‘Lupus really be having EVERYTHING hurting’: Muni Long opens up about chronic pain and unseen struggles of Lupus

Muni Long’s raw honesty about living with Lupus strikes a chord with hundreds of women navigating similar battles in silence.

Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Muni Long has built a career on penning soul-stirring lyrics, but this time, it was her unfiltered words offstage that resonated with fans the most.

“Lupus really be having EVERYTHING hurting,” she posted on Threads. “Like bro how tf I got on tights and they are hurting the skin on my legs. Like it’s throbbing down my leg. I didn’t even know that was possible. Sometimes it hurts to have clothes on. And this is almost everyday I gotta deal with this. And people? It’s tew much.”

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that disproportionately affects women, particularly Black women, who are three times more likely to develop the condition than white women. The disease, which occurs when the immune system attacks healthy tissues and organs, can cause inflammation, pain, fatigue, and damage to almost every organ in the body. Yet the symptoms often remain invisible to the outside world. That invisibility, paired with societal expectations of endurance and grace, creates a toxic cocktail that leaves many women feeling unseen and disbelieved.

Long’s replies were quickly filled with testimonies from women living with Lupus and other chronic conditions relating to the singer’s frustrations. 

“Wow… it’s crazy to finally see someone speak on this. I was diagnosed w/ lupus in 2020 & had the exact same experience and preach about it ALL the time — even soft clothes made my skin throb,” one user wrote.

Another shared: “The worst part for me is the multiple autoimmune diseases. You never know which one is causing the pain! Also the pain that wakes you up from sleep!”

“Oooooh sis I feel you. Sometimes my hair hurts! The worst part is not the pain and burning it’s when people say…. ‘it can’t hurt that much!’,” another user replied. “If I’m moving slow just pass me by and mind the business that pays you cause I’m in the process of trying to maintain my sanity 😢 praying for you!”

Through the years, Long has been very open about her Lupus diagnosis and its impact on her day-to-day. From having to cancel shows due to unexpected Lupus flare-ups to singing on stage with one functioning lung, the songstress says it’s an everyday battle. 

“Lupus is a stress-related disease. It’s a silent, invisible struggle ’cause you can’t see it. You wake up in the morning and you look just fine, but you really feel like you got ran over by a train… There’s a lot of different things that I’ve experienced with this diagnosis, everything from hair loss to skin rashes. Being in this business is vainglorious, so that affects my output so much,” the “Hrs & Hrs” singer said on Black Girl Stuff podcast. “When I feel good, I look good, I produce well. When I feel like crap, and I gotta go out… Even something as small as someone touching my arm, it hurts. But I gotta smile, and I gotta talk to people when I don’t feel like talking.”

Long’s vulnerability has created a space where honesty is healing, and where community shines in shared truth.