Symptoms of Lupus

Key points

  • Lupus is a long-term disease that can affect any part of the body.
  • People with lupus can have many different symptoms.
  • They may experience periods of increased symptoms (flares) or no symptoms at all (remission).
Young woman at desk with hand to bridge of nose and eyes closed.

Signs and symptoms

People with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)—often referred to just as lupus—can have many different symptoms.

Fatigue or extreme tiredness

The most common symptom of lupus is fatigue, which means feeling extremely tired.

Fatigue can affect a person's physical and mental health and quality of life. It can also make it hard for people with lupus to socially connect with others.

Other common symptoms

Other common symptoms include:

  • Pain or swelling in the muscles and joints.
  • Skin rashes (in particular, a butterfly-shaped face rash).
  • Fever.
  • Hair loss.
  • Frequent mouth sores.

Less common symptoms or related conditions

Other symptoms or conditions can include:

  • Sensitivity to the sun.
  • Heart, kidney, or lung problems.
  • Chest pain when deep breathing.
  • Fingers or toes turning blue or white or feeling numb.
  • Blood clotting problems (anemia).
  • Mental health conditions and memory changes.
  • Eye damage.

Flares and remission

Some adults with lupus have periods of increased symptoms, called flares.

  • These flares usually come and go in waves, sometimes years apart.
  • Some people with lupus may have flares more often throughout their life.

People with lupus might also have periods of remission when symptoms temporarily go away.

Resources

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Content Source:
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
  • Dall'Era M. Systemic lupus erythematosus. In: Imboden JB, Hellman DB, Stone JH. (Eds). Current Rheumatology Diagnosis and Treatment. 3rd ed. New York, NY:McGraw-Hill; 2013.
  • Yazdany J, Yelin E. Health-related quality of life and employment among persons with systemic lupus erythematosus. Rheum Dis Clin North Am. 2010;36(1):15-vii. doi:10.1016/j.rdc.2009.12.006