Leaving the Hospital With No DiagnosisBecause of its difficulty to diagnose, it is not uncommon to go to the hospital with symptoms of lupus and leave with a different diagnosis or no answers at all. Unfortunately, diagnosis of lupus can take up to 10 years.Being aware of symptoms and advocating for yourself can help speed things along.
Leaving the Hospital With No Diagnosis
Because of its difficulty to diagnose, it is not uncommon to go to the hospital with symptoms of lupus and leave with a different diagnosis or no answers at all. Unfortunately, diagnosis of lupus can take up to 10 years.Being aware of symptoms and advocating for yourself can help speed things along.
Mild Lupus: How Symptoms Start and Flare
Lupus symptoms are unpredictable. People with lupus go through periods of remission, in which there are no symptoms, and flares, in which existing symptoms worsen, or new symptoms occur.This pattern can make diagnosis difficult since remission periods can make people believe their symptoms have gone away.
In mild lupus, the typical flare or onset of new or worsening symptoms includes symptoms such as fatigue, fever, weight loss, joint pain or arthritis, and rashes. About 70% to 80% of flares are mild to moderate, meaning they don’t involve major organs such as the heart or lungs.
Whilelupus is difficult to diagnosedue to its nonspecific symptoms (symptoms that could be due to a number of causes) and pattern of symptoms coming and going, tests can help. These include blood and urine tests and, in some cases, biopsies (taking a tissue sample to analyze in the lab).
Common blood tests for lupus include:
Urine tests look for abnormal levels of protein in the urine, which can indicate kidney involvement. If these tests are positive, a kidney biopsy may become necessary.
For people with rashes or scarring, a skin biopsy can be used to diagnose lupus.
Increased Risk of Lupus
Specialists to See for Suspected Lupus
Most people with lupus will see a rheumatologist, a specialist in rheumatic diseases such as arthritis and autoimmune conditions. A rheumatologist can diagnose and treat lupus. A clinical immunologist can also diagnose and treat the disease.
Because lupus can affect any part of the body, otherspecialistsmay become necessary depending on organ involvement.
Summary
Lupus is an autoimmune condition that can affect any part of the body. Diagnosis is difficult because many of its symptoms resemble other conditions and come and go.
Females with lupus often experience fatigue, pain, rashes, hair loss, and mood changes as early symptoms. These symptoms are unpredictable. The relapsing and remitting nature of lupus can also make it difficult to diagnose.
Blood tests, such as ANA, and urine samples can be used to diagnose the condition. In some cases, a biopsy of the skin or kidneys may be necessary to confirm the disease.
Rheumatologists are specialists who diagnose and treat lupus. Depending on organ and system involvement, other specialists, such as a nephrologist, a kidney specialist, or a cardiologist who specializes in the heart, may also be necessary for care.
12 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus).Cooper EE, Pisano CE, Shapiro SC.Cutaneous manifestations of “lupus”: systemic lupus erythematosus and beyond.Int J Rheumatol. 2021;2021:6610509. doi:10.1155/2021/6610509UW Medicine.Lupus erythematosus.Di Franco M, Guzzo MP, Spinelli FR, et al.Pain and systemic lupus erythematosus.Reumatismo. 2014;66(1):33-38. doi:10.4081/reumatismo.2014.762Bruce IN, Buie J, Bloch L, et al.Lupus spectrum ambiguity has long-term negative implications for patients.Lupus Sci Med. 2023;10(1):e000856. doi:10.1136/lupus-2022-000856Dehghan A, Soltani H, Faezi ST, et al.Depression, anxiety, and quality of life in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.Reumatologia. 2023;61(5):368-374. doi:10.5114/reum/168396Cleanthous S, Strzok S, Haier B, Cano S, Morel T.The patient experience of fatigue in systemic lupus erythematosus: a conceptual model[published correction appears inRheumatol Ther. 2022;9(1):303. doi:10.1007/s40744-021-00394-w].Rheumatol Ther. 2022;9(1):95-108. doi:10.1007/s40744-021-00374-0Desai K, Miteva M.Recent insight on the management of lupus erythematosus alopecia.Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2021;14:333-347. doi:10.2147/CCID.S269288Adamichou C, Bertsias G.Flares in systemic lupus erythematosus: diagnosis, risk factors and preventive strategies.Mediterr J Rheumatol. 2017;28(1):4-12. doi:10.31138/mjr.28.1.4National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus): diagnosis, treatment, and steps to take.Yu H, Nagafuchi Y, Fujio K.Clinical and immunological biomarkers for systemic lupus erythematosus.Biomolecules. 2021;11(7):928. doi:10.3390/biom11070928Lim SS, Helmick CG, Bao G, et al.Racial disparities in mortality associated with systemic lupus erythematosus - Fulton and DeKalb Counties, Georgia, 2002-2016.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2019;68(18):419-422. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6818a4
