Joint Pain? It Could Be Lupus

Lupus is a chronic disease that’s marked by widespread inflammation due to an overactive immune system. 

A healthy immune system attacks pathogens and uses inflammation to increase circulation to an injured area during the repair process. When your immune system is overactive, it attacks healthy tissue, too, including joints.

Kimberly Bolling, MD, a caring and skilled internist, treats both lupus and arthritis at her Bowie, Maryland, office. Getting a precise and accurate diagnosis is the first step toward treating and managing your joint pain.

Though lupus can’t be cured, managing your disease can help you avoid complications, including early death. Thanks to advances in care, only 10-15% of lupus sufferers die earlier than normal from complications of the disease. 

Is your joint pain, swelling, and stiffness related to lupus, rather than arthritis? The following questions help you identify the two conditions.

Do your muscles ache, too?

If you’re in the early stages of lupus, you may only notice tired, achy joints, particularly in your extremities, such as your arms, fingers, lower legs, and toes. Up to half of people with lupus named joint pain as their very first symptom. 

Lupus usually affects joints on either side, such as both knees or both ankles.

Arthritis doesn’t usually cause muscle pain, however. The inflammation of lupus can weaken muscle tissue. If you’re experiencing muscle pain or weakness along with joint pain, you could have lupus. 

Are you a woman aged 15-44? 

Lupus tends to strike women during their reproductive years, when their estrogen levels are high. Women make up the majority of lupus patients. In fact, 9 of 10 people with lupus are female.

Are you African-American or of another non-White race?

Although anyone can develop lupus, Caucasians are less likely to develop it than are other ethnic groups. At-risk populations include:

Researchers aren’t yet sure how much genes influence your risk for lupus, and how much other factors — such as environmental stressors and lifestyle — come into play.

Do you have a range of other symptoms?

As lupus progresses, inflammation may begin to affect all of your other organ systems and tissues, too. Other common symptoms include:

Lupus can also cause anemia, which is a lack of red blood cells that carry oxygen to nourish your organs and tissues. Anemia may make you feel fatigued. Lupus may also cause your blood to clot, which can lead to complications such as miscarriages, heart attacks, and stroke.

Do you have a butterfly rash on your face?

The classic sign of lupus is a butterfly-shaped rash that extends over your nose and covers part of both cheeks. Contact us immediately if you develop a butterfly-shaped rash. 

If you have joint pain — whether or not you suspect it may be related to lupus — get a diagnosis and customized treatment by calling our Bowie, Maryland, office today at 301-352-0090. You can also request an appointment online or send a message to Dr. Bolling and the team here on our website.

You Might Also Enjoy...

5 Tips to Manage Joint Pain in Cold Weather

It’s not just in your head: Cold weather can actually make your joints ache more than normal if you have arthritis. What can you do, besides load up on meds, to stay more comfortable in winter? Follow these five tips.
Do I Really Need a Flu Shot Every Year?

Do I Really Need a Flu Shot Every Year?

You just had a flu shot last year and you didn’t get the flu. So do you really need to get one this year, too? Isn’t that just overkill? The flu virus changes every year, and so do the vaccines against them.
4 Habits to Kick to the Curb with Arthritis

4 Habits to Kick to the Curb with Arthritis

Arthritis can disrupt your lifestyle, but you can get back to the life you love by kicking certain habits to the curb. Changing your lifestyle can pay off in benefits like less pain and less need for medication. Here’s what to do.
What Triggers a Lupus Flare-Up?

What Triggers a Lupus Flare-Up?

You’ve finally received a diagnosis that explains your diverse symptoms: lupus. Since lupus affects so many areas of your body, you wonder how you can control flares so you can live life fully again. Identifying your triggers is the first step.
How Do I Know If I Have Sleep Apnea?

How Do I Know If I Have Sleep Apnea?

You don’t feel rested during the day, and when you investigate the possible causes, one condition keeps coming up on your searches: obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). As far as you know, you don’t snore. Could you still have OSA? Here’s how to tell.
I Think I Have Gout: What Should I Do?

I Think I Have Gout: What Should I Do?

Yowza! Your big toe woke you up again. You have searing pain in your toe joint, like you’re being stabbed with needles or your toe is on fire. You think you may have gout — a type of arthritis. So, what should you do?