How Do Lupus Flares Last?

Living with a chronic condition is not easy. It can turn your entire world upside down, deeply affecting your day-to-day life, and lupus is no exception to that.

Lupus is an autoimmune condition where your immune system starts attacking and fighting all the healthy tissues in your body, leading to full-body inflammation. If not careful, the inflammation can spread and start affecting your organs. However, the deal with lupus is that it has its up days and downs. During the flares, though, it can get quite worse. But how long do these lupus flares last, and is there a way you can minimize them? Let’s see if there really is a way to beat the beast.

What Causes Lupus?

Since lupus is an autoimmune condition, it has no real, viable cause. Genetic conditions or other environmental factors can easily set it off. But it does tend to affect women more than men, who are primarily between the ages of 15 to 45.

Lupus flare-ups, on the other hand, are brought forth by certain triggers that may not seem as dangerous but can leave quite a big impression, such as:

Not taking medications regularly.
Too much stress
Bacterial or viral infections
Fluorescent and halogen lights
Skipping out or not taking medications on time.

Lupus Symptoms

The thing with lupus is that it is quite complicated. It doesn’t just have normal lupus-specific symptoms, but other symptoms as well that are linked to the general feeling of being unwell, including:

High body temperature
Weight loss
Joint pain
Dizziness
Nausea or constant stomach ache
Extreme fatigue

At the same time, some of its more specific symptoms – that serve as a definitive conclusion of the condition are:

Skin rashes, especially on the face, which cover your cheeks and nose bridge.
Sudden sensitivity to light
Mouth sore
Pain all over the body
Inflamed organs

How Long Do Lupus Flares Last?

Lupus may be a chronic condition, but it does not remain present at all times. That is to say, it comes and goes, with the symptoms being either too severe or mild each time. Typically, lupus flares have the tendency to last for more than a day. The entire length of the flare-up might not be certain, but it can span from several days to weeks to sometimes even months.

When this happens, it is best to contact your rheumatologist immediately. This helps you know if what you are experiencing is an actual flare-up or just a common cold affecting your body. Not to mention since the symptoms are so widespread, it can be tough not knowing for certain what it is that you are actually experiencing.

Treatment Options

Unfortunately, lupus is not a condition that can be cured or healed completely. However, that doesn’t mean it cannot be treated. There are various methods you can try to soothe the effects of the condition and make it more manageable.

Often rheumatologists suggest strong medication to help with its dire effects. Be it steroids or non-steroids; the medications play a big role in reducing the seriousness of the condition. But based on your immune system and the severity of the lupus attack, the treatment plan can vary.

Bottom Line

Lupus flares can not be timed to perfection. Sometimes they can last for a very long time, whereas other times, it only affects you for a few days. Nonetheless, to seek proper treatment and care, contact Rheumatology Care at 832-532-9779 or visit us at 13688 Breton Ridge St, STE H, Houston, TX 77070, near Houston Kidney Specialists Center.