Rheumatoid Arthritis Vs Lupus: Identifying The Difference
Considering that they are both autoimmune disorders in which the body sets upon itself and causes harm, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis are often confused with each other. So, where do you draw the line?
Experts agree that it’s very difficult to diagnose these diseases because the clinical symptoms and laboratory abnormalities tend to overlap.
these diseases affect women much more frequently than men. They are also both multisystem diseases, meaning, they can damage many organs. Like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis targets and causes damage to the blood vessels. Both diseases disrupt the normal function of the immune system, resulting in damaged tissues.
Lupus or systemic lupus erythematosus, is a complex disease whose cause is still undetermined. It can affect many parts of the body including joints, skin, and internal organs. Usually, the person develops a rash in the shape of a butterfly on the cheeks and across the bridge of the nose. Other symptoms include fatigue, hair loss, inflammation of the kidney, mouth sores, sensitivity to light, fever, and weight loss.
Like lupus, the cause of rheumatoid arthritis is unknown. It usually affects the wrists, fingers, knees, feet, and ankles. The disease usually starts to manifest itself with fatigue and weakness, morning stiffness that lasts for more than an hour, widespread muscle aches, and loss of appetite.
In lupus, it is common for the patient to experience joint pain, but this pain is not associated with actual damage to the join itself. In some cases, swelling is not present in people with lupus. In rheumatoid arthritis, however, swelling is always present. This swollen lining is called the synovium. Lupus sufferers experience more pronounced pain than do rheumatoid arthritis patients.
One person can suffer from both lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. When rheumatoid-like symptoms are felt by lupus patients, including deformities of the joint, treatment for rheumatoid arthritis should be applied instead. The patient is prescribed the standard RA treatment forms such as methotrexate, sulfasalazine, and, in some cases, more powerful to control joint inflammation.
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