Do Bowel Symptoms Occur With Lupus?

When doctors consider whether or not a patient's lupus and bowel symptoms they are displaying are related, they have to take into account the fact that just about any symptom you can imagine can be, directly or indirectly, related to lupus if you do in fact suffer from the condition. Treating lupus often involves the use of prescription medications, and those medications have side effects that may also lead to digestive symptoms. Lupus sufferers suffer from digestive issues in such high numbers that doctors have noted them as among the most common complaints made by lupus sufferers regarding their condition. Even the treatments for lupus are partially to blame.

When we take a medication, particularly a prescription one, one of the inevitable prices of doing so is enduring one or more side effects that occur with that medication. A side effect of taking blood pressure medication may be dizziness or a side effect of antacids may be an increased blood pressure level. Medications prescribed in the treatment of lupus symptoms are also going to have the problem of side effects. Most lupus patients will end up using corticosteroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the course of their treatment. Some of the most common side effects of these medications involve the digestive system.

The central nervous system is also potentially affected by lupus, and those effects can very well result in the development of various bowel symptoms. All muscle contractions in the body are governed by the transmission of electrical signals from the brain to the muscles in question. Bodily control is difficult in some lupus patients because of the potential interference that the condition can cause in these signals. Irritable bowel syndrome can be one of the unfortunate results of this lack of muscle control.

Inflammation is another common symptom of lupus that is frequently observed. Aches and general discomfort are common in areas of the body where the inflammation is pronounced. Most people will suffer from abdominal pain from this inflammation, but extreme cases can have consequences that are significantly more serious.

Lupus symptoms, when they occur, have the tendency to cause discomfort in the patient. Most people do not realize how prevalent digestive discomfort is, but it occurs almost as much as fatigue or joint pain. If you have any questions about lupus medications, treatments, health tips, or side effects, be sure that you bring them up with your doctor.