Lung Involvement In Scleroderma

Background

Just as scleroderma could affect any organ by limiting its functions, the function of the lungs is also greatly interfered with if a patient would get scleroderma in his or her lungs. This is seen by numerous lung illnesses such as shortness of breath and coughing. This in turn can also cause problems with the heart such as hypertension and other heart illnesses.

Scleroderma usually begins with Raynaud’s phenomenon which happens on the skin. If the case is limited scleroderma, it would stop there however if it develops into something worse and would start affecting organs within, then that condition is known as systemic sclerosis. This is more likely to happen in women than it is on men and it usually develops somewhere between the ages of 30 and 50. Scleroderma rarely occurs in children.

How Are The Lungs Involved In Scleroderma?

Scleroderma happens when the antibodies in a person’s immune system would attack their own tissues, which is contradicting to their main purpose of protecting it. The cause of this happening is not yet known although some theories have been made. Some have said that the cause of it is genetic and that scleroderma is hereditary while others would say that scleroderma is brought about unwanted factors in the environment such as bacteria or viruses.

If scleroderma reaches the lungs, then that is the beginning of pulmonary involvement in scleroderma. The first signs that can be seen are shortness of breath and dry cough without mucus. If this worsens, this would lead to lung problems that are much worse and even hypertension. Fortunately, medications and other treatments are available for cases of pulmonary involvement in scleroderma.

What Are The Types Of Lung Involvement In Scleroderma?

It is said that about 10% to 15% of all people with lung involvement in scleroderma would develop sever lung disease during the duration of their illness. There are two main manifestations of lung involvement in scleroderma, one is interstitial lung disease. This is also known as fibrosing alveolitis or pulmonary fibrosis. This occurs in about 75% of all people with scleroderma.

Another manifestation is pulmonary vascular disease, which is the lung problem that could lead to hypertension. This occurs more frequently as another pulmonary complication, but it can also be a result of pulmonary fibrosis. This could happen from 10% to about 80% of all cases of scleroderma. Other manifestations of lung involvement in scleroderma would include brochiectasis, aspiration pneumonia, neoplasm, spontaneous pneumothorax and drug-associated pneumonitis.

How Can This Be Treated Or Managed?

There has been no known cure for lung involvement in scleroderma and as well as all other cases of scleroderma, it can however still be treated with a different approach. Instead of attempting to completely remove scleroderma from a patient, the typical approach for treating lung involvement in scleroderma is to prevent further damage or to attempt to restore normal lung activity with the use of medications, therapy or surgery for some cases.

The most used drug in treating pulmonary scleroderma are corticosteroids. These are also work more effectively when taken with cyclophosphanide. However, not all cases have been effectively treated with it. If ever a patient should develop side effects or if it would lead to further complications, the patient should consider other medications such as HRCT, BAL or penicillamine.

Limited Scleroderma - Causes, Symptoms And Treatment

Definition

Limited scleroderma is one of two main forms of scleroderma, with it being the safer or the one which would tend not to be fatal. Limited scleroderma happens when an individual’s antibodies would attack his or her own tissues, which is contrary to its real purpose which is to protect it. This in turn would cause the affected area, which in most cases is the skin, to thicken. Since this is usually accompanied by pain, the patient’s movement is limited.

Limited scleroderma would often show in the face, chest, arms, elbows, knees, fingers, toes and sometimes on the legs and the spine. This is most likely to occur to women than it is on men and usually comes out when the victim is around 30 to 50 years of age. While limited scleroderma is considerably mild, neglecting it can make the case worse and have the condition spread inside. This condition then is known as systemic sclerosis.

Causes

As of now, there is no accurately known cause for any case of scleroderma. Some of the possible causes are genetics and that scleroderma can be hereditary, environment and that it is brought about by different unwanted factors in the environment such as bacteria, virus and similar factors, hormones are also said to cause it as to explain why women are more likely to develop scleroderma much more than men are.

One theory also made was that the fetal matter left after pregnancy that are still circulating in the mother’s system, even after decades of giving birth can cause scleroderma. While all of these may be reasonable and are very possible causes of scleroderma, unfortunately none of them are proven yet and the cause for all forms of scleroderma remains unknown.

