Scleroderma and Renal Crisis

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Scleroderma and Renal Crisis

Scleroderma renal crisis is the term used to describe kidney involvement in scleroderma because of the very much discomforting symptoms brought about by it that indeed puts the patient into a crisis. This happens when scleroderma, of which the cause is unknown, would reach the kidneys, limiting blood supply to it and limiting its functions or totally impairing it. This condition could only happen to those with the diffuse form of scleroderma which is called limited sclerosis.

Kidney involvement in scleroderma would usually start of as an increase in blood pressure then would later show more signs within weeks or days. Scleroderma renal crisis is mainly associated with a decrease in kidney function, the appearance of protein in urine and in severe cases, accompanied by heart failure.

How Does This Develop?

Scleroderma would usually start of in the skin in the form of calcinosis or Raynaud’s phenomenon. If it sticks with those symptoms, then that case of scleroderma is most likely limited scleroderma or CREST which is the milder form of the illness. Although this can disable, it would tend most of the time not to be fatal. However, if it spreads to the internal organs, the kidneys in particular, then that would be the beginning of scleroderma renal involvement.

The connective tissues in the kidneys are the ones that are primarily involved in scleroderma. Scleroderma causes scar tissue to develop in them, thus making them thicker. This also limits blood flow to the kidneys that in turn could impair or actually kill some parts of the kidney or the kidney itself. This could also lead to heart complications that in sever cases, could lead to heart failure.

Start Treatment Early

Patients with renal involvement in scleroderma should start treatment as early as possible. This condition is quite serious and could develop before anyone would know. To prevent further damage, it is highly advisable that a patient should start treatment early. If ever there would be significant damage done to the kidneys, little can be done to reverse the effects.

The effectiveness of treating renal involvement in scleroderma would depend heavily on the level of damage already inflicted at that time of treatment. The less damage there is, the more likely a patient would recover from the condition. Since scleroderma in general has no known cure, treatment for renal involvement is more focused on limiting damage.

Can This Condition Be Treated?

Even if scleroderma in general has no treatment, a lot of things can still be done to help relieve a patient from the damages done by scleroderma to the kidneys. However if the kidney is already totally impaired, little can be done to reverse the effect. But if treatment would start early, then treatment is very possible through medical help which would involve medications, rehabilitation therapies and surgery for some cases.

The point that all patients or those who are widely involved with renal scleroderma is that it is treatable and a lot has been done in the past to help cure people with this condition. The key to relief from it is early treatment as well as taking medications religiously and as well as careful medical attention.

Because renal involvement in scleroderma is quite sensitive, this would require the utmost attention of the doctor as well as a lot of effort from the patient.
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Pulmonary Involvement With Scleroderma

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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.
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Diagnosis and Treatment For Psoriasis

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Diagnosis and Treatment For Psoriasis

Diagnosis of psoriasis usually comes after the doctor has conducted a physical exam. The practitioner can determine if a patient is suffering from the condition by simply taking a look at the patches on the skin. The doctor performs a skin biopsy to confirm plaque psoriasis. 

Fortunately, there are home remedies available for treating this skin condition. Products like cortisone creams can help minimize itchiness involved in mild psoriasis. They can be obtained even without prescription from the doctor. Ultraviolet B has been used with the supervision of the doctor.

Since psoriasis is a chromic condition, long term treatment should be considered. Treatment approaches are personalized based on the gender, age, occupation, personal motivation, other health issues, and available resources. The degree of severity is determined not only by the amount and extent of plaques but also by the perception and acceptance of the disease by the patient. It should cater to the specific expectations of the patient instead of targeting its extent on the body surface area involved.

There is a wide range of treatment options available for psoriasis. But the creation of an effective therapeutic regimen is not really that complex. There are three kinds of treatment approaches for psoriasis. They can be used independently or in combination.

Topical approaches are directly applied to the skin. They are usually the first treatment method recommended. The principal topical approaches include corticosteroids, derivatives of vitamin D-3, coal tar, anthralin, or retinoids. There is no specific topical treatment that works best for psoriasis. Each drug can have detrimental effects, so it is recommended that you use them alternately.

