Lupus is an autoimmune disease that affects approximately 1.5 million Americans. The disease primarily affects organs, such as the brain, skin, kidneys, and joints. The symptoms often look like signs of another disease and can be quite difficult to diagnose. It is important to learn the symptoms and procedures for the diagnosis of lupus so that we can be prepared. The cause must also be known so that we can avoid the trigger.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Recognizing Lupus Symptoms
Step 1. Notice if there is a butterfly rash on the face
On average, 30% of lupus patients show a characteristic rash on the face, the pattern is similar to that of a butterfly. The rash extends from one cheek to the other across the nose, usually covering the entire cheek area and sometimes reaching the skin near the eyes.
- Also, check for discoid rashes on the face, scalp, and neck. These rashes are red patches and appear, sometimes so severe that they leave scars even after healing.
- Watch out for rashes that are triggered or made worse by the sun. Sensitivity to ultraviolet light, both natural and artificial, can trigger scabs on sun-exposed parts of the body, and can exacerbate a butterfly rash on the face. This rash is more severe and progresses more quickly than a typical sunburn.
Step 2. Watch for sores in the mouth or nose
If you often find sores on the roof of your mouth, on the sides of your mouth, on your gums, or inside your nose, that could be a warning sign. Usually, the wound was not an ordinary wound. In most cases, sores in the mouth and nose associated with lupus are painless.
If the wound gets worse in the sun, the suspicion of lupus is getting stronger. This is called photosensitivity
Step 3. Look for signs of inflammation or inflammation
Inflammation of the joints, lungs, and lining around the heart is very common in lupus patients. In addition, blood vessels are also usually inflamed. Most notably, you will notice inflammation and swelling around the feet, legs, hands, and eyes.
- If the joint is inflamed, it feels warm and painful, looks swollen and red.
- Inflammation of the heart and lungs can be detected on its own based on pain in the chest. If you feel a sharp pain in your chest when you cough or take deep breaths, it may be a symptom of lupus. Likewise if you feel short of breath during this period.
- Other signs of inflammation of the heart and lungs are abnormal heart rhythms and coughing up blood.
- Inflammation can also occur in the digestive tract and can be identified through symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting.
Step 4. Watch the urine
Although urine abnormalities are difficult to detect on their own, there are some recognizable symptoms. If the kidneys can't filter urine because of lupus, the legs will swell. Worse yet, if kidney failure begins, you may feel nauseous or weak.
Step 5. Watch for problems with the brain and nervous system
Lupus can affect nerves. Some symptoms such as anxiety, headaches, and vision problems are common signs and are difficult to pinpoint as lupus. However, seizures and changes in personality are concrete symptoms that should be taken seriously.
Note that although headaches are common in lupus patients, it is difficult to pinpoint them as a definite sign. Headaches are a common symptom and can be caused by many things
Step 6. Feel if you are more tired than usual
Extreme fatigue is also a symptom of lupus. There are various factors that cause fatigue, but usually these factors can be associated with lupus. If fatigue is accompanied by fever, you can be more certain that it is lupus.
Step 7. Notice other oddities in the body
See if your fingers or toes change color (white or blue) when cold. This is called Raynaud's phenomenon, and is common in lupus patients. You may also notice dry eyes and shortness of breath. If all of these symptoms come together, you may have lupus.
Method 2 of 3: Diagnosing Lupus
Step 1. Prepare to see a doctor
You can see a GP, but you may be referred to a rheumatologist who can perform confirmatory tests and help manage symptoms with lupus-specific medications. However, usually a professional medical diagnosis will start from a general practitioner.
- Before seeing your doctor, write down information about when symptoms started and their frequency. Also, keep a record of the medications and supplements you are taking and possible triggers.
- If your parents or siblings have had lupus or another autoimmune disease, you should also provide this information. Patient and family history is very important to diagnose lupus.
Step 2. Prepare for the antinuclear antibody (ANA) test
ANAs are antibodies that attack proteins in the body, and are found in most people with active lupus. This test is usually used as an initial test, but not everyone who gets a positive ANA result has lupus. Further tests are needed to be sure.
For example, a positive ANA test can also indicate scleroderma, Sjögren's syndrome, and other autoimmune diseases
Step 3. Get a complete blood test
The blood test counts the number of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and hemoglobin in the blood. Certain abnormalities can be a sign of lupus. For example, this test can reveal anemia, which is a common symptom of lupus.