Symptoms

Limited scleroderma is also known as CREST which is an acronym of all of its most visible symptoms. The first symptom for it of which the first letter stands for is calcinosis. This is the development of tiny calcium deposits under the skin which mainly form on the joints. These deposits can be felt and seen easily. Another symptom is Raynaud’s phenomenon which is the most common symptom of every form of scleroderma with it happening in 95% of all cases.

Esophagus disease is also experienced by people who suffer scleroderma, which would make it difficult for them to swallow since it interferes with the body’s way of processing food down known as peristalsis. Another evident symptom is sclerodactyly which refers to the localized tightening of the toes and fingers thus limiting their movement. The last symptom is telangiectasias, which are tiny red areas anywhere on the skin.

Treatment

As of now, there is no known treatment for the complete removal of scleroderma in a patient. The approach for treating scleroderma is focused on limiting the damages done by the illness to the affected areas and as well as attempting to restore function to the damaged area. This can be done by either medications, rehabilitation therapy and as well as surgery. Numerous cases have been proven successful in the past.

For limited scleroderma, each different symptom is treated individually. Raynaud’s phenomenon would only require warming and protection or one could take low-dose aspirin to prevent blood clots. Fluoxetine can also help improve overall circulation which can restore normal functions.

Gastro-intestinal Engagement in Scleroderma

While the epidermis is the most impacted body in all situations of scleroderma, another one of the most impacted body parts are those that are discovered in the digestive system that would happen on around 75% to 85% of all situations. People with gastro-intestinal participation in scleroderma would encounter problems in their day to day life as an impact introduced about by scleroderma.


Scleroderma causes the walls of the affected organ in the digestive system to thicken, thus limiting the blood flow towards it. This in turn would limit the functions of the affected organ and would give rise to several problems which refer to the organ that is affected. Esophageal problems can occur in all forms of scleroderma, involvement with other organs in the digestive system such as the intestines, the liver and the stomach are only limited to systemic sclerosis.

Causes

There is no recognized cause of scleroderma, what is known is how it works. Scleroderma happens when a person’s antibodies would attack his or her own tissues, which is contradicting to its main purpose which is to protect them from harmful factors. This would in turn cause the affected area to thicken that would limit blood flow to it causing the normal function of the affected area to be dysfunctional, limited or completely dead.

Scleroderma would usually begin with the skin in the form of calcinosis or Raynaud’s phenomenon, symptoms which can be easily seen and felt in the skin. If the symptoms stop developing from that point, then that case is limited scleroderma however if it spreads to other organs, that case is systemic sclerosis and that could even get worse as it could still spread to other organs.

How Is This Diagnosed?

Diagnosis is mainly based on symptoms however; it is officially made after a series of medical tests. There are several medical tests that people with suspicions about it can undergo, the simplest in an x-ray of which the doctor can see how your digestive system is doing. For sever cases, a surgical biopsy is done. This would involve having the doctor take scrapings of the linings of the affected organ and having it examined under a microscope.

Another way of diagnosing gastro-intestinal involvement in scleroderma is through endoscopy or by having the doctor view your digestive system through a small camera. This will allow the doctor to see which areas are affected by the scleroderma and see how it has developed within. It is very important for the doctor to know accurate details about a patient’s condition, especially for gastro-intestinal involvement in scleroderma since it will be their basis on what treatment approach to follow.

Can This Be Treated?

A very important point that all people involved in scleroderma or all those who are concerned with it is that it is treatable. The thought of scleroderma having no known cause or no treatments in general would usually discourage a lot of people. Gastro-intestinal involvement in scleroderma is very much possible as long as it is diagnosed and treated as early as possible. If significant damage has already been inflicted, little can be done to reverse those effects.

The key to treatment of gastro-intestinal involvement in scleroderma is to have it diagnosed as early as possible, taking care of yourself and careful medical attention. Make sure that you and your doctor would help each other out in treating you of your condition.

Coping With Scleroderma And Its Effects

Understanding Your Condition

Before anything else, you should first understand your condition. Scleroderma is quite serious and for some people, it could change their lifestyles so much that they are no longer comfortable with it. But for those who have the patience and understanding, they will be able to cope up with their condition much easier. It is no doubt that life with scleroderma is definitely uneasy but it is very manageable if you know how to handle and it all begins with understanding.

