Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsFrequent SymptomsLess Common SymptomsComplicationsWhen to See a Healthcare ProviderFrequently Asked QuestionsNext in Lupus GuideCauses and Risk Factors of Lupus
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Frequent Symptoms
Less Common Symptoms
Complications
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Frequently Asked Questions
Next in Lupus Guide
Verywell / Joshua Seong
Though symptoms can come and go and manifest differently in every individual, the most common symptoms oflupusinclude:
Here’s a look at these symptoms in more detail, as well as the systems in the body they affect.
Lupus manifests differently in every person with the disease. The symptoms you have may be chronic or come and go.
Dermatological Symptoms
If you have lupus, you may notice various lesions or rashes developing on your skin. These abnormal skin areas signal what’s called skin orcutaneous lupus.
Chronic cutaneous (discoid lupus), subacute cutaneous (scaly patches with distinct borders occurring on sun-exposed areas, but less on the face), and acute cutaneous (flattened areas of red, like a sunburn, on the face) are the three types of skin lupus.
Mucosal ulcers in your nose or mouth are another common complaint accompanying lupus. Like other symptoms, the ulcers can come and go as thedisease flares.
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoCutaneous lupus symptoms.DermNet /CC BY-NC-ND
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See Photo
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.
Renal (Kidney) Symptoms
You may have no indication of kidney problems, but some related symptoms are weight gain,high blood pressure, and swelling in your face, legs, and/or fingers.
Cardiopulmonary (Heart and Lung) Symptoms
Cardiopulmonary symptoms can include shortness of breath and pain in your chest when you take a deep breath.
Musculoskeletal Symptoms
Joint pain and swellingare primary symptoms of lupus that appear in more than 90 percent of people with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE),usually occurring in connective joints such as your elbows, wrists, knees, and ankles. Lupus joint pain also tends to occur on both sides of the body at once, for example in both knees, or both ankles.
Unlikerheumatoid arthritis, lupus joint pain is less disabling and usually not deforming to the hands and feet.
Hematological Symptoms
Three blood disorders commonly found in lupus patients include:
Other blood disorders that can appear with lupus include:
Other less common symptoms of lupus include:
Complications from the inflammation lupus causes can affect any number of areas in your body, including your skin, heart, lungs, kidneys, blood, and brain.
Lupus may raise your risk of developing other health problems.
Skin
There are skin diseases and complications that can occur in lupus and in other autoimmune diseases. These include:
Heart and Lungs
There are several inflammatory heart and lung issues that can affect lupus patients. By far, the most common include:
Less common complications include:
Kidneys
Inflammation of the kidneys in lupus patients is calledlupus nephritis. Lupus nephritis can lead to kidney failure in some people and is a serious, initially silent, complication affecting lupus patients.
If you are diagnosed with kidney inflammation your healthcare provider may give you medication to suppress your immune system and lower your blood pressure or advise you to make changes to your diet and lifestyle.
Blood
As noted above, lupus can lead to anemia and blood clotting problems, but it can also cause inflammation in the lining of your blood vessels, called vasculitis. This appears as red bumps or spots on your lower legs.
Brain
Lupus can affect your central nervous system, leading to memory problems, difficulty expressing yourself, and confusion. Other potential effects are headaches, problems with your vision, behavior changes, dizziness, psychosis, and even seizures or stroke.
Infection
Because lupus is an autoimmune disorder, you’re more susceptible to pick up infections and have complications from them due to both the disorder and the treatments for it.
People with lupus are more at risk for respiratory, skin, andurinary tract infections.
Bones
When part of a bone’s blood supply is cut off, that area of the bone dies and eventually collapses (avascular necrosis). This an osteoporosis, a disease in which your bones become weak and brittle, can be complications of lupus therapy.
Cancer
The risk is small, but having lupus may increase your chance of developing certain cancers.
Pregnancy
If you get pregnant while you have lupus, you’re more likely to have a miscarriage, high blood pressure during your pregnancy, and pre-term birth.Having your disease under control before you get pregnant helps reduce this risk.
If you have lupus, talk to your healthcare provider before trying to get pregnant.