In certain cases, combining a topical cream with another is more beneficial than using only one. Usually some preparations have keratolytics. There are some drugs that do not work well with the active ingredients of these preparations. Salicylic acid, for instance, disables calcipotriene while anthralin needs salicylic acid to function efficiently.

Phototherapy involves the use of the ultraviolet rays of the sun which can slow down the production of skin cells and minimizes inflammation. Exposure to sunlight can help decrease the appearance of psoriasis symptoms in some people. If the extent of the condition is widespread, and there are more patches in the skin, artificial light therapy will be utilized.

The use of phototherapy is also recommended when the patient has shown resistance to topical treatment. A treatment center needs to have the appropriate equipments in order to use the two main approaches of light therapy. The light required in phototherapy, usually found in most tanning salons, is not similar to the source of light found in the doctor’s office.

A systemic agent is an approach that involves the administration of drugs within the body. This is only resorted to when attempts to use topical treatments and phototherapy have been proven futile. For patients suffering from pustular psoriasis, the use of retinoids may be necessary from the onset of treatments.

After administration of retinoids, psoralen and ultraviolet A treatment follows. For mild and chronic varieties of pustular psoriasis, the first two approaches are tried out first. However, in the case of active psoriatric arthritis, the use of systemic agents is usually recommended. Likewise, people hampered by people suffering from conditions as a result of psychological, social, or economic reasons are treated using systemic approach.

People diagnosed with psoriasis should not worry too much as there are various treatments available at their disposal. However, they need to consult their practitioner first.
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Effects Of Psoriasis In Your Life

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Effects Of Psoriasis In Your Life

It is difficult if we suffered Psoriasis in our happy life.  Psoriasis can affect our skin but the impact of suffering from a psoriasis disease may also affect our emotional and psychological stability.  There are two major issues to tackle of having a psoriasis disease: (1) the dermatologist as well as the patient must treat the disease; and (2) the patient may need a psychologist to treat his/her emotional effect from other people being the ugliest individual in their community.

If we psoriasis, the observers of our community may think that we suffers that kind of disease because of bad hygiene and being unclean.  Almost a quarter of the psoriasis patients experienced a day or week and even for years that people in their community doesn’t want to touch or talk with them because they are thinking that they will suffers that disease also.  Most people everywhere if they accidentally cross a psoriasis patient will look the disease career from head to toe.  Wherever you are, either you are in the mall or even in the church, if they see you coming in, they will eventually make a distance away from you.

That avoidance can be a heart-hurting and makes it is not easy to sustain a strong self-image.  You may feel frustrated, angry, embarrassed, helpless or self-conscious.  And the shabbier your self-image, the harder it becomes to look forward to that people in your community will be going to understand you.

If you continue to worry of what the people will say about your psoriasis will create a major problem to build a stressful life.  Stress can make your psoriasis worse.  Almost 65 percent of people with psoriasis who became stressful from other people will worsen the psoriasis.
Without proper guidance and understanding from people with psoriasis will lead them into depression, anxiety, and became worse to think of committing suicide because of their body image issues.

One thing to help the psoriasis patient is to build a strong support network that will help them understand of the beauty of life and to understand their disease.  The members of the network will not judge the patient of being ugly as a psoriasis disease infected their skin.  Your network will make a particular research about psoriasis (how to help them; different kinds of treatments; types of psoriasis; or even the history of psoriasis) and if you can, you can help him also to finance his needed treatments. 

You can also ask help from a dermatologist to help them.  In that step, he will realize that beauty in life cannot be found only in your outer skin but also at the core of our heart.  Love and understanding will lead the way to extend the life of psoriasis patients.  Even if by the time they reach as a dying patient, a big smile will extend in their face from the bottom of their hearts saying “Thank You.”

If we are the observers of the community believing that having a Psoriasis disease won’t kill the patient instantly but slowly killing them inside because of emotional stress.  We should help them.  We should build a social support network.  A good start from the members of his family, then followed by his friends until all the community will truly understand about his disease.