With understanding, you should be able to know what could happen to you, details regarding your condition and as well as know what to do to help you manage your condition. While your doctor could help you, you must help yourself too and you can do this by having a clean living lifestyle, taking medications seriously and just plainly taking care of yourself.

How To Cope

As a rational person, it is certain that you have undergone a lot of challenges before and as you are now, you are still alive and that means that you were able to handle all of those problems. Scleroderma is just another problem and being such, you can manage it and eventually learn to get over it. Just think of it mainly as the beginning of a new life. It may not allow you to do a lot of the things you used to enjoy but it also opens a lot of doors for you that you can see if only you look deeper within.

While medicines may help, it would also do a lot if you are able to cope up with your condition. There is a difference between a person suffering from illness from another who is living with disease and for many cases; a lot of patients have been able to handle serious conditions well.

Acceptance

Another step in coping up is acceptance; you have to accept that you are different now. You may not be able to do a lot of things you used to enjoy, you might not be able to travel to places where you always wanted to and there might be some activities that you cannot do anymore. Since you have this condition, you will have to take care more of yourself now. This may be sad for most of you but if you learn how to accept, things may just be easier for you.

If you find it difficult, just learn to manage what it is that is affecting you now and what you can do to help yourself. If you cannot handle it now, you can learn in time. When coping up, you need to understand yourself and your condition for you to be able to accept your condition. Your condition would be much easier for you if you manage it well.

Having Hope

While all may seem so difficult, it is very important that you keep your hope up with this condition and that is reasonable because some cases of scleroderma have been treated quite well and that has changed many lives. Since you have a condition, you have to remember that nothing is permanent and things can change sooner than you know it.

Most scleroderma patients would be discouraged or feel weaker because of the fact that scleroderma has no known cause or cure however; a lot of cases have been treated with the help of medicine. Being one of those patients, you can also be cured just like how they have been. That is why it is very important to have hope despite being in a tough condition.

Scleroderma And The Kidneys

Scleroderma means hard skin when directly translated. It is a disease that would cause the surfaces of your skin and other organs to harden into scar tissue and would usually involve pain and a lot of problems that would involve the affected organs. Scleroderma is most common in women that are between the ages 30 to 60 and rarely happens to children.

At most times, scleroderma would only affect a portion of the skin and is usually visible by tight skin in the face and on the fingers. If it starts affecting the organs, then that is a more sever case known as systemic sclerosis. This may affect the lungs, heart, intestines and the kidney. If the kidney is affected by sclerosis, this would limit the kidney’s functions and as well could cause some pain to the patient. It could however be managed and dealt with medical approaches to scleroderma kidney involvement.

What Causes Scleroderma?

As of today, there is still no known cause for scleroderma. Medical experts however have developed numerous theories in attempt of knowing what the causes are. Some would say that it is largely genetic and that a patient of scleroderma would indicate that his or her relatives are also at danger of developing it. Another would say that it is largely environmental and that it is caused by factors that are influenced by the environment surrounding the patient.

A medical expert also theorized with the common category being women aged 30 to 60 as a basis that the fetal remnants left over that are still circulating in the bloodstream can cause sclerosis even after decades after giving birth. None of these theories however have been proven and as of now, the cause of sclerosis still remains unknown and is yet to be found.

How Does Scleroderma Affect The Kidneys?

While scleroderma would occur in the skin in around 95% of all cases, having it develop in the kidneys is also quite common for those who have it.  Scleroderma mainly affects the blood vessels that are in the kidneys this of which is known as scleroderma renal crisis. This would lead to a sudden rise in blood pressure of the patient as well as a rapid decline in renal function that would happen over days. This may lead to complete renal failure that in turn can cause death.

Before, the leading cause of death for scleroderma victims was renal crisis. Fortunately, drugs of which are known as Angiotension Converting Enzyme Inhibitors or ACE inhibitors have lessened this number significantly and if that does not work, there are still other medications that would serve the purpose effectively. ACE inhibitors are also used commonly to treat high-blood pressure.

How Are Cases Concerning Kidneys Treated?

