Lupus and fibromyalgia are chronic health diseases with no cure yet. While it can take time for both to get the right diagnosis, they can be treated. For the most part, both conditions require a physical examination, medical history analysis, and laboratory testing before actual treatments are employed.
The problem is that both lupus and fibromyalgia share similar symptoms, making it difficult to distinguish one from the other. Both conditions are very distinct health conditions that have different causes and require different treatments.
In this article, we’ll tackle the difference between lupus and fibromyalgia.
Lupus
Lupus is an autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks the body itself. When the body produces autoantibodies, they work against the immune system, instead of killing harmful bacteria. This disorder leads to skin rashes, joint pain, fatigue, and organ inflammation. This chronic condition shouldn’t be taken for granted as it is life-threatening.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, along with fatigue, sleep, memory, and mood issues. Researchers believe that it affects the brain processing of pain signals, hence causing chronic pain. However, it isn’t an inflammatory or autoimmune disease, unlike lupus.
Symptoms
In general, what makes lupus and fibromyalgia similar is the pain experienced by those afflicted with these conditions. Both may have the same symptoms, but lupus has visible distinctions. Read the following:
- Lupus: Individuals with this condition experience joint pain, swelling, fatigue, rashes on face and body, skin lesion, chest pain, headaches, and shortness of breath. If left untreated, lupus can cause more life-threatening complications, such as kidney damage, seizures, memory loss, anemia, pneumonia, and heart attack.
- Fibromyalgia: Individuals with this condition may experience the same uncomfortable and painful symptoms of lupus, such as joint pain, chest pain, fatigue, anxiety, and sleep disorder. However, fibromyalgia isn’t a life-threatening disorder that can lead to several complications.
Treatments
It’s essential to know the difference between lupus and fibromyalgia, as far as diagnoses are concerned because both have entirely different treatments.
- Lupus: The treatment for this condition is more focused on inflammation reduction and pain management. Common treatment options include pain medications, antimalarial drugs (reducing lupus episodes), steroids (reducing inflammation), and immunosuppressants (lowering autoantibody activity).
- Fibromyalgia: Common treatments for this condition include pain medications, antidepressants (for pain reduction and sleep improvement), anti-seizure medications (for pain), physical and occupational therapy, and counseling (for mental strength).
Conclusion
In general, both lupus and fibromyalgia are debilitating health conditions. Not only do they give you chronic pain and other disturbing symptoms, but they can significantly impact the quality of your life.
Hence, getting yourself diagnosed and treated is a must. Doing so is all the more required for those with lupus due to its life-threatening condition. Whether you have fibromyalgia or lupus, speak with your doctor about your treatment options and how to get by with your life despite this condition. As with anything, early diagnosis is crucial, so visit your doctor immediately if you notice any of the said symptoms. That way, you can treat your condition correctly and improve the quality of your life.
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