Studies show that women from the ages of 15 to 44 are most likely to be affected by the disease.It mainly affects the organs, such as the brain, skin, kidneys, and joints.The condition can be difficult to diagnose because it's symptoms often masquerade as other illnesses.Understanding the symptoms and diagnosis procedures for the disease can help you catch and treat it.
Step 1: A butterfly rash can be seen on your face.
A rash over the face that looks like a butterfly or wolf bite is a characteristic of 30 percent of lupus patients.The rash spans across the cheeks and nose, sometimes covering a portion of skin near the eyes.Check for discoid rash on your face, neck, and head.They can be so severe that they leave scars even after they are gone.It's a good idea to pay special attention to the rash caused by sunlight.If you are sensitive to ultraviolet light, it can cause sores on sun-exposed parts of the body and cause a butterfly rash on your face.The rash is more severe than a sunburn would be.
Step 2: There are mouth and nasal sores.
If you get sores on the roof of your mouth, along the side of it, on your gums, or inside your nose, this could be a warning sign.If the sores are not actually "sore," this is often the case.Most mouth and nose sores associated with the disease are pain-free.If the sores get worse in the sun, this is a strong sign of the disease.This is called photosensitivity.
Step 3: Symptoms of inflammation can be found.
Inflammation of the joints, lungs, and the lining around the heart is common in patients with the disease.Inflammation of blood vessels is on top of this.Inflammation and swelling can be seen around the feet, legs, hands, and eyes.If you have joints that are swollen and red, they may be warm and tender.Inflammation of the heart and lungs can be detected at home.If you feel a sharp chest pain when you cough or take a deep breath, this could be a symptom.If you feel short of breath during these periods, the same applies.The coughing up of blood and abnormal heart rhythms are some of the signs of inflammation in your lungs.Symptoms of inflammation can be seen through abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting.
Step 4: Pay attention to the pee.
You might be able to detect a few symptoms of urine abnormality at home.Your feet might swell if you can't filter your urine due to lupus.If your kidneys are failing, you might feel weak or nauseated.
Step 5: Write down any problems with your brain and nervous system.
The nervous system can be affected by the disease.Seizures and changes in personality are concrete symptoms that are taken very seriously.headaches can be difficult to attribute to the disease, as they are very common with it.There are many possible causes of headaches.
Step 6: If you're more tired than usual, ask yourself.
Extreme fatigue is a symptom of the disease.It can be caused by a number of different factors.If fatigue is accompanied by a high temperature, you may be more certain that it is lupus.
Step 7: There are things in your body that are not normal.
When exposed to cold, your fingers or toes may change color.The phenomenon is called Raynaud's phenomenon.You may also notice that your eyes are dry.If all of these symptoms occur together, you may be dealing with a disease.
Step 8: You need to get ready for your appointment with the doctor.
A rheumatologist can refer you to a general physician who can order more confirmatory tests and help with the management of symptoms of the disease.The start of a professional medical diagnosis is usually at a standard physician's office.Write down when your symptoms began and how frequently they occur before your appointment.Make a note of the medications and supplements you take.If a parent or sibling has ever had an autoimmune disorder, you should bring that information with you as well.It's important to have a patient and family history.
Step 9: Prepare for an ANA test
The ANA are present in most people with an active form of the disease.Not everyone with a positive ANA test has the disease.There are more tests that need to be done to confirm the presence of the disease.Sjogren's syndrome can be indicated by a positive ANA test.
Step 10: Get a complete count.
The amount of red blood cells is measured by this blood test.It's possible that a certain abnormality is a sign of the disease.This test can show anemia, which is a common symptom of the disease.The test does not diagnose the disease on its own.Similar abnormality can be caused by many other conditions.
Step 11: There will be blood tests forInflammation.
Your doctor may perform several tests to confirm an inflammatory condition, but they won't prove you have the disease.One test measures your erythrocyte sedimentation rate.The test measures how long it takes red blood cells to settle in a test tube.A fast rate can mean something.It is not an absolute test that a fast rate is indicative of other inflammatory conditions.TheCRP test is a non-specific test that can be used to test for inflammation.There are many other conditions that can cause thisprotein to show up, but it can indicate the presence of inflammation.
Step 12: You can learn about other blood tests.
Doctors usually perform a range of blood tests to narrow down the diagnosis since there is no single blood test for the disease.Doctors look for at least four of the main symptoms.A blood test is one of the tests your doctor might use.The test measures how long it takes red blood cells to settle in a test tube.A fast rate can mean something.It is not an absolute test that a fast rate is indicative of other inflammatory conditions.APL test has an antibodies to phospholipids.30 percent of patients with lupus have an APL test that looks for anti-phospholipids.An immune system test.About 30 to 40 percent of patients with the disease have the SmProtein in the cell nucleus.It rarely shows up in people without the disease, so a positive result almost always leads to a diagnosis.There is an anti-dsDNA test.Anti-dsDNA attacks double-stranded DNA.Roughly 50 percent of people with the disease have it in their blood.It is very rare in people without the disease, so a positive result almost always leads to a diagnosis.The tests are Anti- Ro and Anti La.The antibodies attack the RNA in your blood.It is more common in patients with Sjgren's syndrome.
Step 13: You should get a urine test.
Damage to the kidneys can be a sign of the disease.The doctor might need a urine sample to do a urinalysis.The test looks at the presence of red blood cells in your urine.
Step 14: Ask about the tests
If your doctor thinks you have a form of lupus that affects your lungs or heart, he or she may order an x-ray.A chest x-ray can be used to look at your lungs.An echocardiography will look at your heart.Shadows in your lungs can be revealed by a chest x-ray.An echocardiogram uses sound waves to measure the beating of your heart.
Step 15: Inquire about a procedure.
If your doctor suspects that your kidneys have been damaged by the disease, they may do a transplant.The goal is to get a sample of the tissue.The condition of your kidneys will be assessed based on how much damage has been done.This can be used to determine the best treatment for the disease.
Step 16: Understand what lupus is.
The immune system attacks healthy parts of your body when you have the disease.It mostly affects the organs, such as the brain, skin, kidneys, and joints.The chronic nature of the disease means it lasts for a long time.The immune system attacks healthy tissue and causes the body to become Inflammation.Treatments can ease the symptoms of the disease.
Step 17: Understand how the three primary types of the disease work.
People usually refer to the disease as SLE.Your skin, lungs, and heart are affected by this type of lupus.There are other types of the disease.The other organs of your body are not threatened by cutaneous lupus erythematosus.It doesn't develop into SLE.The skin and interior organs can be affected by the use of drugs.Once those medications are out of the patient's system, it usually goes away.Mild symptoms are associated with this form of the disease.
Step 18: The causes should be identified.
Over time, doctors have been able to identify the characteristics of the disease.The combination of your genes and environment appears to be the cause of the disease.If you have a genetic predisposition for the disease, environmental factors can cause it.Drugs, infections, or contact with sunlight are some of the common lupus triggers.There are drugs that make you more sensitive to sunlight, penicillin, or antibiotics.Infections, the common cold, a virus, being exhausted, and emotional duress are some of the physical conditions that can cause lupus.It is the sun's rays that can cause the disease.The same thing can be done by ultraviolet rays from fluorescent light bulbs.