While scleroderma has no known cause, it also has no known cure. To relieve a patient from it, treatment for scleroderma would vary depending on the cases and on the individual. For cases concerning the kidneys, it focuses more on blood pressure control with the use of ACE inhibitors. As for people who develop side effects from it, they can use angiotensin receptor blockers. These are so effective and are known to have relieved a lot of patients from cases concerning kidneys.

These medicines however are only made to alleviate a patient from symptoms with the kidneys and are not made to completely relieve a patient from scleroderma.

Scleroderma And Elbow Pains

Background

Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease that is characterized by having the antibodies attack their own tissues, which is contrary to their main purpose of protecting it. That in turn would cause the affected area to thicken and its functions to be limited. The more common form of scleroderma which is limited scleroderma or CREST would tend not to be fatal, although it can cripple a patient. The severe from of it which it systemic scleroderma is the more fatal type.

Scleroderma is quite rare as it only affects 14 out of every 1 million people worldwide. Scleroderma affects women more than it affects men and is usually develops within the ages 30 and 50. This illness is inherent in African-American women and the Native American Choctaw tribe. It rarely occurs in northern Asians and in children.

What Are The Causes Of Scleroderma?

As of now, there is no accurate cause of scleroderma although medical experts suspect some factors to cause it. One of those factors is genetics; they say that scleroderma is in the genes and those with genetic defects are more susceptible to the disease. Another is an unhealthy environment that could expose a patient to some factors that may cause it such as bacteria, viruses and similar factors. Hormones could also play a role as to why it happens to more women than it does on men.

Another theory made by medical experts is that the fetal matter that is left over after pregnancy that is still circulating in the mother’s system can cause scleroderma even after years of giving birth. This is why the most common category for patients with scleroderma are women between ages 30 and 50. While these theories may be reasonable and logical, none of these are proven yet and they still remain as theories.

How Does Scleroderma Develop In The Elbows?

Scleroderma can occur in most parts of the body such as the skin, the lungs, kidneys, stomach, esophagus, intestines, heart and the bones however, the elbows are some of the most affected parts when it comes to scleroderma involvement. The thickening of the tissues in the elbow will bring about limitations in its movement and as well as can be accompanied by pain. The cause of this, which are most likely calcium deposits can actually be seen and felt.

The elbows are quite sensitive and can be affected even in limited scleroderma, especially the tips of the elbows called the olecranon area. If a patient’s elbows are affected by scleroderma, this can lead to discomforting irritation and tenderness if pressure is applied on the elbows. Fortunately, this is very possible to be treated.

How Can This Be Treated?

There is no known treatment for all cases of scleroderma. The approach for treating scleroderma is patient-specific and is more focused on preventing further damage and on treating individual symptoms. As for cases with elbow involvement, this can be treated with tropical lubricants and emollients. But if ever the patient would develop side effects or if these medications would not work at all, the patient can avail of alternative medicine.

One of the known alternative medicines that have proven effective in treating this condition is Bagbalm, this of which you would only apply to the tender areas of the affected area. Bagbalm is available over the counter and does not require any medical prescription.

Pulmonary Involvement With Scleroderma

What Is Scleroderma?

Scleroderma is quite rare, only affecting 14 out of every 1million persons worldwide. Most commonly, scleroderma affects women more than men and those who are between ages 35 and 54. Symptoms of scleroderma vary depending on what part of the body it is affecting. The most common symptom however is the development of scar tissue on the skin coupled with sensitivity and pain.

A more severe form of scleroderma is known as systemic sclerosis which is shown by the development of scar tissue on the skin as well as involvement with other parts of the body such as the joints, muscle, digestive organs, heart, kidneys and lungs. Lung involvement with scleroderma is one of the most common cases with 70% of all cases having such. It follows the symptoms shown by the skin which would account for 95% of all cases.

What Are The Causes Of Scleroderma Lung Disease?

As of today, there are no known causes of any form of scleroderma although a lot of medical experts have theories on the causes. Some would say that is very much genetic, thus if a person would develop scleroderma, his relatives are also at greater risk of having it. Some would also say that it is environmental and are caused by different substances in the environment.

