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Lupus

Overview

Open all pages about Lupus

Symptoms of lupus include joint and muscle pain, extreme tiredness, a rash on your face, headaches, mouth ulcers, a high temperature and hair loss.

Tests to check for lupus include blood tests and scans of your heart, kidneys and other organs.

There's currently no cure for lupus, but the symptoms can often be treated with medicines that reduce inflammation in your body, such as steroids.

If you have lupus, wear at least factor 50 sunscreen and a hat in the sun, pace yourself to avoid getting too tired and try to stay active every day.

Lupus is caused by your immune system mistakenly attacking healthy parts of your body. It's not fully understood why this happens.

Lupus can cause complications in pregnancy, so see a doctor before trying for a baby to discuss the risks. You may also need to change your medicine.

Lupus is a condition that affects the immune system. It can cause problems with your skin, joints, kidneys and other organs.

Page last reviewed: 19/07/2023
Next review due: 19/07/2026