What is lupus?
General information only. This article explains the basics and is not medical advice. For anything about your own health, talk to a doctor or other qualified professional.
Quick answer
Lupus is a long-term autoimmune disease: the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own healthy tissues, causing inflammation that can affect the skin, joints, kidneys, blood cells, heart, lungs and brain. The most common form is systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). It isn’t contagious.
Normally, your immune system protects you from germs. In lupus, it can’t tell the difference between invaders and your own cells, so it produces antibodies that attack healthy tissue.
Common signs
Lupus is sometimes called “the great imitator” because its symptoms vary so much and can look like other conditions. Common ones include:
- Extreme tiredness (fatigue)
- Joint pain and swelling
- A butterfly-shaped rash across the cheeks and nose
- Sensitivity to sunlight
- Fevers, hair loss and mouth sores
Symptoms often come and go in flares, with periods of feeling better in between.
Types of lupus
| Type | What it affects |
|---|---|
| Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) | Many parts of the body; the most common and serious type |
| Cutaneous lupus | Mainly the skin |
| Drug-induced lupus | Triggered by certain medicines; usually improves when they’re stopped |
| Neonatal lupus | A rare condition in babies of mothers with certain antibodies |
Who gets lupus?
About 9 out of 10 people with lupus are women, most often diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 45. It’s more common in people of African, Caribbean, Asian and Hispanic heritage. The cause isn’t fully understood, but genes, hormones and environmental triggers like sunlight and infections seem to play a part.
How is it managed?
There’s no cure yet, but treatment overseen by doctors, often a rheumatologist, can control symptoms, reduce flares and protect organs. Many people with lupus lead full lives. Diagnosis usually involves blood and urine tests along with a look at symptoms over time, so anyone with persistent, unexplained symptoms should see a doctor. Gout is another condition that causes painful, swollen joints; read what gout is.
Sources
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