Have you ever felt random hot and cold spots on your body? If you have lupus, you already know that this autoimmune disease can cause a variety of symptoms. Common symptoms include itchy skin, sensitive skin, and rashes (including the distinctive butterfly-shaped malar rash across the face and the bridge of the nose).

People with lupus may also experience random warm sensations on the body, even though they haven’t touched anything hot or spent enough time outdoors to get a sunburn. This article discusses reasons you may have unexpected body temperature changes and what you can do about them.

Why Do You Get Random Hot Spots on Your Body?

If you experience hot, burning skin sensations like those listed above, they might be explained by one of the five following lupus-related reasons.

1. Photosensitivity

Some people with lupus have photosensitivity, meaning they’re sensitive to the sun. This complex response may cause different types of symptoms, including a rash that feels hot, fatigue, fever, or increased joint pain. About half of people with lupus experience photosensitivity, according to Johns Hopkins Lupus Center. Other studies have shown that from 23 percent to 83 percent of people living with lupus are sensitive to ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

Scientists now have a better understanding of how sunlight affects lupus. UV rays damage skin cells, causing more cells to die. In people with lupus, the body has trouble clearing these dead cells, triggering an immune response. This leads to inflammation and rashes and may even activate immune cells like lymphocytes (a type of white blood cells), worsening lupus symptoms in the skin and other organs.

Proteins called interferons make the immune system react even more to UV damage, which is why even brief sun exposure can cause a flare-up that feels like a bad sunburn. Also, you may experience extreme heat and redness from only a few minutes in the sun. This could be one reason your skin seems hot and feels like it’s burning.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and other medications can also cause photosensitivity. If you’re taking NSAIDs for lupus or another condition, you may need to stop using them so you can figure out if they’re behind your photosensitivity and burning sensations. Talk to your doctor before you stop taking any medications to make sure this is the right strategy for you.

2. Overheating

People living with lupus may also become overheated in situations where other people don’t. Scientists don’t know exactly why people with lupus overheat, but it may result from high levels of nitric oxide in their bloodstream. This condition can cause blood vessels to dilate (open wider), which may make the skin feel warm and become discolored. If you experience hot, burning skin, you may be overheating — even if you haven’t been in warm conditions or exerted yourself.

3. Cutaneous Lupus

Cutaneous lupus, which affects the skin, can develop independently or with systemic lupus. This type of lupus causes sores and rashes that can be hot or feel like they’re burning and may also cause photosensitivity.

4. Joint Pain

Most people with systemic lupus experience joint pain and inflammation, which can sometimes also affect tissues around the joints, including the skin. Hot, burning skin that often occurs over joints may be an extension of these effects of lupus.

5. Peripheral Neuropathy

Some people with lupus experience peripheral neuropathy — nerve damage in the peripheral nervous system (outside of your brain and spinal cord). One sign of peripheral neuropathy is burning pain in the affected areas, which can sometimes make the area feel like it’s hot.

Peripheral neuropathy may be a less likely cause of hot and burning skin because it usually comes with other symptoms, such as numbness or weakness. Still, peripheral neuropathy could be a reason you experience heat and burning.

What Do Hot and Burning Sensations Feel Like?

Not everyone experiences these hot flashes and burning sensations in the same way. One MyLupusTeam member said, “Sometimes, my upper arm will feel really hot, like a burning sensation. It’s the same with other parts of the body, like my stomach, thighs, or rib area. It’s always just a random spot that feels like it’s burning.”

Some members have these sensations without other symptoms. “It happens out of the blue, and it’s very weird and very uncomfortable,” one member said. “The rest of my body feels fine.”

Another added that they experience burning sensations without visible skin changes: “Mine feels like a chemical burn that really hurts but doesn’t look different than usual.”

Certain activities may trigger or worsen the sensation. “My skin hurts in places even when I shower,” shared one member. “Just to touch it during washing creates burning pain.”

The sensations may occur in particular areas. “It’s usually the area around my joints that gets really warm and starts burning. I get patches of redness that are hot to the touch,” said one member.

“I’ve noticed over the last couple of weeks that I get this ‘hot spot’ just above my right ankle about three or four times a day,” reported another member. “It doesn’t hurt, and it’s not swollen — just a sudden warmth that comes on and lasts several minutes. The area is about as big as your fist.”

Managing Hot and Burning Sensations With Lupus

If you’re experiencing hot and burning skin due to lupus, you can take some steps to ease this symptom.

Manage Your Lupus Overall

Talk to your health care provider or rheumatology specialist about any new or better treatment options for your lupus. Whether you often experience hot and burning skin sensations or this is a new symptom, it’s possible that your current medications aren’t keeping your lupus under control. You might also be nearing a lupus flare-up and need an additional or different treatment.

Many treatments and therapies can help you get your immune system, and therefore the hot and burning skin sensations, under control. You may need to try a few before you find one that works well for you.

Stay Cool

Use these tips to tame the heat:

• Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and spicy food.
• Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
• Wet your skin with a damp cloth or spray bottle.
• Exercise in air conditioning, and wear loose clothing.
• Bathe in cooler water if baths or showers lead to burning sensations.
• Limit time in the sun, and avoid direct sunlight.

Pinpoint Your Triggers

Triggers for hot and burning skin sensations differ among people with lupus. One MyLupusTeam member described what sets off the symptom for them: “It usually happens in a hot shower or out in the cold weather. It also happens after walking a lot or drinking alcohol.”

If you can figure out what’s causing your skin to feel uncomfortable, you can try to avoid those situations to help you feel better, manage your lupus, and improve your quality of life.

Talk With Others Who Understand

MyLupusTeam is the social network for people with lupus and their loved ones. On MyLupusTeam, more than 231,000 members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with lupus.

Have you ever wondered what it means when you feel a warm sensation on your body? What do you do to manage this symptom? Share your experience in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.