Psoriasis disease is a deadly disease but the support network will make their dying time not a disease anymore.
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Different Types Of Psoriasis

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Different Types Of Psoriasis

Most of the dermatologists find a hard time to diagnose Psoriasis because it almost the same with other skin diseases such as fungus, acne and other related form especially when psoriasis is still in the mild form.  If you examine a small skin sample under the microscope you will eventually categorize if it is psoriasis or not and you can also identify them the type or form of psoriasis of a particular patient that includes the following:

Plaque psoriasis (psoriasis vulgaris), skin lesions are covered by silvery scales and red at the base of about 1/8 or small part of your body will be infected.  Removing this inflamed skin which bleed and slowly grow larger that will eventually develop a dry plaque.  This form can also develop from cold weather, infection or stress.  It can be started in the elbow, knees and lower backs.

Guttate psoriasis (comes from a Latin word “Gutta” which means “drop”), small, teardrop-shaped lesion appears on the limbs, trunk, and scalp and is mostly often triggered by upper respiratory infections (e.g.: a sore throat caused by streptococcal germs).  Guttate psoriasis can be the early stage of psoriasis because mostly affects the children to young adults

Pustular psoriasis (also known as Von Zumbusch Pustular Psoriasis), blisters of noninfectious pus appear on the skin and can be triggered by medicine, contamination, constant worry, or close contact to certain chemicals.  And this form of psoriasis can be a big treat also to our heart and kidney.

Inverse psoriasis, smooth, inflamed red patches occur in the folds of the skin near the genitals, under the breasts, or in the armpits and can be worsened by friction and sweating.  Inverse psoriasis patients can be difficult to treat and can be nearly linked to breast cancer.

Erythrodermic psoriasis, widespread reddening and scaling of the skin may be a reaction to severe sunburn or to taking corticosteroids (cortisone) or other medications and can be caused by a prolonged period of increased activity of psoriasis that is poorly controlled.  Erythordermic psoriasis can cover almost all over your body.

Psoriatic arthritis that produce symptom of arthritis in patient with inflammatory condition of stiff, tender and joints who have or will develop psoriasis.  AIDS patients diagnosed as the higher risk in developing psoriatic arthritis.  About 75% of the psoriatic arthritis patients suffer psoriasis in the nails.  Psoriatic arthritis can be associated with SAPHO (Synovitis, Acne, Pustule eruptions, Hyperostosis, Osteolysis).

Seborrheic psoriasis, patches that appear as red scaly areas on your scalp such as behind the ears, above the shoulder blades, in the armpits or groin, or can be worse at the center of the face and also difficult to treat.

Nail psoriasis, a tiny white pits scattered in group across the nails (most common in the toenails) with yellowish spots.  The nail bed peel away from the skin of the finger and dead skin can build up under the nail.

Scalp psoriasis, characterized by scale-capped plaques on the surface of the skull and at least half of every 100 patients of any form of psoriasis have this scalp psoriasis.

Whatever form of Psoriasis you have, it truly affects our beautiful life.  It also affects most of our financial investments just to cure this not curable skin disease.  But there are some reports that they have medications to treat Psoriasis of any form.

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History Of Psoriasis

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History Of Psoriasis

Probably one of the longest known illnesses of humans is Psoriasis.  Psoriasis became the ugliest disease for every human that they experience.  Either you are king, members of the royal family, a politician, a businessman or such an ordinary individual you are not safe in psoriasis.  Scholars believe that the tzaraat disease mention in the Bible is likely the same with psoriasis.  It was first introduced by Hippocrates (Greek Physician between 460 and 377 BC) but no formal introduction that time until in the first century that Cornelius Celsus (Roman author) described it as a condition that caused by staphylococcus pyogenes of red patches with watery blisters on the skin. 

