Lupus Health Center

Understanding Lupus -- Symptoms

What Are the Symptoms of Lupus?

Lupus improves at times, and worsens at others. Symptoms of lupus include:

• Profound fatigue
• Low-grade fever
• Severe joint pain and muscle aches 
• Skin rash on the face or body
• Extreme sun sensitivity
• Weight loss
• Mental confusion and seizures
• Chest pain on taking a deep breath
• Nose, mouth, or throat sores
• Enlarged lymph nodes
• Poor circulation in fingers and toes
• Bald patches and hair loss

Call Your Doctor About Lupus If:

• You have several of the symptoms listed above and suspect you have lupus.
• You have a family history of lupus and have experienced some of the symptoms above. Be even more alert for these symptoms if a close family member -- your mother, father, or sibling -- has lupus.

Lupus can be deadly. If you think you may have lupus, see a doctor right away -- treatment is much more successful if begun early and followed faithfully.