How to tell if you are suffering from lupus

May is Lupus Month. It is aimed at raising awareness about this difficult to diagnose, hard to live with, and challenge to treat disease. 

According to lupus.org,  at least five-million people worldwide have a form of lupus. 

Lupus is a chronic (long-term) autoimmune disease that can cause pain and inflammation in any part of the body and it can be life threatening.

There are four types of lupus - Systemic, cutaneous (affecting only the skin), drug-induced, and neonatal. 

What makes it difficult to diagnose is that its symptoms are common to arthritis and diabetes. You would need your doctor to run some tests to verify if you are really suffering from lupus. 

According to lupus.org, these are some of the common symptoms that you might experience: 

- Extreme fatigue (feeling tired all the time)

- Pain or swelling in the joints

- Swelling in the hands, feet, or around the eyes

- Headaches

- Low fevers

- Sensitivity to sunlight or fluorescent light

- Chest pain when breathing deeply

- Hair loss

- A bloated look in the face and neck

- Skin rashes or lesions (sores)

- Weight gain

- Easy bruising

- Muscle aches

- Joint pain

- Severe fatigue

- Chest pain

- Memory loss

- Difficulty processing information.

READ: What you need to know about lupus disease

Please note that although there’s no cure for lupus, it can be managed through medication. 

Disclaimer: Health-related information provided in this article is not a substitute for medical advice and should not be used to diagnose or treat health problems. It is always advisable to consult with your doctor on any health-related issues.

Image courtesy of iStock/ @VeranoVerde