The Lesser Known Symptoms of Lupus
Most people already know about the joint pain, fatigue, and rashes that lupus causes, but there are some other symptoms associated with lupus that aren't as well known.
Watch the video above to learn about six of these symptoms, or read the written summary below.
Depression and Anxiety
People with lupus are more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety than others. It's kind of a chicken-or-the-egg situation — is depression and anxiety is caused by the lupus itself, or is it caused by the circumstances lupus causes, like being home-bound, feeling ill, etc.?
Lupus-Induced Psychosis
This is usually happens during a flare and is treated with high doses of steroids. However you can also develop psychosis from too much Prednisone. Very rarely, lupus-induced psychosis will happen outside of a flare-up, and in that case your doctor will treat it with normal anti-psychotic drugs.
The good news is that any case of lupus-induced psychosis is usually resolved in two to four weeks.
Headaches
Some people with lupus also experience severe headaches. These aren't regular headaches — these are crushing migraine-type headaches. If you are experiencing something like this, it's worth talking to your doctor about it, because they may be able to curb the symptoms with higher doses of immunosuppressants.
Numbness, Tingling, Burning
Occasionally lupus patients will experience symptoms of their body attacking their nervous system, which may result in pins and needles, feeling like you are sunburned when you are not, or other kinds of stinging, tingling, or burning sensations.
Candida/Oral Thrush Infection
Secondary symptoms of lupus can cause an oral thrush infection. This can be treated easily with a topical treatment or ointment prescribed by your doctor or dentist. It's not a big deal, but these infections can be painful and annoying.
Loose Teeth
More seriously, and also less likely, some people with lupus have trouble holding the teeth in their mouth because their bones become so weak. So if you feel like your teeth are weaker, or weakening, it's definitely worth it to take a trip to your dentist to check things are OK.