Environments that may trigger lupus symptoms include those with: extreme heat. extreme cold. high wind.
Study Shows Changes in Weather, Environment May Indeed Affect Your Lupus Symptoms. Factors like temperature, ozone concentration, and wind were associated with more flare-ups of organ-specific symptoms, according to the new research. How might the weather affect lupus flares?
A fever higher than 100 degrees Fahrenheit affects many people with lupus. The fever is often caused by inflammation or infection.
Researchers have shown that lupus tends to flare in spring and summer, when the days are warmer and sunnier. If you're outdoors, try to limit most of your activities to before 10am or after 4pm, which are the hottest hours of the day and when the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays are strongest.
Summary. Studies suggest weather changes and air pollution may impact lupus symptoms. Specific changes, like temperature and humidity fluctuations, appear only to affect flares involving certain systems, such as the kidneys or lungs.
Based on what researchers have discovered so far, milder climates may benefit people with lupus and might help reduce the severity or number of flares. These include places that do not experience extreme increases or decreases in temperature and are not very humid or windy.
Jobs that require outdoor work or prolonged exposure to sunlight, such as farming, landscaping, or lifeguarding, may not be ideal for people with lupus. Jobs with exposure to chemicals: Some people with lupus may have sensitivities to certain chemicals or toxins, which can exacerbate their symptoms or trigger flares.
Common symptoms that indicate a flare are: Ongoing fever not due to an infection. Painful, swollen joints. An increase in fatigue.
With age, symptom activity with lupus often declines, but symptoms you already have may grow more severe. The accumulation of damage over years may result in the need for joint replacements or other treatments.
Lupus and the abdomen
Lupus can also cause other problems in the abdomen, including peritonitis (inflammation of the abdominal lining) and ascites (a build-up of fluids in the abdomen). Symptoms of peritonitis and ascites include: Abdominal pain and swelling. Nausea and vomiting.
For many people, soaring temperatures and high humidity levels can also prompt symptom flare-up, causing acute fatigue, increased joint pain, weakness, and difficulty thinking. To avoid heat-related flare-ups, stay in an air-conditioned or well-cooled environment.
Some people with lupus have Raynaud's phenomenon. It affects the small vessels that supply blood to the skin and the soft tissues under the skin of the fingers and toes. It causes them to turn white and/or blue or red. The skin affected will feel numb, tingly, and cold to the touch.
Photosensitivity is common in people with lupus: 40% to 70% of people with lupus will find that their disease is made worse by exposure to UV rays from sunlight or artificial light.
Get Enough Rest to Prevent Fatigue
If you have lupus you may need even more sleep. “It's important to develop good sleeping habits,” says Jolly. “It can really make the difference in getting a good night's sleep.” Take time to relax before bedtime.
Hydroxychloroquine: an antimalarial drug that is effective for treating lupus-related arthritis and rashes. It reduces flares by 50 percent and may also help prevent blood clots.
Stress, joint pain, and fatigue are common lupus symptoms. While rest is essential, moving your body regularly releases “feel good” hormones called endorphins. This can boost your mood and keep your stressors in check. Physical exercise can also lessen joint pain and prevent stiffness in the body.
Lupus is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease with a wide range of clinical presentations resulting from its effect on multiple organ systems. There are four main types of lupus: neonatal, discoid, drug-induced, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the type that affects the majority of patients.
Abnormally high levels of nitric oxide in those with lupus, or other autoimmune conditions, can make the skin's blood vessels dilate, bringing more body heat to the surface – causing warmth, skin reddening and sweat.
The hair at the front of your hairline might also be more fragile than usual and break off. Jagged, short hairs at the front of the scalp are collectively known as “lupus hair.” Hair loss is an early sign of lupus. If you get a diagnosis and treatment in time, you may slow the disease's progression.
Kidneys About one half of people with lupus experience kidney involvement, and the kidney has become the most extensively studied organ affected by lupus.
Living with lupus can be stressful. And stress can trigger your lupus symptoms or make them worse. But you can take steps to manage stress and protect your health.
Lupus and Summer Weather
Sun and heat exposure can cause symptoms to flare up because when UVA or UVB rays hit the skin, inflammation in the cells naturally occurs and often sets off a chain reaction of other symptoms.