Early Signs of Lupus in Females
You should see your healthcare provider if you think you have symptoms of lupus, particularly unexplained fatigue, unexplained joint pain, and skin rashes. You should also see your practitioner if you experience any of these symptoms, even if you have already been diagnosed with lupus:
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When to Call 911
Whether or not you’ve been diagnosed with lupus, you also need to be aware of when the best course of action is to call 911 or visit an emergency room. These symptoms include the following:
Frequently Asked QuestionsPrevious criteria for diagnosing lupus required a patient to have at least four of the following 11 symptoms:A butterfly-shaped rash over the cheeks and nose, known as a malar rashA rash that appears as red, raised, disk-shaped patches, known as a discoid rashA reaction to sun or light that causes a rash to appear or worsen, also known as photosensitivitySores in the mouthJoint pain and swelling of two or more joints without accompanying bone damageInflammation of the lining of the heart (pericarditis) or lungs (pleuritis), also known as serositisKidney disorders involving persistent protein or cellular casts in urine samplesNeurological disorders including seizures or psychosisBlood disorders including anemia, leukopenia, lymphopenia, or thrombopeniaImmunologic disorders with anti-DNA or anti-SM positive antiphospholipid antibodiesAbnormal antinuclear antibody (ANA) resultsTired and achy. The most common symptoms of lupus are fatigue, headaches, and joint pain. Lupus can also cause heart and lung problems that can compound fatigue.Yes, one of the symptoms of lupus is facial swelling. This is in addition to a butterfly-shaped rash over the cheeks and nose. Lupus can cause swelling in the cheeks and around the eyes. Spending time in the sun can exacerbate both the rash and swelling.
Previous criteria for diagnosing lupus required a patient to have at least four of the following 11 symptoms:A butterfly-shaped rash over the cheeks and nose, known as a malar rashA rash that appears as red, raised, disk-shaped patches, known as a discoid rashA reaction to sun or light that causes a rash to appear or worsen, also known as photosensitivitySores in the mouthJoint pain and swelling of two or more joints without accompanying bone damageInflammation of the lining of the heart (pericarditis) or lungs (pleuritis), also known as serositisKidney disorders involving persistent protein or cellular casts in urine samplesNeurological disorders including seizures or psychosisBlood disorders including anemia, leukopenia, lymphopenia, or thrombopeniaImmunologic disorders with anti-DNA or anti-SM positive antiphospholipid antibodiesAbnormal antinuclear antibody (ANA) results
Previous criteria for diagnosing lupus required a patient to have at least four of the following 11 symptoms:
Tired and achy. The most common symptoms of lupus are fatigue, headaches, and joint pain. Lupus can also cause heart and lung problems that can compound fatigue.
Yes, one of the symptoms of lupus is facial swelling. This is in addition to a butterfly-shaped rash over the cheeks and nose. Lupus can cause swelling in the cheeks and around the eyes. Spending time in the sun can exacerbate both the rash and swelling.
Causes and Risk Factors of Lupus
9 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.Common symptoms of lupus. Lupus Foundation of America.Cojocaru M, Cojocaru IM, Silosi I, Vrabie CD.Manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus. Maedica (Buchar).Fayyaz A, Igoe A, Kurien BT, et al.Haematological manifestations of lupus. Lupus Sci Med. 2015;2(1):e000078. doi:10.1136/lupus-2014-000078How lupus affects the skin. Lupus Foundation of America.Dein E, Douglas H, Petri M, Law G, Timlin H.Pericarditis in Lupus. Cureus. 2019;11(3):e4166. doi:10.7759/cureus.4166Muscal E, Brey RL.Neurologic manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus in children and adults. Neurol Clin. 2010;28(1):61-73. doi:10.1016/j.ncl.2009.09.004Lateef A, Petri M.Managing lupus patients during pregnancy. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2013;27(3):435-47. doi:10.1016/j.berh.2013.07.005Lupus Foundation of America.What doctors look for to confirm a diagnosis.García-Arpa M, Rodríguez-Vázquez M, Bellido-Pastrana D, Villasanti-Rivas N, Carmona-Rodríguez M.Persistent facial oedema and erythema in a woman, an uncommon manifestation of chronic lupus erythematosus.EJCRIM.2020;7. doi:10.12890/2020_001462Additional ReadingGladman DD.Overview of the Clinical Manifestations of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Adults. UpToDate.Mayo Clinic Staff.Lupus. Mayo Clinic.
