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Lupus and arthritis share similar symptoms, but lupus affects women more often and can be fatal. Lupus also affects multiple organs, including the kidneys, and can cause a unique rash. Arthritis is more prone to causing joint deformity. A doctor’s visit is necessary for a proper diagnosis.
The symptoms of lupus and arthritis are alarmingly similar since both are autoimmune diseases, afflict both women and men, and both affect joints and other crucial organs. Lupus, however, tends to strike women much more often than arthritis. Also, while both conditions cause the joints to swell, lupus usually doesn’t to the extent that arthritis does. There is also more joint pain in arthritis than is normally experienced with lupus. Another more obvious symptom that you can use to distinguish between the two conditions is that lupus is often accompanied by a unique rash that appears in the facial area.
Lupus and arthritis are both characterized by a faulty immune system. Arthritis, however, doesn’t usually lead to death. Although many people who receive treatment for lupus are able to live a long time despite this disease, lupus can be fatal in some cases.
Lupus, also known as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), commonly affects multiple organs at once. In part, this is why it can be difficult for doctors to immediately discern whether a person has SLE or rheumatoid arthritis, as arthritis will also affect various organs. Lupus, however, tends to affect the kidneys more often and to a greater extent.
The two conditions differ further in that women are more likely to be affected by lupus than men. Research suggests that women are affected by lupus up to nine times more often than men. Some forms of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, affect women more often than men, but only two to three times as often.
The most common symptoms of lupus and arthritis include joint pain, joint swelling, fatigue, weight loss and fever. In addition to these symptoms, lupus can also cause hair loss, nausea, and vomiting. Other symptoms of lupus include scleroderma, which is a thickening of the skin due to inflammation. Lupus is also known to cause severe muscle pain called myalgia.
Another common difference you may notice between lupus and arthritis is that the latter is more prone to causing joint deformity. Despite the joint pain in lupus, the deformity is not commonly found in individuals with this disorder. It is possible, however, for a person to have lupus and arthritis at the same time. When both diagnoses are present, the condition is referred to as lupus arthritis.
If you or someone you know has symptoms of arthritis or lupus, a doctor’s visit is needed to differentiate between lupus and arthritis. In addition to bone and blood tests, a thorough exam includes close monitoring of symptoms over a period of time and a detailed family history profile. Due to the fact that the symptoms of both autoimmune diseases are so closely related, the examination process is likely to be lengthy.
