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A New Free Report - What Is Lupus?
This fascinating new report from UK-based publishing house Health Research Today answers some of the most-asked questions about this baffling disease :
- What is the medical definition of lupus?
- What are the symptoms of lupus?
- What tests are there for lupus? How do you get a diagnosis?
Fill in this form and we will send you the report immediately, which you are welcome to send on to friends or family!
The Symptoms of Lupus
This article is an extract from the ebook Freedom From Lupus!
Fever
Chronic, low-grade fever is a common symptom of lupus, yet is it also a common symptom in many other conditions. With lupus patients a fever is usually a result of inflammation. A fever is normally defined at a temperature over 99.6º F. The average person has a temperature of 98.6º F. However, it must be noted that some normal temperatures range from 96º to 97º F, so what is normal and what constitutes a fever often depends on each individual.
Doctors will usually measure temperatures over time to see what range constitutes a fever for a patient. Patients are asked to keep a daily log of temperature, where they take a temperature three times per day. This log allows doctors to see a fever curve pattern.
Studies in the 1950’s showed low-grade fevers in 90 percent of SLE patients, but recent reviews show that only 40 percent of patients suffer from chronic low-grade fevers1. The large decrease in numbers in primarily attributed to the use of NSAIDs and over-the-counter medications that help reduce fevers.
Low-grade fevers are not dangerous, but they can cause increased pulse and lowered stamina. There are some situations, though, when a fever does require immediate medical attention. If a fever is 104º F or higher, immediate precautions need to be taken. Also, fevers in patients undergoing chemotherapy or steroid treatment are serious, as both of these medical treatments suppress fever and may be masking serious infection.
Read the rest of this article in Freedom From Lupus!
© Health Research Today
