5 Warning Signs of Lupus

Lupus, a chronic autoimmune ailment that affects 1.5 million Americans, is a bit of a shape-shifter. Most people with it (around 70 percent) have the systemic form of the disease, which can wreak havoc on pretty much any major organ or tissue in the body. That means the way it manifests can differ dramatically among patients; it may also cause different symptoms in the same patient at various life stages.

“Lupus is an unpredictable disease,” says Leticia Ocaña, manager of health education and Hispanic outreach at the Lupus Foundation of America. She adds that flares — periods in which the disease is active — are often interspersed with periods of remission. That can make diagnosing the condition extra tricky. “Symptoms of lupus can come and go and change during the course of the disease,” she notes.

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Also problematic is that while extreme fatigue is perhaps the most common symptom, exhaustion can be caused by a slew of other health problems, too.

Although most sufferers no longer die of lupus, it can still pose serious, sometimes-fatal complications, such as kidney damage and cardiovascular disease. Keeping an eye on symptoms is important, because lupus may lead to inflammation and damage almost anywhere, though it most often affects the skin, kidneys and joints. Symptoms can range from mild to severe, and they don't necessarily get worse the longer you have the condition — provided you're treating it properly.

Keeping an eye out for other common lupus signs can help you decide if you should be screened for the disorder. That's especially pertinent if you fall into a higher-risk category for this disease. Anyone can get lupus, but it's most often diagnosed in women, with women of color — including, but not limited to, Blacks, Hispanics and Asians — facing higher risks than their white counterparts. Likelihood also increases with a personal or family history of autoimmune disease.

Here are five possible symptoms of lupus to keep on your radar.

1. A butterfly-shaped rash or one that appears on sun-exposed skin

Lupus is well-known for causing a distinctive butterfly-shaped rash that spans both cheeks, though not everyone who has the disease will develop it. Other types of rashes are also common, especially on skin that gets sun exposure. “UV light can trigger cell breakdown, [which] can trigger an immune response leading to a rash,” says Kai Sun, M.D., assistant professor at Duke University School of Medicine and rheumatologist at the Duke Lupus Clinic.

2. Swollen legs

Fluid collects in the legs when the body isn't filtering it properly. That may happen if your kidneys have been damaged by lupus. “Lupus nephritis, or inflammation in the kidneys, occurs in up to 60 percent of adults and 50 percent of children with lupus,” says Ocaña, who adds that swelling can also occur in the face and hands.