Lupus and Women

Introduction:

Imagine you have tiny guards inside your body whose job is to protect you, but instead, these guards get confused and start attacking you! Sounds scary, right? Well, this happens in something called autoimmune disorders, where the immune system starts attacking our healthy cells. Among those illnesses is lupus. Lupus doesn't go away, it stays forever, but don’t worry, with the right treatment, it can be managed. There are many kinds of lupus; among them, systemic lupus erythematosus is the most common.

Here is something more interesting. It is more common in women than men (almost 9 times more common in women than in men). Starts between the ages of 15 and 45. People who are black, asians, and Hispanic get more often than whites.

Let's read more about lupus in women and how it affects females across all ages.

What Causes Lupus in Females?

Well, no one knows what the exact cause is. But this can occur due to many factors, like:

• Genetics: If someone in your family has it, you can get it too!

• Hormonal Factors: Hormonal changes play an important part in lupus development. Fluctuations of hormones during different life cycles of women can play a part in lupus.

  • Estrogen, a key sex hormone in females, when increased, can cause the immune system to become too active, thus playing a role in lupus. Estrogen levels go high mostly during the onset of puberty, during the menstrual cycle, and during pregnancy.

  • High prolactin levels can also contribute to the condition.

  • A helpful hormone called progesterone can calm down the effects of estrogen in lupus.

• Environmental Factors: Things around us also play an important part. Getting exposed to infections (Epstein-Barr virus), taking certain medications, getting exposed to the sun, stress, smoking, and pollution can all play a role in developing lupus. Even getting exposed to things like silica and mercury is also linked to lupus.

• Dysregulation of the Immune System: As said before, the immune system gets mixed up and makes autoantibodies that attack the healthy tissues.

• Others: Big changes in life, like too much stress, giving birth, or physical trauma, can make lupus show up or make it worse, especially if someone in your family has it (a genetic predisposition).

Some triggers that can cause lupus flares are exposure to the sun, infections, certain medicines, stress, not resting, injuries, hormonal issues, pregnancy, and diet.

What Are the Symptoms of Lupus in Women?

Lupus can make you feel sick in many different ways. The symptoms of lupus in women may sometimes be unpredictable. Here is a detailed answer:

Early signs of lupus in females are:

• Feeling super tired.

• Hair loss, like hair, may become thin, or bald spots may occur.

• A fever that may show up without any reason.

• Lung issues.

• A butterfly-shaped rash on the face or rashes on the body. These may worsen in sunlight.

• Arthritis (swelling and pain in the joints).

• Stomach issues like vomiting, pain, or nausea.

• Sores in the mouth.

• Dry eyes.

• Thyroid issues (mostly hypothyroidism).

Besides these early signs, some women may also have problems like Raynaud's phenomenon (fingers and toes turn blue when exposed to cold or when you are stressed), kidney issues, brain issues, chest pain, and stomach issues.

Lupus can increase the risk of heart issues (commonly coronary artery disease), kidney issues (called lupus nephritis), and cause bone loss (osteoporosis). Furthermore, if birth control medications that contain estrogen are taken, it may increase the disease activity.

How Does Lupus Affect Women?

Lupus can affect women’s health in many ways at different times of their lives.

• Puberty: Because of lupus, there may be a delay in puberty, and the periods may be irregular (because of corticosteroid therapy). Some medicines might also cause infertility. Because of hormonal changes, flare-ups could occur. Additionally, they may be more prone to infections like HPV (human papillomavirus).

• Sexual Health: Lupus can affect both the body and emotions. Because of this, they may feel pain, limited motion, and discomfort during intercourse, fatigue, may develop oral sores, vaginal dryness (mostly because of medicines), changes in libido, may go into depression, and may also get worried about how they look.

• Pregnancy: Lupus can affect pregnant women and the baby, so extra care is needed. While many may pass through pregnancy with success, a few may have risks. These include flare-ups, preeclampsia (high blood pressure after the 20th week of pregnancy), kidney issues, risk of blood clot, preterm labor, miscarriage, infections, and cesarean sections. Fetal complications could be low birth weight, preterm birth, intrauterine growth restriction, neonatal lupus erythematosus, or, sadly, stillbirth in some cases.

• Menopause: Menopause may come earlier in these women. Because of hormonal changes, lupus might get better or become worse.

How Is Lupus Diagnosed in Women?

Finding out if someone has lupus is not an easy task. It takes some time and many tests. Let's see what doctors do to find out.

• Medical History: Here, the doctor may ask about your family history and your symptoms.

• Physical Examination: Here, the doctor may examine your skin, check your joints, and examine rashes.

• Laboratory Tests: Doctors may use special tests like ANA (antinuclear antibody) tests, antibody tests, complete blood count (CBC), urinalysis, and kidney function tests. Other organ tests may also be done to check the lungs and heart.

• Biopsy: Here, the doctor may take a tiny piece of kidney tissue or skin to see for lupus-related changes under the microscope.

• Imaging Tests: This is mostly done to rule out other conditions.

How Is Lupus Treated in Women?

Right now, there is no cure for lupus. But doctors can help you manage it better. Here is how they can help you.

• Medications: Medicines may be given, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), antimalarial drugs, corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, and biologic medicines.

• Lifestyle Changes: These can be preventive strategies too, such as avoiding sunlight, eating well, resting well, exercising, and obviously keeping stress away. Regular checkups and joining support groups can be a great way to cope with lupus.

• Others: Treatments like physical therapy (joint pain management), occupational therapy (to manage daily activities), psychological support, and specialized treatment for damaged organs (kidney or heart).

How Can Women Manage Their Daily Life With Lupus?

Living with lupus can be difficult, but don’t worry, here are some smart and simple ways to manage daily life.

• Visit the doctor regularly.

• Take your medicines on time.

• Learn more and more about lupus. This way, you can take better care of yourself.

• Make healthy life choices like exercising, removing stress from life, resting, and eating good food.

• Communicate with loved ones.

• Join support groups.

• Monitor your symptoms.

• Track triggers.

• Prioritize yourself.

• Seek help from professionals.

Conclusion:

Lupus in women can sometimes be hard to manage because it lasts a lifetime. Sometimes, lupus can look like other health problems, so doctors need to diagnose it carefully. But, don’t worry, about 80 to 90 out of every 100 can live a normal life! So, if you have symptoms of lupus, stay strong, get it checked early, and take care of yourself.

Note From Icliniq:

Lupus in women can be a tricky condition because the symptoms are different for each woman, and diagnosis can be hard sometimes. Since there is no cure, but with proper advice from a doctor, it can be managed well. If you are not feeling right or if you feel you have symptoms of lupus, do not worry, take help from iCliniq doctors who are always available for you.