What Is Lupus Diagnosis
Lupus is an autoimmune disease that affects about 5 million people around the world.
What is lupus diagnosis. Inflammation can occur on the inside of your body your kidneys or heart for example on the outside your skin or both. The combination of blood and urine tests signs and symptoms and physical examination findings leads to the diagnosis. Learn what doctors look for and the tests they use to diagnose lupus. If enough of the pieces fit together you may be diagnosed with lupus.
Your symptoms medical history family history and lab tests. Signs and symptoms of lupus may vary over time and overlap with those of many other disorders. Learn what to watch for. Division of population health national center for chronic disease prevention and health promotion centers for disease control and prevention.
Skin lesions that appear or worsen with sun exposure photosensitivity fingers and toes. Butterfly shaped rash on the face that covers the cheeks and bridge of the nose or rashes elsewhere on the body. What questions will my doctor ask. The most useful tests identify certain autoantibodies that are often present in the blood of lupus patients.
An autoimmune disease is a condition in which the body s immune system attacks healthy organs or tissues. No one test can diagnose lupus. Some people have only a few mild symptoms and others have. Lupus affects everyone differently.
Joint pain stiffness and swelling. A doctor who is considering the possibility of lupus will look for signs of inflammation which include pain heat redness swelling and loss of function at a particular place in the body. The most common signs and symptoms include. This content is provided by the office on women s health.
Your doctor may say you have lupus if you have at least four of 11 signs of the disease that are laid out by experts at the american college of rheumatology butterfly shaped rash raised red pat. Lupus symptoms lupus symptoms might develop quickly or they may come on slowly. Diagnosis while no single test can determine whether a person has lupus several laboratory tests may help the doctor confirm a diagnosis or at least rule out other ailments. Your doctor will look at several different puzzle pieces.