Another theory would say that the left-over fetal cells after pregnancy that are still circulating in the mother’s bloodstream even after decades after pregnancy has a role in causing the illness, considering the common category of people who develop scleroderma which are women in between the ages 35 and 54. Although these theories could be reliable, it is not backed up by solid scientific proof.

What Are The Symptoms Of Scleroderma Lung Disease?

If you show the early symptoms of scleroderma which can be found on the skin coupled by shortness of breath especially during exercise and dry cough without mucus, then it is very likely that your lungs are affected by scleroderma. In order for you to be assured, you can see a doctor to get diagnosed. The doctor then will conduct a blood test to see how your antibodies are doing.

Since scleroderma is an autoimmune disease, it happens when your antibodies are attacking your own tissues. The doctors will be able to know this through a blood test of which they could see if that is so. For lung involvement, you would undergo a physical exam, chest x-ray and a lung function test to see how capable your lungs are of doing its purpose.

How Do You Treat Scleroderma In Lungs?

As of now, there is also no known drug that can stop scleroderma from developing in the lungs. The medical approaches taken to relieve a patient from the symptoms that he or she would have is more of a rehabilitative approach rather than an attempt to entirely remove the illness. In doing this, the doctor would give therapies to a patient to relieve him or her from shortness of breath.

Numerous medications have failed and some experts have concluded that none of those that are available would work. Because of that, they would recommend constant rehabilitation of the lungs although significant improvement in lung function is unlikely to happen here. Since the causes and medications of scleroderma are unknown to the medical world, there is much to be explored and to be found out in it.

Living With Scleroderma

Scleroderma would definitely affect your life but you have to be aware that you are still living and that to some extent; you still have great control all over yourself. You may not be able to do a lot of things that you have always enjoyed such as sports, being out on the sun for too long and even doing household chores but if you learn how to manage your life greatly, it is still sure that you will enjoy so much there is that life could offer.

The first step in doing so is to humbly accept the changes that scleroderma will bring about. Have a mindset like “now that I have scleroderma, I will…” and much more. You may not be able to do a lot of things that you have enjoyed before but you still have a good life to live and if you manage it well, you will definitely enjoy it.

Take Control

You must be first aware that you are suffering from something that is quite serious and has no known cure. With that, most people with sclerosis would be less social, would think about their health more and would lose loads of self-confidence. You must not think of these too much, you just have to take care of yourself more. Since you are borne with something such as sclerosis, you just have to take control in order for things to be in tune.

Remember that your illness is just a part of your life and there is a much bigger whole to that. Just have a healthy balance of activities as well as clean living and the most important part of that being control. If you are in good control, life with scleroderma will turn out much easier for you.

Try To Be Physically Active

Because illnesses give people who have it some source of negative fatigue and as well as pain or stiffness in some parts of the body, most people would tend to be less active and unmotivated. Unfortunately, to keep your body physically strong and to relieve you of stress, you would have to do some physical exercises to keep you healthy. This does not only make you much healthier but would also make you happier with the many things you can do.

Ask your doctor about some exercises you can do despite your condition. Just think about other things that you can do aside from staying in bed and activities of which you enjoy doing such as gardening, playing with grandchildren and having short walks. Take note that you don’t have to do a complete marathon or very strenuous exercises to keep you healthy, the mere fact of having you moving from time to time is already enough to keep you healthy.

Life With Uncertainty

Possibly, the most difficult part when it comes to life with sclerosis could be that things are very uncertain. There no known cure, you would never know what it could lead or you would never know what could happen next, the bitter part of this is that you are not in control. Considering all that, you should know how to live with your condition and you can do this by getting used to it.

Getting used to your condition would take some time, after a while you should already learn what goals in life you should have and what things you can do. You should also choose not to be a victim of your condition, take note that there is a significant difference between a victim of an illness and a person living with disease. How you live is up to you and that would decide how life would be with your condition.

Having The Kidneys Involved In Scleroderma

Description

Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease that mainly deals with connective tissues which are found at all parts of our body. Being an autoimmune disease, it is a disorder with the immune system that makes the antibodies attack the tissues instead of having them protect it. While most cases of scleroderma would show Raynaud’s phenomenon which are visible through the skin, a severe form of it would involve some limitations in organ functions.

