Painful Or Swollen Joints And Muscle Pain
The joints most commonly affected are those farthest from the middle of the body, like the fingers and toes, wrists, elbows, knees, and ankles. Feeling stiffness upon waking up but gradually improves as the day goes on, is a key indicator of lupus arthritis, but joint pain may still be experienced later in the day. The pain can be mistaken for rheumatoid arthritis, although lupus arthritis is less debilitating and less likely to cause deformation of the hands and feet. For the symptom to qualify for lupus diagnosis, at least two joints (usually the smaller ones) have to be affected for at least six weeks.
Muscle aches (myalgias) or muscle pain in certain muscle groups used to move the body (myositis) is commonly experienced. This occurs in as many as half of those with lupus due to inflammation, especially manifesting itself during increased disease activity or flare.
