Lupus: Symptom and Causes

Symptoms

The signs of lupus differ from person to person. Some people have just a few symptoms; others have more.
Common symptoms of lupus are:

• Joint pain and stiffness, with or without swelling
• Muscle aches, pains, or weakness
• Fever with no known cause
• Feeling very tired
• Butterfly-shaped rash across the nose, cheeks and other skin rashes
• Unusual weight loss or weight gain
• Anemia (too few red blood cells)
• Trouble thinking, memory problems, confusion
• Kidney problems with no known cause
• Chest pain when taking a deep breath
• Sun or light sensitivity
• Hair loss
• Purple or pale fingers or toes from cold or stress

Less common symptoms include:

• Blood clots
• Seizures
• Sores/ulcers in the mouth or nose (usually painless)
• Severe headache
• Depression and anxiety
• Strokes
• Dry or irritated eyes

Causes

The cause of lupus is unknown. However it appears that genes may play a role, in conjunction with triggers such as an illness, injury or a period of stress.