Lupus is a chronic auto-immune disease in which the immune system becomes hyperactive and attacks normal tissue, resulting in inflammation and other symptoms. The cause is unknown.

Normally inflammation serves as a protection when a foreign body or an organism, such as a virus or bacteria, injures body tissues. The swelling, redness, and pain associated with inflammation help purge the foreign body or organism and prevent further injury. In lupus and other auto-immune diseases, the body sees itself as a foreign body and reacts with inflammation. When inflammation is chronic, tissues can be damaged and normal function impaired.

Lupus can strike anyone, at any age, but is most prevalent in women, particularly minority women. Nine out of ten people with lupus are female. 80% of those affected are in their childbearing years (15-45 years of age). Lupus is two to three times more prevalent in persons of African, Hispanic, Asian or Native American origin. The Lupus Foundation of America estimates that approximately 1.5 million Americans have some form of lupus.

Lupus symptoms vary widely and include achy and/or swollen joints, persistent fever, extreme fatigue, chest pain, anemia, excessive protein in the urine, sensitivity to light, hair loss, abnormal clotting of the blood, mouth or nose ulcers, and even seizures. The symptom most associated with lupus is skin rash, particularly a butterfly shaped rash that extends across a person’s cheeks and nose.

Because the symptoms vary and few patients experience all the common symptoms, lupus can be a difficult disease to diagnose. A survey conducted by the Lupus Foundation of America found that half of those afflicted with lupus suffered for at least four years and saw three or more doctors before their condition was diagnosed.

One in three lupus patients also suffer from another auto-immune disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis or type 1 diabetes mellitus. Almost half of those with lupus have another family member diagnosed with an auto-immune disorder.


This summary cannot cover every medical condition and/or functional loss. The Social Security Administration offers more detail on its website.  (Look under "SSAS Hot Links", and then under "Listings".)

• Up • Lupus,chronic auto-immune disease • FMS (fibromyalgia syndrome),soft tissues, debilitating fatigue,chronic pain. •

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