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Singer and actress Selena Gomez recently revealed that she developed arthritis related to her lupus. She has openly discussed her battle with lupus since 2015.
While arthritis is often perceived as an older person’s condition, lupus can affect anyone, often much earlier in life.
Lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE) is an autoimmune disease, meaning the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues.
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The process involves several “moving parts,” according to Dr. Irene Blanco, a rheumatologist, professor and director of lupus clinical services at Northwestern University’s Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute in Chicago.
“Lupus patients classically make antibodies that target their own body’s healthy proteins and structures,” she told Fox News Digital.
These antibodies can damage joint tissues or form “immune complexes” that settle in the joints, causing swelling, stiffness, warmth and pain, the expert added.
Dr. Adam Kreitenberg, rheumatologist and scientific advisor with 1MD Nutrition in California, said arthritis is one of the most common problems that lupus patients face, with up to 90% of people with SLE experiencing joint pain or arthritis at some point during the course of their disease.
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“The arthritis of lupus can be quite disabling when inadequately treated,” he told Fox News Digital.
More than 90% of people with lupus will experience joint or muscle pain, according to the National Institutes of Health.
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Unlike rheumatoid arthritis, lupus arthritis often doesn’t cause permanent damage that is visible on X-rays, but it can still be profoundly disabling.
Not all pain is directly caused by lupus, Blanco noted. Some patients develop overlapping conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis or gout. Others may experience fibromyalgia, a pain syndrome linked to how the brain processes signals.
“This is why it’s so important to tease out the different causes of pain,” she said. “Management may change depending on what’s really driving the symptoms.”
Kreitenberg agreed, saying, “Several factors can mimic or contribute to joint pain in lupus patients,” adding that fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis and even medication effects, such as steroid-induced joint or tendon problems, may play a role.
“Lupus is quite different than any other illness that causes arthritis.”
When contacted by Fox News Digital, the Lupus Foundation of America provided information noting that lupus is not a form of arthritis, but that arthritis often emerges as one of its most common symptoms.
“It is very important not to make this mistake, because lupus is quite different than any other illness that causes arthritis,” the foundation states on its website. “It should not be lumped in with these other causes of arthritis, because the causes and the treatments are very different.”
Arthritis is caused by either inflammation or wear and tear of the body’s joints, according to the above source, while lupus arthritis is caused by inflammation.
“After a long time of uncontrolled lupus, however, people can have damage in the joints, which causes problems even when the lupus is not flaring,” the foundation wrote.
“Other forms of arthritis are caused by sports injuries, being overweight, or by inflammation that is different from the type of inflammation seen in lupus.”
The Cleveland Clinic emphasizes that lupus primarily affects women between the ages of 15 and 45. For these patients, joint pain can disrupt work, school and daily life.
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“Selena Gomez is a reminder that joint pain and arthritis can be part of life even for people in their 20s and 30s,” Kreitenberg said.
The good news is that effective treatment exists. First-line therapy usually includes hydroxychloroquine, with steroids or immunosuppressants added if needed, but finding the right regimen takes time, experts say.
Kreitenberg recommends pairing medical care with lifestyle strategies, such as low-impact exercises like swimming and yoga, anti-inflammatory eating patterns paired with natural compounds like curcumin and boswellia and good posture and proper footwear.
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“Most importantly, prompt evaluation by a doctor is critical when new or worsening joint pain develops,” Kreitenberg said. “Early recognition and treatment of lupus arthritis can prevent long-term disability and improve quality of life.”
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