Lupus Awareness Month

Lupus Awareness Month takes place every October in the UK.

We share some information about this commonly misunderstood condition to inform, as extracted from the Lupus UK website.

What is Lupus?

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease where the immune system is dysfunctional and mistakenly identifies the body’s own tissues as foreign invaders. In people with Lupus, the immune system creates autoantibodies to attack the body’s tissues.

These form immune complexes which cause inflammation and damage – possibly affecting the organs and/or the joints in some Lupus patients. Lupus disproportionately affects females and people from Black African, Caribbean, and Asian ancestries but can also affect men and children.

What are the major concerns of having Lupus?

Lupus is an uncommon, complex, and poorly understood disease. As such, many healthcare professionals, including General Practitioners, may not recognise the early signs resulting in a delay to referral and diagnosis.

During this time, active Lupus can cause damage to the kidneys, skin, heart, lungs and/or brain which may be irreversible.

What are the key symptoms associated with Lupus?

The two most common symptoms of lupus are joint/muscle aches and pains and extreme fatigue – almost 90% of Lupus patients report experiencing fatigue which can often cause substantial impairments in quality of life and work disability.

Other symptoms include: rashes, anaemia, light-sensitivity, headaches/migraines, hair loss, oral/nasal ulcers, brain fog, depression and anxiety.

An increased risk of miscarriage is a complication of Lupus. However, with close monitoring, many people with lupus now have successful pregnancies. It is important to note that there are many manifestations of lupus, and it is rare for two people to share the exact same experience.

Can Lupus symptoms overlap with any other conditions?

Lupus is an incredibly complex disease. It is common for people with lupus to have comorbidities (one or more additional conditions), these frequently include Sjögren’s syndrome, Raynaud’s phenomenon, and antiphospholipid syndrome, to name a few.

Some symptoms of lupus – such as joint pain, fatigue and hair loss – are also commonly seen in other diseases such as thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia and dermatomyositis.

Further reading for Lupus Awareness Month

More information about the condition is easily available at this page on Lupus UK’s website.