Lupus and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have a lot of factors in common. Both of them are autoimmune disorders that develop because of problems with the working of the immune system. Additionally, the effects created by these conditions can be present across different parts of the body. Some lupus symptoms can imitate the health issues caused by rheumatoid arthritis thereby making it difficult for you to distinguish between these conditions. In fact, lupus can mimic the symptoms caused by several other health conditions in addition to RA. Therefore, determining the presence of lupus can be very difficult.
But it is important to diagnose the condition you are suffering from to take the right treatment. If you cannot distinguish the disorder you are suffering from, then it is better to seek the help of your healthcare provider who can perform different tests to determine the ailment you have.
The following are some of the important details you want to know about lupus and rheumatoid arthritis so that it will be possible for you to easily distinguish between these conditions.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis commonly affects your joints resulting in severe inflammation and pain. In most cases, lupus can also affect the joints thereby confusing people. But the joint pain and inflammation caused by lupus may not be as severe as RA.
The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis develop symmetrically which is a factor that can help you to determine its presence, which means, if one of the joints on the right side of the body is affected by this condition, then the same joint on the left side will also be affected by it.
In addition to joints, rheumatoid arthritis can affect other body parts too. People suffering from this condition can experience a wide range of other symptoms apart from joint pain and inflammation. They include:
- Low-grade fever
- Dry mouth or dry eyes
- Weight loss
- Extreme fatigue
- Severe stiffness and swelling in joints
- Rheumatoid nodules
- Joint deformity
Lupus
Like RA, lupus can also affect different parts of the body. The signs of lupus can be present in your joints, skin, and even internal organs. Some of the symptoms associated with this condition are:
- Pain, stiffness, and swelling in the joints
- A butterfly rash on the face
- Skin rashes across different parts of the body
- Headaches
- Kidney problems
- Hair loss
If you are suffering from either of these conditions, then it is important to visit your healthcare provider to take the right treatment. Otherwise, these conditions can become worse thereby deteriorating your health and the quality of your life.
