A lupus headache can feel like a severe migraine (throbbing, one-sided, with light/sound sensitivity, nausea) or a persistent, pressing, or stabbing pain, sometimes related to tension in the neck and shoulders, often accompanied by fatigue, brain fog, or memory issues, but a true, severe "lupus headache" linked directly to inflammation is rarer and requires specific investigation. While many headaches in lupus patients are typical migraines or tension headaches, the term "lupus headache" can also refer to severe headaches from inflammation in brain blood vessels or tissues, which might need corticosteroids and diagnostic tests like a spinal tap, say the Lupus Foundation of America, the Johns Hopkins Lupus Center, and Healthline.
Headache. About 20% of patients with lupus have migraine-like headaches.
Lupus in the central nervous system (CNS) is sometimes called CNS lupus or Neuropsychiatric lupus. Symptoms include: Confusion and trouble concentrating (sometimes called lupus brain fog) Seizures (sudden, unusual movements or behavior)
Lupus causes swelling and irritation, called inflammation, that may affect joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart and lungs. Lupus can be hard to diagnose because its symptoms often are like those of other illnesses. A common sign of lupus is a facial rash that looks like butterfly wings across both cheeks.
Some lupus complications can include:
Lupus can also cause other problems in the abdomen, including peritonitis (inflammation of the abdominal lining) and ascites (a build-up of fluids in the abdomen). Symptoms of peritonitis and ascites include: Abdominal pain and swelling. Nausea and vomiting.
Early signs of lupus often include extreme fatigue, joint pain/swelling, unexplained fever, and skin rashes, especially a butterfly-shaped rash on the face, but symptoms vary greatly and can develop slowly or suddenly, including hair loss, sun sensitivity, chest pain, and Raynaud's phenomenon (fingers/toes turning white/blue in cold). Because these symptoms mimic other conditions, seeing a doctor for persistent issues like headaches, mouth sores, or swelling is key for proper diagnosis.
Taking samples of blood for laboratory tests, such as:
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or "lupus"), as described in medical papers, on the internet, and in public media, generally refers to the disease as seen at its peak onset ages: That is, lupus most often appears when a person is between 15 and 35 years of age – typically with symptoms of arthritis, rash, hair loss, ...
The 11 criteria included were malar rash, discoid rash, photosensitivity, alopecia, Raynaud phenomenon, oral/nasal ulcers, arthritis (non-erosive arthritis involving 2 or more peripheral joints), serositis (pleurisy or pericarditis), renal disease (proteinuria greater than 500 mg daily or cellular RBC, granular, ...
August 29 — The Lupus Research Alliance is excited to share the good news that a potential new medicine for lupus, anifrolumab, reduced disease activity versus placebo in a second Phase III study. Anifrolumab is a therapeutic antibody that blocks type I interferons, a molecule that promotes lupus inflammation.
Headache is a neurological manifestation of many immunological and autoimmune conditions. Headaches are common in Sjögren's, estimated to occur in 50% to 75% of patients. Headache types that may be presented in pSS are tension headaches, migraines and cluster headaches.
Most individuals with lupus suffer from primary headaches. The most common types of primary headaches include: Migraine headaches: Migraines usually happen on one side of the head, can last from hours to days, may cause nausea, and may be preceded by an aura (flashing lights, zigzag lines).
The medicines used most often to manage lupus include:
Analgesics. Your doctor may suggest over-the-counter medications designed to reduce pain and inflammation and treat fever associated with lupus. These may include acetaminophen or aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen or naproxen.
Gender: Even though anyone can get lupus, it most often affects women. They're nine to ten times more likely than men to develop it. Age: Lupus can occur at any age, but most are diagnosed in their 20s and 30s. Race: Lupus is two to three times more common in African-American women than in Caucasian women.
Lupus can attack many different parts of the body. Some call it the cruel mystery. Lupus is an autoimmune disease that can strike any part of the body, but the wide range of symptoms can be easily mistaken for something else.
Joint and Muscle Issues
Untreated lupus can take a toll on the musculoskeletal system, causing joint pain, stiffness, and muscle weakness. In some cases, chronic inflammation can lead to the development of arthritis, further impairing mobility and reducing the quality of life for individuals with lupus.
Lupus is often confused with other diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and Sjögren's syndrome. Many patients are misdiagnosed or tested a lot before they get the right diagnosis.
Many people who have (or suspect they have) lupus see a rheumatologist (or pediatric rheumatologist if a child or teen). This type of doctor specializes in diagnosing and treating diseases of the joints and muscles.
Anti-Nuclear Antibody (ANA) Test. Anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) are autoantibodies to the nuclei of your cells. 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.
But your doctor can find out if you have lupus in other ways, including:
Common Lupus 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.
Lupus can also affect your hair and nails
The most common type of lupus, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), can cause dry, coarse hair to develop along the hairline. These dry, coarse hairs break off easily, causing the sparse-looking hair known as lupus hair. Other types of hair loss also develop.