Even when lupus affects your nervous system, its most common symptoms are migraine, personality changes, seizures, or stroke, but these aren't typical for MS. Common MS symptoms include electric shocks when you move your neck, vision problems, slurred speech, and bladder or bowel problems. These aren't lupus symptoms.
What is the difference between MS and lupus? Multiple sclerosis (MS) and lupus are autoimmune conditions. They can cause similar symptoms, but they are different conditions. MS affects the nervous system, while lupus affects the skin, joints, body organs and, in some cases, the nervous system.
While the nerves are the primary target of MS, lupus sometimes affects the nerves as well. Both conditions appear to have a genetic element and may occur within families. Both conditions are commonly misdiagnosed at first.
Nervous system problems might be symptoms of lupus, or they might be caused by a different condition. Different medical specialists (e.g. rheumatologist, neurologist, psychiatrist) and neuropsychologists can find out if your nervous system problems are related to lupus.
These include fibromyalgia and vitamin B12 deficiency, muscular dystrophy (MD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease), migraine, hypo-thyroidism, hypertension, Beçhets, Arnold-Chiari deformity, and mitochondrial disorders, although your neurologist can usually rule them out quite easily.
Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is a rare chronic disease that happens when your immune system attacks specific parts of your central nervous system. Experts previously thought this was a rare type of multiple sclerosis (MS) but now recognize it's a separate condition.
Lupus can be hard to diagnose because it has many symptoms that are often mistaken for symptoms of other diseases. Many people have lupus for a while before they find out they have it.
One person with lupus may experience malar rashes, kidney involvement, and memory loss, while another can have seizures, pleurisy, or hair loss. Though any of these symptoms could be a manifestation of lupus, they also could signal another, problem.
Sarcoidosis is another inflammatory autoimmune disease that shares some symptoms with MS, including fatigue and decreased vision. But sarcoidosis most commonly affects the lungs, lymph nodes, and skin, causing a cough or wheezing, swollen lymph nodes, and lumps, sores, or areas of discoloration on the skin.
While there is no definitive blood test for MS, blood tests can rule out other conditions that cause symptoms similar to those of MS, including lupus erythematosus, Sjogren's syndrome, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, some infections and rare hereditary diseases.
Sjogren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease that can mimic some of the symptoms of MS such as fatigue and joint pain. However, Sjogren's syndrome is known to cause dry mouth and eyes, which are not associated with MS.
98% of all people with systemic lupus have a positive ANA test, making it the most sensitive diagnostic test for confirming diagnosis of the disease. The test for anti-nuclear antibodies is called the immunofluorescent antinuclear antibody test.
An MRI scanner uses a strong magnetic field to create a detailed image of inside your brain and spinal cord. It's very accurate and can pinpoint the exact location and size of any inflammation, damage or scarring (lesions). MRI scans confirm a diagnosis in over 90 per cent of people with MS.
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate.
This blood test determines the rate at which red blood cells settle to the bottom of a tube in an hour. A faster than normal rate may indicate a systemic disease, such as lupus.
Common symptoms include fatigue, hair loss, sun sensitivity, painful and swollen joints, unexplained fever, skin rashes, and kidney problems. There is no one test for SLE. Usually, your doctor will ask you about your family and personal medical history and your symptoms. Your doctor will also do some laboratory tests.
Signs can range from a mild rash and arthritis to kidney failure and seizures — “with a whole spectrum in between,” she says. Symptoms can also mimic other diseases, including infections and cancer.
Lupus is known as "the great imitator" because its symptoms mimic many other illnesses. Lupus symptoms can also be unclear, can come and go, and can change. On average, it takes nearly six years for people with lupus to be diagnosed, from the time they first notice their lupus symptoms.
A doctor may use the phrase "borderline lupus" when symptoms or blood test results suggest lupus, but there is not enough information for a definite diagnosis.
Joint pain is common in lupus, especially in the small joints of the hands and feet. The pain often moves from joint to joint. Joint pain, swelling and stiffness can be the main symptoms for some people with lupus. In most cases, lupus is unlikely to cause permanent damage or change the shape of joints.
Parts Of Your Body Feel Numb Or "Strange"
This is especially true if it's been in the form of numbness or weakness in one or more limbs, women's health expert Dr. Donnica L. Moore tells me. You might also feel repetitive pain or tingling sensations in various parts of the body (like your face).