Scleroderma

There are several autoimmune diseases, such as scleroderma, which occur because the immune system attacks the body itself due to a specific trigger or problem, and that leads to many symptoms and problems in the body.

Scleroderma

Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease that makes the body produce the protein collagen more than normal, and it’s an essential protein for the body tissue. This excessive collagen makes the tissue thicker than normal, and that leads to numerous problems.

Scleroderma could occur in a specific part of the body or in many parts, and it might also affect some internal organs.

Scleroderma is a rare condition, and it affects women and African people more.

Causes of scleroderma

There isn’t a known reason for scleroderma, but there are some factors that might trigger it, such as genetic and some environmental factors.

Symptoms of scleroderma

The symptoms differ between people, yet almost all the patients have skin symptoms. The symptoms include the following:

• Tightened and thickened skin, which usually start in the fingers, hands, feet, and face. The symptoms could also appear on the forearms, upper arms, chest, abdomen, thighs, and lower legs.
• Itchy, swollen, and discolored skin.
• Telangiectasia in the hands and face, which leads to small red spots.
• Calcium deposits under the skin, especially at the fingertips, and that causes bumps to appear.
• Raynaud’s phenomenon: it occurs due to the exaggerated contraction of small blood vessels in the fingers and toes, and that causes pain or numbness in the fingers, and their color becomes white, grey, blue, or red.
• Digestive symptoms: difficulty swallowing, heartburn, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea.
• Heart and lung symptoms: shortness of breath, decreased exercise tolerance, dizziness, lung scarring, pulmonary hypertension, irregular rhythms, and heart failure in some cases.

Complications of scleroderma

• Raynaud’s phenomenon might become severe and cause permanent blood flow restriction, and that leads to tissue damage and cause skin sores and pits.
• Kidney failure.
• Worsened heart and lung symptoms.
• Tightened skin might cause restrictions in joint movement and flexibility, especially in the hands.
• Tightened skin in the face might tighten the mouth size, which affects the teeth.
• Cancer.

Diagnosis of scleroderma

• Physical examination.
• Blood tests.
• Imaging tests.
• Biopsies.

Management of scleroderma

There isn’t a cure for scleroderma, yet the symptoms are managed by using specific medications and physical therapy.