Early Symptoms of Lupus

Lupus is a disease in which the immune system accidentally attacks healthy tissues and blood cells. As a result, this attack can cause a lot of damage to the joints, blood vessels, skin and organs. It is possible for anyone to get lupus, but it is far more common in women. It is also more common in American Indian, Hispanic, black and Asian women. There are several different early symptoms and signs of lupus that can help people in knowing whether or not they have this illness.

Before some people even have any suspicion that they have lupus, they might start noticing that they are feeling extremely tired and fatigued all the time. Also, people might start discovering they have rashes on their body in places where they never had rashes before. Kidney difficulties might start arising. However, the most telling early lupus sign is extreme fatigue, and a fatigue so strong that some people have a hard time partaking in their typical daily routines.

As skin rashes are another key early symptom of lupus, it's a good idea to be able to know what kind of skin rashes signify lupus. Usually, people with lupus will start noticing that they have a butterfly rash along their cheeks and nose. Lip sores, mouth sores, skin sores and red patches on the arms might also start popping up. The rashes are generally raised and purple or red,

Muscle and joint pains are also common as early lupus symptoms. Extreme joint or muscle aching is often the first symptom most people notice for lupus, and up to 75% of lupus sufferers experience it. Swelling, redness and even feelings of warmth might occur along with the joint and muscle aches. Usually, these aches will occur first thing in the morning. The aches generally occur on both sides of the body and often in the elbows, wrists, ankles, knees and joints of the hands.

Raynaud's phenomenon is also a possible early symptom of lupus. With Raynaud's phenomenon, people might experience a condition that disturbs the small vessels that distribute blood to the skin. In the instances of blood deficiency, when cold, the skin will turn into a white or blue color. Sensations of feeling tingly or numb might also ensue.

Some other common early signs of lupus are weight loss, hair loss, swollen lymph glands, sensitivity to light (this could cause the rash to flare up and become worse), nervous system issues (anxiety, depression and headaches), heart problems (such as sudden heart pains which are an inflammation of the heart sac), vasculitis and fever.