August 4, 2023 – Approximately 1.5 million Americans live with systemic lupus erythematosusessentially the most common type of lupus, and greater than half of them suffer from regular headaches.
New research results now show that these are sometimes not normal headaches. In many cases they are literally migraines.
Lupus is a Autoimmune disease which might attack any organ within the body – brain, heart, lungs, kidneys, skin, joints and blood cells. It is a chronic disease, meaning that patients can have flare-ups but could also be symptom-free at other times. Inflammation is one among the most important causes of lupus.
The central nervous system also plays a very important role in lupus headaches, says Amir Tolebeyan, MD, chief of the Head and Facial Pain Division at Tufts Medical Center in Boston.
In lupus, the central nervous system, which consists of the brain and spinal cord, might be affected by antibodies that bind to nerve cells or blood vessels. Lupus may also cut off blood supply to the nerves. All of those affect the central nervous system and may result in headaches. Inflammation of the brain may also directly cause headaches.
A “lupus headache” can occur in various forms. The research of a new study from India finds that one third of patients worldwide with essentially the most common type of lupus specifically migraine.
Raynaud phenomenonwhich limits blood flow to the fingers and toes and is commonly related to migraines, is a complication of systemic lupus erythematosus in up to 50% of patients and will explain why so many individuals suffer from such a headache.
Lupus patients may also primary headachewhich suggests that the headaches themselves are neither dangerous nor directly related to the disease. This variety of headache may simply be because of emotional stress, which in turn could possibly be related to coping with the physical pain of other lupus symptoms.
However, the pain may also have more serious consequences.
“In some lupus patients, headaches can be an indication of a problem with the blood vessels in the brain,” says Ashira Blazer, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine on the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City and member of the Medical Scientific Advisory Board of the Lupus Foundation of America.
One such problem is blood clots within the brain, particularly in patients with a condition called antiphospholipid syndrome. It can develop as a complication of lupus and causes the immune system to attack fat in living cells, increasing the chance of blood clotting. Blazer recommends that patients listen to systems similar to vision problems or cognitive changes that might indicate a stroke.
New research from the Federal University of Pernambuco in Brazil also found that patients with systemic lupus erythematosus have the next risk of headaches related to acute vascular diseases, similar to Vasculitis. Some lupus therapies may also cause headaches. “If you have lupus, you may be taking immunosuppressants that aseptic meningitis – Inflammation of the meninges,” said Blazer.
Read on for more specific and necessary details about lupus and lupus headaches and what patients can do to get the best diagnosis and relief.
What are the symptoms of lupus?
Signs of Lupus may include:
- A butterfly-shaped rash on the face
- Muscle and joint pain
- Severe fatigue
- Eye problems similar to dry eyes, eyelid rashes or inflammation
- Forgetting things or being confused
- Hair loss
- Chest pain
- Reduced kidney function
- Fever
- Sensitivity to light or sunlight
How is a lupus headache diagnosed and treated?
It is vital to search out the basis reason for the headache.
If an individual with lupus experiences headaches that suddenly turn into worse or more frequent, they need to refer to their doctor.
“We don’t know whether lupus directly causes a patient’s headaches,” Tolebeyan said.
Doctors must first rule out serious illnesses similar to stroke, intracranial pressure, or cancer. “Treatment of headaches depends on the cause.”
If the headaches are related to the disease, similar to a lupus flare-up, the doctor may deal with controlling the inflammation, Tolebeyan says.
A lupus headache might be Diagnosis by either a lumbar puncture or an MRI or CT scan. Headaches which can be directly related to lupus inflammation often don't reply to over-the-counter painkillers, so Corticosteroids are sometimes prescribed.
When a patient is diagnosed with migraine, National Institutes of Health According to the researcher, treatment options include prescription medications or common painkillers similar to paracetamol or ibuprofen. Over-the-counter migraine medications also work for some patients. Other necessary ways to stop migraines include reducing stress, getting enough sleep and avoiding Foods that can cause headaches.
Lupus patients may also reduce their risk of headaches – and feel higher overall – by controlling aspects that might trigger an outbreak. Some great Self-care strategies to check out:
- Don’t work an excessive amount of or too hard
- Avoid the sun
- Limiting the time spent in halogen or fluorescent lamps
- Avoiding injuries and infections
- Regular use of lupus medications
- Consult your doctor before taking any additional medications.
- Follow a low-fat, low-calorie weight-reduction plan or take a vitamin D complement in case your doctor recommends it.