9 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.Common symptoms of lupus. Lupus Foundation of America.Cojocaru M, Cojocaru IM, Silosi I, Vrabie CD.Manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus. Maedica (Buchar).Fayyaz A, Igoe A, Kurien BT, et al.Haematological manifestations of lupus. Lupus Sci Med. 2015;2(1):e000078. doi:10.1136/lupus-2014-000078How lupus affects the skin. Lupus Foundation of America.Dein E, Douglas H, Petri M, Law G, Timlin H.Pericarditis in Lupus. Cureus. 2019;11(3):e4166. doi:10.7759/cureus.4166Muscal E, Brey RL.Neurologic manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus in children and adults. Neurol Clin. 2010;28(1):61-73. doi:10.1016/j.ncl.2009.09.004Lateef A, Petri M.Managing lupus patients during pregnancy. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2013;27(3):435-47. doi:10.1016/j.berh.2013.07.005Lupus Foundation of America.What doctors look for to confirm a diagnosis.García-Arpa M, Rodríguez-Vázquez M, Bellido-Pastrana D, Villasanti-Rivas N, Carmona-Rodríguez M.Persistent facial oedema and erythema in a woman, an uncommon manifestation of chronic lupus erythematosus.EJCRIM.2020;7. doi:10.12890/2020_001462Additional ReadingGladman DD.Overview of the Clinical Manifestations of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Adults. UpToDate.Mayo Clinic Staff.Lupus. Mayo Clinic.
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.
Common symptoms of lupus. Lupus Foundation of America.Cojocaru M, Cojocaru IM, Silosi I, Vrabie CD.Manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus. Maedica (Buchar).Fayyaz A, Igoe A, Kurien BT, et al.Haematological manifestations of lupus. Lupus Sci Med. 2015;2(1):e000078. doi:10.1136/lupus-2014-000078How lupus affects the skin. Lupus Foundation of America.Dein E, Douglas H, Petri M, Law G, Timlin H.Pericarditis in Lupus. Cureus. 2019;11(3):e4166. doi:10.7759/cureus.4166Muscal E, Brey RL.Neurologic manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus in children and adults. Neurol Clin. 2010;28(1):61-73. doi:10.1016/j.ncl.2009.09.004Lateef A, Petri M.Managing lupus patients during pregnancy. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2013;27(3):435-47. doi:10.1016/j.berh.2013.07.005Lupus Foundation of America.What doctors look for to confirm a diagnosis.García-Arpa M, Rodríguez-Vázquez M, Bellido-Pastrana D, Villasanti-Rivas N, Carmona-Rodríguez M.Persistent facial oedema and erythema in a woman, an uncommon manifestation of chronic lupus erythematosus.EJCRIM.2020;7. doi:10.12890/2020_001462
Common symptoms of lupus. Lupus Foundation of America.
Cojocaru M, Cojocaru IM, Silosi I, Vrabie CD.Manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus. Maedica (Buchar).
Fayyaz A, Igoe A, Kurien BT, et al.Haematological manifestations of lupus. Lupus Sci Med. 2015;2(1):e000078. doi:10.1136/lupus-2014-000078
How lupus affects the skin. Lupus Foundation of America.
Dein E, Douglas H, Petri M, Law G, Timlin H.Pericarditis in Lupus. Cureus. 2019;11(3):e4166. doi:10.7759/cureus.4166
Muscal E, Brey RL.Neurologic manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus in children and adults. Neurol Clin. 2010;28(1):61-73. doi:10.1016/j.ncl.2009.09.004
Lateef A, Petri M.Managing lupus patients during pregnancy. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2013;27(3):435-47. doi:10.1016/j.berh.2013.07.005
Lupus Foundation of America.What doctors look for to confirm a diagnosis.
García-Arpa M, Rodríguez-Vázquez M, Bellido-Pastrana D, Villasanti-Rivas N, Carmona-Rodríguez M.Persistent facial oedema and erythema in a woman, an uncommon manifestation of chronic lupus erythematosus.EJCRIM.2020;7. doi:10.12890/2020_001462
Gladman DD.Overview of the Clinical Manifestations of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Adults. UpToDate.Mayo Clinic Staff.Lupus. Mayo Clinic.
Gladman DD.Overview of the Clinical Manifestations of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Adults. UpToDate.
Mayo Clinic Staff.Lupus. Mayo Clinic.
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