What Is Lupus and 10 things you should know about it.

Looks like other conditions

Other conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and Lyme disease share symptoms with lupus.

Without a specific blood test pointing to lupus or other autoimmune conditions, it can sometimes take trial and error for rheumatologists to pin down the right diagnosis.

There is no cure

At this point, scientists have not found a cure for lupus. That said, though a chronic disease, it is not a death sentence. With new medications, lupus mortality rates have improved over time, and the life expectancy for women with lupus-related kidney inflammation is almost on par with women of similar age groups in the general population, according to a study in the Internal Journal of Immunopathology and Pharmacology.

A rheumatologist will be able to recommend the best treatment plan for a particular patient.