One of the most affected areas when a patient is affected by scleroderma is the kidneys. In fact, it used to be the leading cause of death among scleroderma patients until a new class of drugs were made available by angiotensin converting enzyme or ACE inhibitors, which has changed the whole picture of cases of which the kidney would get involved in scleroderma.

How Does Renal Involvement In Scleroderma Develop?

The cause of scleroderma is not yet known, what is known is how it works. Scleroderma happens when a person’s immune system attacks its own tissues causing damage or the appearance of scar tissues on the affected area. If the kidneys are involved, the first involvement would be the constriction of blood vessels which are in the kidney. This is followed by scarring of the vessels thus making the surfaces thicker and limiting the functions of the kidney.

As a result of the thickening, blood flow is limited to the kidney. This in turn would cause the release of kidney hormones that could cause blood vessel constriction that could also impair the kidneys. From this point, there could be injury or a permanent dysfunction in some parts of the kidney. This constriction could also increase blood pressure and in worse case, could lead to heart failures.

How Can This Condition Be Managed?

Once scleroderma would develop and would start to affect organs, the damage can go on and on and could spread even further. When the damage is done, little can be done to reverse it. Considering that, it is much easier to prevent it rather than to cure it, that of which would go for all cases of scleroderma. The key for renal involvement in scleroderma is to have it treated as early as possible.

Renal involvement in scleroderma however could only happen to those who have the diffuse type, which is known as systemic sclerosis. If the case of scleroderma is limited or what we call as CREST, it is unlikely that the kidneys will get involved. With medical help, a healthy lifestyle and as well as taking care of yourself as much as you can, these are the best ways to manage a condition of scleroderma affecting the kidneys.

Can This Be Treated?

As of now, there is no known cause of treating scleroderma in general. Treatment is available but it is focused on limiting the damages done by scleroderma as well as treats symptoms rather than completely remove scleroderma from the patient. While that is at hand, you must remember that renal involvement in scleroderma is treatable as well as you follow some guidelines.

The key to having a condition as such cured is early detection, medical help and taking care of one’s self. With the help of a competent doctor along with the patient’s responsibility, everything should turn out right when it comes to managing renal involvement in scleroderma.

Digestive System Involvement In Scleroderma

Background

While the most common cases of scleroderma would show different effects on the skin, it is followed by gastro-intestinal involvement that would account for 75 to 90% of all cases. Since the main symptom of systemic scleroderma would involve having limitations in the activities of the affected organs, people with gastro-intestinal involvement in scleroderma would experience mostly digesting problems that could interfere with their day-to-day life.

When the digestive system is involved in scleroderma, the walls of the affected area thicken as a result of it. With that, blood flow towards the affected organ is limited, thus limiting the functions of that organ. Persons with this can either have it in only one organ or more at the same time.

Who Can Have It?

There is no identified cause of scleroderma and with that; there is no accurate way of telling who can have it. Statistics however reported that it can happen to all people regardless of any classifications although it appears in some more than it does on others. Any form of scleroderma is more likely to appear in women than it is in men. It also appears usually between the ages of 30 and 60. It is inherent in the Native American Choctaw tribe, in African American Women and rarely occurs in Northern Asians.

Fortunately, most cases of scleroderma come in the mild form which would only affect the skin and although it can disable a patient, it tends not to be fatal most of the time. Some people however suffer from the severe form of it which is systemic sclerosis. Since this would affect organ functions by having the antibodies attack them, this is more fatal and quite difficult to handle.

How Is The Digestive System Affected By Scleroderma?

Scleroderma can affect organs in the digestive system just as it could affect any other organ. The weakening would usually begin in the esophagus then work its way down into the intestines. If the esophagus is affected by scleroderma, the patient will have difficulty having food pushed down which is a result of scleroderma interfering with peristalsis. After that, the next organ to be affected would usually be the stomach.

When scleroderma affects the stomach, this would usually involve digesting problems that could later result to further complications. This would happen especially when scleroderma would begin to develop in other digestive organs such as the intestines and the liver. While damages can be limited, effects of scleroderma cannot be reversed. However, treatment is possible.

How Can This Be Treated?