During the time of Hippocrates, a psoriasis disease had different names such as lepra, psora, alphos and leichen.  And Psoriasis became part of the medicinal literature after Joseph Jacob Plenck of Vienna in 1776 as scaly or scale like diseases.  Plenck doesn’t compared the Psoriasis from other skin diseases discovered until Robert Willan (1757-1812), an English dermatologist together with Thomas Bateman recognized this disease as an independent.  They divided it into two categories: (1) Leprosa Graecorum, as the condition when the skin had scales; and (2) Psora Leprosa, as the condition when it became eruptive.

In 1841, Ferdinand von Hebra (Viennese dermatologist) as he was working with Willan’s notes, he ascribed the name “psoriasis” from the Greek word “psora” or “to itch” in the English dictionary, he’s also the one who described the clinical picture of psoriasis that our dermatologist are using today.

Until in the 20th century differentiated into more specific types such as plaque psoriasis, guttate psoriasis, pustular psoriasis, inverse psoriasis, erythrodermic psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, seborrheic psoriasis, nail psoriasis, and scalp psoriasis.

Psoriasis is an unrelieved constant condition.  Psoriasis varies in harshness established among adults.  Psoriasis can sort from being an annoyance to a devastating skin chaos, predominantly when it’s connected with arthritis.

There are different types of treatments recorded in the history to eliminate psoriasis from our skin for over 100 years.

For more than a century ago, the first aid treatments for the psoriasis were the dithranol, coal tar, salicyclic acid, sunlight (six to ten in the morning), Dead Sea salts and emollients.  In 1920’s, they found that ultraviolet light will make a great help.  They discovered topical and oral steroids in 1950’s.  While in 1960’s they discovered hydroxyurea.  PUVA (psoralen plus UVA) treated in the 1970’s while methotrexate in the 80’s.  A topical vitamin D3 as well as retinoids and cyclosporine help psoriasis patients in 1990’s.  And for this century, more technological treatments discovered such as biological treatments and laser treatments.

In the late 20th century it was understandable by a really gigantic approach to the predicament of psoriasis.  Around the world there have been published more than 10,000 pieces, faithful to psoriatic dermatosis which makes it one of the most examined in the last decade.  On the other hand, not any of the potential or the theories shows an absolute core the infection, and the similar harms of cure and precautionary safeguarding stands in the face of the modern dermatologists as vibrant as it did in the last centuries.

Today many Scientists and medical institutions compact with the examination of the root of psoriasis.  In the United States they formed an international association for the studies of psoriasis with 35 different countries worldwide in Stanford University as their headquarters.  They publish an American Journal of Psoriasis.

Then, every five years there is an specialized World Congress for the difficulty of psoriasis.  Every 29th of October is the World Psoriasis Day to help the psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis patients around the globe.
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An Introduction To Psoriasis

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An Introduction To Psoriasis

Psoriasis is an unrelieved provocative non contagious skin and joint disease that affects our immune system.   The white blood cells (T-cells) become over-stimulated and it commonly causes red crusty dry patches (also called psoriatic plaques or lesions) to emerge on the skin because of the excessive skin production.  The skin reacts just the same with the fungus infection.  Researchers believe that inheritance, atmosphere, and the immune system may also play a primary role in psoriasis. 

If you have psoriasis it will affects your immune system results an abnormally hasty skin cell cycle and usually itchy and feel sore.  The process of having psoriasis begins at the bottom layer of the epidermis, where keratinocytes are completed.  Keratinocytes are juvenile skin cells that fabricate keratin, a strong protein that helps the structure of hair, nails and skin.

Generally, skin cells that are produced in the deepest layers of our skin make their way to the outside in just a week or less.  They are full-grown, that sloughed off the skin, and replaced with novel skin cells from underneath.  Our skin cannot get rid of these cells as much as necessary speed, so they fabricate up and doing, leading to chunky, dry patches, or plaques, silvery, crumbling areas of dead skin.

They usually rise in your elbows, feet, palms, legs, face wrists, lower back and knees but can also affect any area such as our scalp and genitals but overall it can also affects our whole body.  In relation with exzema, psoriasis is more prone to be found on the peripheral portion of the joint (psoriatic arthritis).  Our fingernails and toenails can also affect with psoriasis (psoriatic nail dystrophy or nail lesions).