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus).Cooper EE, Pisano CE, Shapiro SC.Cutaneous manifestations of “lupus”: systemic lupus erythematosus and beyond.Int J Rheumatol. 2021;2021:6610509. doi:10.1155/2021/6610509UW Medicine.Lupus erythematosus.Di Franco M, Guzzo MP, Spinelli FR, et al.Pain and systemic lupus erythematosus.Reumatismo. 2014;66(1):33-38. doi:10.4081/reumatismo.2014.762Bruce IN, Buie J, Bloch L, et al.Lupus spectrum ambiguity has long-term negative implications for patients.Lupus Sci Med. 2023;10(1):e000856. doi:10.1136/lupus-2022-000856Dehghan A, Soltani H, Faezi ST, et al.Depression, anxiety, and quality of life in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.Reumatologia. 2023;61(5):368-374. doi:10.5114/reum/168396Cleanthous S, Strzok S, Haier B, Cano S, Morel T.The patient experience of fatigue in systemic lupus erythematosus: a conceptual model[published correction appears inRheumatol Ther. 2022;9(1):303. doi:10.1007/s40744-021-00394-w].Rheumatol Ther. 2022;9(1):95-108. doi:10.1007/s40744-021-00374-0Desai K, Miteva M.Recent insight on the management of lupus erythematosus alopecia.Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2021;14:333-347. doi:10.2147/CCID.S269288Adamichou C, Bertsias G.Flares in systemic lupus erythematosus: diagnosis, risk factors and preventive strategies.Mediterr J Rheumatol. 2017;28(1):4-12. doi:10.31138/mjr.28.1.4National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus): diagnosis, treatment, and steps to take.Yu H, Nagafuchi Y, Fujio K.Clinical and immunological biomarkers for systemic lupus erythematosus.Biomolecules. 2021;11(7):928. doi:10.3390/biom11070928Lim SS, Helmick CG, Bao G, et al.Racial disparities in mortality associated with systemic lupus erythematosus - Fulton and DeKalb Counties, Georgia, 2002-2016.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2019;68(18):419-422. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6818a4
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus).Cooper EE, Pisano CE, Shapiro SC.Cutaneous manifestations of “lupus”: systemic lupus erythematosus and beyond.Int J Rheumatol. 2021;2021:6610509. doi:10.1155/2021/6610509UW Medicine.Lupus erythematosus.Di Franco M, Guzzo MP, Spinelli FR, et al.Pain and systemic lupus erythematosus.Reumatismo. 2014;66(1):33-38. doi:10.4081/reumatismo.2014.762Bruce IN, Buie J, Bloch L, et al.Lupus spectrum ambiguity has long-term negative implications for patients.Lupus Sci Med. 2023;10(1):e000856. doi:10.1136/lupus-2022-000856Dehghan A, Soltani H, Faezi ST, et al.Depression, anxiety, and quality of life in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.Reumatologia. 2023;61(5):368-374. doi:10.5114/reum/168396Cleanthous S, Strzok S, Haier B, Cano S, Morel T.The patient experience of fatigue in systemic lupus erythematosus: a conceptual model[published correction appears inRheumatol Ther. 2022;9(1):303. doi:10.1007/s40744-021-00394-w].Rheumatol Ther. 2022;9(1):95-108. doi:10.1007/s40744-021-00374-0Desai K, Miteva M.Recent insight on the management of lupus erythematosus alopecia.Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2021;14:333-347. doi:10.2147/CCID.S269288Adamichou C, Bertsias G.Flares in systemic lupus erythematosus: diagnosis, risk factors and preventive strategies.Mediterr J Rheumatol. 2017;28(1):4-12. doi:10.31138/mjr.28.1.4National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus): diagnosis, treatment, and steps to take.Yu H, Nagafuchi Y, Fujio K.Clinical and immunological biomarkers for systemic lupus erythematosus.Biomolecules. 2021;11(7):928. doi:10.3390/biom11070928Lim SS, Helmick CG, Bao G, et al.Racial disparities in mortality associated with systemic lupus erythematosus - Fulton and DeKalb Counties, Georgia, 2002-2016.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2019;68(18):419-422. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6818a4
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus).
Cooper EE, Pisano CE, Shapiro SC.Cutaneous manifestations of “lupus”: systemic lupus erythematosus and beyond.Int J Rheumatol. 2021;2021:6610509. doi:10.1155/2021/6610509
UW Medicine.Lupus erythematosus.
Di Franco M, Guzzo MP, Spinelli FR, et al.Pain and systemic lupus erythematosus.Reumatismo. 2014;66(1):33-38. doi:10.4081/reumatismo.2014.762
Bruce IN, Buie J, Bloch L, et al.Lupus spectrum ambiguity has long-term negative implications for patients.Lupus Sci Med. 2023;10(1):e000856. doi:10.1136/lupus-2022-000856
Dehghan A, Soltani H, Faezi ST, et al.Depression, anxiety, and quality of life in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.Reumatologia. 2023;61(5):368-374. doi:10.5114/reum/168396
Cleanthous S, Strzok S, Haier B, Cano S, Morel T.The patient experience of fatigue in systemic lupus erythematosus: a conceptual model[published correction appears inRheumatol Ther. 2022;9(1):303. doi:10.1007/s40744-021-00394-w].Rheumatol Ther. 2022;9(1):95-108. doi:10.1007/s40744-021-00374-0
Desai K, Miteva M.Recent insight on the management of lupus erythematosus alopecia.Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2021;14:333-347. doi:10.2147/CCID.S269288
Adamichou C, Bertsias G.Flares in systemic lupus erythematosus: diagnosis, risk factors and preventive strategies.Mediterr J Rheumatol. 2017;28(1):4-12. doi:10.31138/mjr.28.1.4
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus): diagnosis, treatment, and steps to take.
Yu H, Nagafuchi Y, Fujio K.Clinical and immunological biomarkers for systemic lupus erythematosus.Biomolecules. 2021;11(7):928. doi:10.3390/biom11070928
Lim SS, Helmick CG, Bao G, et al.Racial disparities in mortality associated with systemic lupus erythematosus - Fulton and DeKalb Counties, Georgia, 2002-2016.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2019;68(18):419-422. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6818a4
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