Scleroderma has no known cause and with that, there is no single cure that can reverse the effects of all cases of scleroderma. Treatment for scleroderma is case specific and the approach to treating it is more focused on limiting damage and relieving a patient from symptoms rather than attempting to completely remove scleroderma from a patient. Treatment can be in the form of medications, rehabilitation therapies or surgery which would depend on the case the patient is suffering.

This case of scleroderma is quite severe and could lead to a fatality however with careful medications; it is very possible for a case of gastro-intestinal involvement of scleroderma to be treated. Various medications such as anti-secretory agents, pro-motility agents and bacteria suppressing antibiotics have been proven to effectively treat some cases of gastro-intestinal involvement in scleroderma.

Cardiac Involvement In Scleroderma

Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease that is characterized by toughening most commonly in the skin and could also happen to other organs. The mild form of this known as morphea, although it can cripple its patients would tend not to be fatal. Another form of this which is systemic sclerosis, since it would affect the skin as well as would limit the functions of the affected organs could be fatal. As of now, there is no exact cause of this disease and most doctors would go by theories.

Scleroderma is found worldwide however; women are about four times as likely to have it more than men. This would also develop mostly between the ages of 30 and 60. The disease is quite rare as affecting only 14 out of every 1 million individuals worldwide. This disease also rarely affects children. This disease is quite evident among the native American Choctaw tribe and African-American females.

What Causes Scleroderma?

The cause of scleroderma still remains unknown, although medical experts have developed various theories on the causes of it. Some have said that it is largely genetic so if an individual has scleroderma, he puts his relatives at risk of having it. Others would say that it is environmental and is brought about by unwanted factors in the environment such as virus, bacteria and other similar factors. However, non of these theories are proven yet.

The result of this is that the immune system, instead of protecting the body would attack the tissues in the body causing the development of scar tissue on the affected areas. Although different cases of scleroderma would cause different symptoms, the most common ones would be the Raynaud’s phenomenon which would refer to the spasms of arteries supplying blood to the fingers, toes and face. For systemic scleroderma, this is coupled by limitation in the organ’s function.

How Is The Heart Involved In Scleroderma?

Scleroderma makes the tissues in your heart tougher than in turn would limit its functions. If the heart gets involved with scleroderma, then there will be limitations to its function. This is characterized by myocardial disease, arrhythmias or conduction system abnormalities. Even if it is not the heart that would get affected but rather the kidneys or lungs, that could still cause a lot of heart problems, the most common being hypertension. Being that, the heart is one of the most involved organs in scleroderma.

One who gets scleroderma should be expecting some heart problems since the heart is largely involved in it. Fortunately, this can be managed with the help of some doctors. Although there is still no guarantee that a patient would be completely free of scleroderma after medications, medications are made to help patients go by difficult symptoms that are brought to them by scleroderma.

How Is Heart Involvement In Scleroderma Managed?

There is no treatment for scleroderma instead, the approach to this is patient-specific and would depend on what the specific circumstances are. For heart involvement, the doctor would make use of medications such as calcium channel blockers, nifedipine, nicardipine and bosentan. For children who have it, the approach to treating them is a combination therapy of methotrexate, corticosteroids and cyclosporine.

If these would cause side effects, then different medications are used depending on what would suit the patient specifically. Patients with Raynaud’s should be aware that these medications could worsen their condition.

Symptoms, Causes And Treatment of Scleroderma

What Is Scleroderma?

Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease that deals particularly with the connective tissues. These connective tissues act like glue between our cells and can be found at almost all parts of our bodies. Since it is an autoimmune disease, it is characterized by having the body’s immune system attack itself instead of protecting it, causing the development of scar tissue and the limiting of the functions of some of the affected organs.

If scleroderma affects more than one area, then that case is known as systemic sclerosis. The more common form of this which would only affect one organ, most commonly the skin is known as morphea. This case, although it could disable a victim would not be fatal most of the time. Systemic sclerosis on the other hand could tend to be fatal.

Who Can Get It?

As of this time, there is still no known cause of scleroderma however, cases have appeared in every gender, age and race although it is more likely to develop in others than it is on some. Scleroderma is four times more likely to appear in women than it is on men and it usually develops somewhere between the ages of 30 to 50. It is also inherent in the Native American Choctaw tribe and in African American women. Scleroderma rarely appears in children.

