Scleroderma Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Definition
Scleroderma is a condition when the connective tissue in the skin, blood vessels, and internal organs becomes hard or thickens. This condition occurs because the body’s immune system attacks the connective tissue so that scar tissue and thickening form.
This disease is quite rare and has a variety of variations, from mild to severe to fatal. Scleroderma cannot be cured, but it can be controlled.
Scleroderma Symptoms
There are two types of scleroderma, namely local disorders that only affect the skin and systemic disorders that involve blood vessels and internal organs.
Local scleroderma is the mildest problem and often occurs in children. Symptoms include the appearance of one or more hard plaques.
There are two types of skin scleroderma that can occur, namely:
- Morphoea. Discolored, oval-shaped plaques that can appear anywhere on the body, are usually itchy, hairless and shiny. Plaque generally gets better after a few years and treatment may not be necessary.
- linear. Thick plaques occur in streaks along the face, head, legs or arms, sometimes affecting the bones and muscles in these areas.
Systemic scleroderma is common in women ages 30 to 50. In addition to attacking the skin, scleroderma also commonly affects internal organs such as the heart, lungs or kidneys. Symptoms that occur can include shortness of breath, high blood pressure, and pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the lungs).
There are two types of systemic scleroderma that can occur, namely:
- limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis, which is a disorder that generally occurs:
- lighter
- attacks the skin of the face, hands and feet
- It can attack the lungs and digestive system
- have early symptoms in the form of Raynaud’s phenomenon, which is a circulation problem when the fingers and toes turn white or pale in cold weather
- causes other symptoms in the form of thickening of the skin on the face, hands and feet, red spots on the skin, hard lumps under the skin, a burning sensation in the chest ( heartburn ), and dysphagia (swallowing problems)
- over time it will get worse slowly but can be controlled with medication
- diffuse systemic sclerosis, the most common form of the disorder:
- more often attack internal organs
- changes in the skin that can affect any part of the body
- have other symptoms such as weight loss, weakness, joint pain, and joint stiffness
- Symptoms often appear suddenly and quickly become severe in the early years of exposure. When conditions improve, skin disorders will also slowly improve
Scleroderma Reason
Scleroderma occurs when the immune system becomes overactive and out of control. As a result, the connective tissue produces too much collagen and then forms scar tissue and tissue thickening or fibrosis.
The cause of this immune system disorder is still unknown to date. However, it is suspected that genetic factors and family history can increase the risk of developing this disease.
Scleroderma Diagnosis
The doctor will determine the diagnosis of scleroderma from the medical history and physical examination. Investigations such as blood tests are carried out to detect antinuclear antibodies (ANAs). Other antibodies may also be present and will reflect an autoimmune disorder.
Other tests also need to be done to detect the severity of the internal organs. This examination can include an examination of the upper and lower digestive system, chest X-ray, lung function, heart record (ECG), and echocardiogram. In some cases, cardiac catheterization is also performed. The goal is to check heart and lung blood pressure.
Scleroderma Treatment
Scleroderma cannot be cured. The goal of treatment is to control symptoms and prevent the disease from getting worse. Treatment may consist of:
- medication to improve circulation
- drugs to decrease the activity of the immune system and slow the progression of the disease
- steroid medication to reduce joint pain and muscle problems
- moisturizer for the affected skin and relieve itching
- gloves and socks for Raynaud’s phenomenon
- pain medication
- medicine for heartburn
- high blood pressure medication
- surgery for hard lumps in the skin or tight muscles
- therapy laser
- photodynamic therapy
- physiotherapy and stretching to train muscles and skin to be more flexible
- occupational therapy
It is also important for sufferers to continue to eat healthy foods, exercise regularly, stop smoking, and maintain blood pressure at normal levels.
Prevention
Scleroderma is difficult and almost impossible to prevent. This is because scleroderma is caused by an out-of-control immune system and is related to genetic influences.