Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), or lupus, is an autoimmune disease in which a person’s immune system attacks various organs or cells of the body, causing damage and dysfunction. Since a large percentage of people with systemic lupus suffer from varying amounts of chronic pain, stronger prescription analgesics (pain killers) may be used if over-the-counter drugs (mainlynonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) do not provide effective relief.
Arthritis in SLE commonly involves swelling, pain, stiffness, and even deformity of the small joints of the hands, wrists, and feet. Many people with lupus experience memory problems and may have difficulty expressing their thoughts. In addition, lupus can run in families, but the risk that a child or a brother or sister of a patient will also have lupus is still quite low.