While there has been no known cause, medical experts have some theories regarding the causes of it. One would be that it is genetic or is a result of heredity or genetic defects. Some would also say that it is environmental, that it is caused by unwanted substances in the environment such as bacteria and viruses. Since the common category for victims of scleroderma would have women that are between the ages 30 and 50, a theory also said that the fetal matter that is left over after pregnancy can cause scleroderma even after years of giving birth. None of these theories however are proven yet.

What Could Happen To A Scleroderma Patient?

Depending on the case, different patients would have different outlooks on scleroderma. Those with limited scleroderma or those who have it on a small area have a considerably good outlook. Most of the time, their case would develop further into another disease other than scleroderma. It is more likely for a case of scleroderma to develop since there is no known treatment for scleroderma.

As for those with systemic scleroderma or those with organ involvement, the outlook is very much negative. Scleroderma is more common in women than it is in men but scleroderma could kill more men. After diagnosis, about two-thirds of all patients would live for at least 11 years. The older the patients are at the time of diagnosis, the more likely their case of scleroderma is to be fatal.

How Is Scleroderma Treated?

Since scleroderma has no known cause, there is also no known cure. Treatment for scleroderma is focused on preventing further damage and relief from discomforting symptoms rather than attempting to entirely remove the disease from the person. A person with organ involvement would take medications or undergo regular therapy in attempt to restore normal activity with these organs.

Scleroderma treatment would also involve having a healthy lifestyle, which means no vices or any unwholesome activities and less stressful activities. Patients of scleroderma would have to take care of themselves more and they should learn to live with their condition.

What Is Scleroderma?

What Are The Symptoms Of Scleroderma?

Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease which is shown by hardening or sclerosis most commonly in the skin but could also show in other organs. Being an autoimmune disease, it happens when the body’s tissues are being attacked by its own immune system. The most visible sign of scleroderma is the formation of scar tissue in the skin or in the affected area which would lead to having that area being much firmer and thicker. When scleroderma happens to different parts of the body all at the same time, it could be referred to as systematic sclerosis.

Systematic sclerosis can be fatal as it could result to kidney, heart, intestinal or lung damage. The other form of sclerosis which is known as morphea would tend not to be fatal but could cripple and affected individual.

What Causes It?

As of now, there is no known cause for scleroderma. Some would say that genes would play a heavy role and others would say that it is more environmental than it is genetic. Since genes are said to play a role in this, inheritance also has its part therefore, it would not be unusual to find other relatives of a scleroderma patient to be later on affected with it. Scleroderma also occurs more in females than it does on males.

Although there is no definite cause of scleroderma, there are various theories that can be relied on in basis of scleroderma treatment. Since it is so, every treatment for scleroderma is patient specific and are only made to alleviate a patient for symptoms like relief from pain, cure for hardening skin and other specific symptoms. Hardening of the skin has been treated many times successfully with the use of PUVA, d-penicllamine and cyclosporine.

How Do You Know You Have It?

Symptoms of scleroderma are rather unique and you would know immediately if you have it if some of the symptoms would show. If you have scar tissues couple with pain on some parts of your skin most commonly being the knees and elbows then it is mostly sure that you have scleroderma. Take note that this does not develop immediately but rather over time, if you have it in some parts of the skin, it could still spread or develop into another illness.

If you show any symptoms of it, then you should see your doctor immediately to get diagnosed. The diagnosis of this disease is based on clinical findings of the illness. Most likely, your doctor would have you undergo a blood test to see how your antibodies are affecting you. Other tests would include gastrointestinal tests to see how bowel movement is, lung function testing, x-rays, and test to see how the heart is doing.

Scleroderma Treatment

Since scleroderma has no known cause, treatment for it is aimed towards relieving a patient of specific symptoms rather than in attempt to entirely relieve the patient for scleroderma. Being that, a patient who has it is some organs would be treated only to relieve him or her from the symptoms it would bring about.

Since scleroderma is an autoimmune disease, some of the most common approaches for it would involve the use of immunosuppressive agents such as azathioprene, mycophenolate and methotrexate. As for patients whose lungs would get involved, they could benefit from oxygen therapy which could relieve them from shortness of breath and increase blood oxygen level of which they are most likely deprived of.