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Thursday, June 2, 2011
June is Scleroderma Awareness Month
What is Scleroderma? It's a widespread connective tissue disease that involves changes in the skin, blood vessels, muscles, and internal organs. The cause of scleroderma is unknown. People with this condition have a buildup of a substance called collagen in the skin and other organs. This buildup leads to the symptoms of the disease. The disease usually affects people 30 to 50 years old. Women get scleroderma more often than men do.
Signs and Symptoms:
Skin:
Blanching, blueness, or redness of fingers and toes in response to heat and cold
Hair loss
Skin hardness
Skin that is abnormally dark or light
Skin thickening, stiffness, and tightness of fingers, hands, and forearm
Small white lumps beneath the skin, sometimes oozing a white substance that looks like toothpaste
Sores (ulcerations) on fingertips or toes
Tight and mask-like skin on the face
Bone and muscle symptoms may include:
Joint pain
Numbness and pain in the feet
Pain, stiffness, and swelling of fingers and joints
Wrist pain
Breathing problems may include:
Dry cough
Shortness of breath
Wheezing
Digestive tract problems may include:
Bloating after meals
Constipation
Diarrhea
Difficulty swallowing
Esophageal reflux or heartburn
Problems controlling stools (fecal incontinence)
Diagnosing:
Examination of the skin may show tightness, thickening, and hardening.
Other testing includes:
Blood
Urine
Chest Xray
CT scan of the lungs
Skin biopsy
Treatment:
Immune suppressing drugs
NSIADS
Corticosteroids
Other medications for treating complications such as blood pressure medications or heartburn medication
Outcome:
There is no known cause of Scleroderma, and the disease progressively gets worse and death occurs from gastrointestinal, heart, kidney, or lung complications.
For more information see: http://www.scleroderma.org/
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