Note that this test alone cannot diagnose lupus. Many other conditions also cause similar abnormalities
Step 4. Get ready to also have a blood test for inflammation
Doctors can do some tests that confirm an inflammatory condition, although not to prove lupus. There are tests that measure the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). This test measures how quickly red blood cells fall to the bottom of the tube in one hour. A high speed indicates lupus. However, it can also be a symptom of inflammation, cancer, and infection so this test is still not absolute.
Another test that is also not specific for lupus, but can test for inflammation is the C-reactive protein (CRP) test. This liver protein can indicate inflammation, but there are many other conditions that can trigger it
Step 5. Find out about other blood tests
Because there is no exclusive blood test for lupus, doctors generally perform a variety of blood tests to narrow down the diagnosis. Usually, there are at least four symptoms that correspond to the eleven common symptoms that doctors look for. Other tests the doctor may also order are:
- Phospholipid antibody test (APL). The APL test looks for antibodies that attack phospholipids, and tends to be found in 30% of lupus patients.
- Sm antibody test. These antibodies attack the Sm protein in the cell nucleus, and are found in about 30–40% of lupus patients. What's more, these antibodies are rarely found in people who don't have lupus, so a positive result almost always guarantees a lupus diagnosis.
- Anti-dsDNA test. Anti-dsDNA is a protein that attacks double-stranded DNA. About 50% of lupus patients have this protein in their blood. This protein is rare in people without lupus, so a positive result almost always confirms the diagnosis of lupus.
- Anti-Ro (SS-A) and Anti-La (SS-B) tests. These antibodies attack RNA proteins in the blood. However, this protein is more commonly found in patients with Sjögren's syndrome.
Step 6. Perform a urine test
Urine tests monitor the kidneys, and kidney damage can be a sign of lupus. You may be asked to provide a urine sample so your doctor can perform a urinalysis. This test examines the urine for protein or the presence of red blood cells.
Step 7. Ask about imaging tests
Doctors may order imaging tests if they suspect you have lupus that affects your lungs or heart. An X-ray of the chest is used to examine the lungs. For the heart, the test used is an echocardiogram.
- X-rays can show shadows in the lungs, indicating areas of fluid or inflammation.
- An echocardiogram uses sound waves to measure the heart rate and detect problems in the heart.
Step 8. Ask about a biopsy
If doctors suspect lupus has damaged the kidneys, they can perform a kidney biopsy. The purpose of a biopsy is to obtain a sample of kidney tissue. The doctor will assess the condition of the kidneys based on the severity and type of damage. A biopsy can be used to determine the best treatment for lupus.
Method 3 of 3: Understanding Lupus
Step 1. Learn everything about lupus
Lupus is an autoimmune disease, meaning it causes the immune system to attack healthy parts of the body. Again, this disease usually attacks organs, such as the brain, skin, kidneys, and joints. It's a chronic disease, which means long term. Lupus causes inflammation because the immune system attacks healthy tissue.
There is no cure for lupus, but proper treatment can reduce the symptoms
Step 2. Know the three main types of lupus
When people mention lupus, they usually mean systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This type of lupus affects the skin and organs, especially the kidneys, lungs, and heart. There are other types of lupus, cutaneous lupus erythematosus and drug-induced lupus.
- Cutaneous lupus erythematosus only affects the skin and does not threaten other organs of the body. This condition rarely progresses to SLE.
- Drug-induced lupus can affect the skin and internal organs, but is triggered by the use of certain medications. Usually, this type of lupus goes away on its own once the drug is no longer in the patient's system. Symptoms associated with this type of lupus are quite mild.
Step 3. Identify the cause
Although it is difficult for doctors to understand lupus, they have managed to identify its characteristics. Lupus is triggered by a combination of genes and the environment. In other words, if you have a genetic predisposition for lupus, environmental factors will trigger the disease.
- Common triggers for lupus are medications, infection, or exposure to sunlight.
- Lupus can be triggered by sulfa drugs, which make you more sensitive to sunlight, penicillin, or antibiotics.
- Physical conditions that can trigger lupus are infections, colds, viruses, fatigue, injury, or emotional strain.
- The sun's ultraviolet rays can trigger lupus. Ultraviolet light from fluorescent lamps has the same effect.
