What Are the Symptoms of Skin Lupus?
Skin Lupus is also known as cutaneous disease, it is a skin disorder that is characterized by rashes and lesions that can be found on various parts of the body. It is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the tissues in the body. Autoimmune disorder is a disease that occurs when tissues are being attacked by the immune system. There are still no verifiable causes of this skin disorder, however, it is commonly believed to be hereditary.
The severity of this disorder varies from person and from it’s cause. There are different types of skin lupus, all depending on it’s symptoms. According to University of Maryland Medical Center, there are three main types of skin lupus: systemic, discoid and drug-induced. Below are the definition and symptoms of skin lupus types:
1. Systemic – Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a type of disorder wherein there is a problem with patient’s immune system. The immune system cannot distinguish the harmful substances from the healthy ones. It is common among women and it can be severe enough to cause death. The most common symptoms of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus is joint pain and swelling, However, patients may also experience the following symptoms like chest pains, fatigue, unknown cause for fever, hair loss, malaise, skin rash, and swollen lymph nodes. There other symptoms patients may experience depending on which body part or body system is affected. When the nervous system is affected, some of the common symptoms would be mild cognitive impairment, headache, numbing-sensation and seizure. Personality Change and Psychosis can also be a symptom, especially for the most severe type.
There are different diagnostic exams that patients can undergo to determine the state of the disease. It can be done with antibody tests, CBC, Kidney Biopsy and Urinalysis, this tests and methods can determine abnormalities of the body. There is no cure for SLE, it can only maintained and controlled through therapy and medication.
2. Discoid – Discoid Lupus Erythematosus is a chronic disorder that is characterized by inflammation and sores particularly on the facial area. This sores or inflammation can develop as an inflamed patch with red and crusty appearance. This type of skin lupus can result to scarring and hair loss especially when it is present on the scalp, the lesion is usually mild and only rare occurrence of it affecting internal organs. The red rash is the identifying symptom of discoid lupus but patients can also experience joint stiffness or muscle ache.
3. Drug-Induced Lupus – This type of skin lupus disorder is very similar to Systemic Lupus. This is caused by chronic use of certain drugs, that result for the body to attack their own cell and tissue. The symptoms for this condition includes joint pain, fatigue, inflammation of the heart and the lungs. These symptoms are experienced on a long term basis, it is usually a mild case unless left untreated.
It is always best to consult the doctor especially if skin lupus symptoms are present, this is to prevent it from becoming a severe case that may lead to complications.
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