Lupus Research Institute Urges Women to Seek Medical Attention for Severe Fatigue and Joint Pain

NEW YORK, NY – September 1, 2011 – The stunning announcement last night of Venus Williams’ withdrawal from the U.S. Open tennis tournament due to a debilitating and difficult to diagnose autoimmune disease is important news for all women suffering similar symptoms. The Lupus Research Institute (LRI) President Margaret Dowd encourages women to speak to their physician if they have symptoms that include overwhelming fatigue and joint pain.

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Lupus is one of many disorders of the immune system known as autoimmune diseases. In autoimmune diseases, the immune system turns against parts of the body it is designed to protect.

This leads to inflammation and damage to various body tissues. Lupus can affect many parts of the body, including the joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, blood vessels, and brain.

Although people with the disease may have many different symptoms, some of the most common ones include extreme fatigue, painful or swollen joints (arthritis), unexplained fever, skin rashes, and kidney problems.