Psoriasis is not curable skin disease from time to time improving and worsening especially if you were triggered to scratch them.  Some people with psoriasis can rise in the colder winter months while others in the warmer months in increased sunlight exposure.  Patients with psoriasis can explode by changes in climate, stress, infections, a drug-related rash and dry skin and excess in alcohol.

Psoriasis can infected worldwide, whatever your gender and race, either you are baby, teen or an adult but most of the patients can only diagnosed in their early adult years.  People with rigorous psoriasis may have collective awkwardness, job strain, expressive anguish, and other delicate issues for the reason that the outward show of their skin.

About 25-40% of patients with psoriasis can also develop psoriatic arthritis and still cannot be diagnosed especially if the symptoms are placid.  They usually develops between the early 30’s to the late 40’s; on the other hand, as mentioned on the previous paragraph that it can affect of any age of any gender worldwide and 5.7 to 7.5 millions of people in the United States or 2 to 2.6 percent of the total population suffers psoriasis.   

There are different types of psoriasis but regardless of what type you have it usually causes you a discomfort life.  And because of psoriasis, most patients can be awake even at night because of the itchy feeling.  The pain can be difficult to handle and you even think to finish your life because of discomfort.

Being a patient with Psoriasis will be suffers a lifelong treatment and therapy and can losing all your financial investment just for the medications.
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Limited Scleroderma - Causes, Symptoms And Treatment

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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.
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Having Lungs Involved In Scleroderma

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Having Lungs Involved In Scleroderma

Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease that happens when the antibodies, instead of protecting the body would attack the tissues causing them to degrade or limiting the affected area’s functions. It primarily deals with the connective tissues, those of which act like glue and bind our cells together. Since these connective tissues are found almost everywhere on our body, scleroderma is able to affect all of them primarily the skin and the organs.

Scleroderma is quite rare as it is only found in 14 out of every 1 million people worldwide. Scleroderma mostly occurs in women more than it does on men however, it can kill more men. It is likely to develop between the ages of 30 to 50 and is inherent in some races such as the Native American Choctaw tribe and African-American women. It is also very rare that it would develop in children.

How Does Scleroderma Affect The Lungs?

Scleroderma can affect the lungs just as it could affect other organs and limit their functions. While scleroderma would affect the skin in most cases, another one of the most common organs that scleroderma would attack are the lungs. This happens when the antibodies attack the lungs causing its surfaces to toughen and limiting the lungs’ functions. With that, scleroderma lung involvement can also lead to the rise of other complications with the lungs and even with the heart. Some of these complications can be pneumonia, lung abscess, pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary fibrosis.

Fortunately, lung involvement in scleroderma can be managed with some medications and some processes. While these may not remove the disease entirely from the person, it could give relief and as well as minimize the damages done by scleroderma. This is the typical approach when it comes to treating all forms of scleroderma.

How Is This Diagnosed?

If one would have the development of calcium deposits in the skin as well as experience pain or problems with some organs, then that person is most likely to be a victim or systemic sclerosis. As for lung involvement, the patient would go different medical tests to see how the lungs are functioning. One common test that can be done is pulmonary function testing which will have the patient breath through a machine and from there; the doctor will be able to tell how well the lungs are functioning.

Another test that could be done is an open lung biopsy of which the doctor will take a sample scraping from your lungs and have it observed to see what can be done with your condition and what medications you could take to relieve you from your symptoms.

How Is This Treated?

With scleroderma not having a known cause, it also has no known cure. While medications are available, these only limit damages done by the illness and as well as relieve a patient from symptoms. For scleroderma lung involvement, a doctor could give you an immunosuppressive, this of which would try to limit the amount of antibodies produced. If a patient should not find relief from this medication or should develop other side effects, other therapies can be made.

Other therapies that can be done to relieve a patient from the symptoms of scleroderma lung involvement are antifibrotic therapy which in attempt would try to lessen the fibrous surfaces of the affected area, antiendothelin therapy and anticytokine therapy.
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Digestive System Involvement In Scleroderma

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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.

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