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Scleroderma
Scleroderma is Greek term meaning “hard skin,” but it is not just a skin
disease. It is a chronic, degenerative disorder that leads to vascular
deterioration, tissue loss, and the overproduction of collagen in the body's
connective tissue.
Scleroderma is most serious when it affects internal
organs, causing severe damage and serious complications for the body's
digestive, respiratory, circulatory and immune systems. It is not
contagious, cancerous, or inherited. An estimated 300,000
Americans are affected with scleroderma, with women 4 times more likely
to develop the disease than men. The exact cause is unknown.
There are two main Types of Scleroderma:
1) Systemic, which can affect the skin, blood vessels, and internal
organs,
2) Localized (such as Morphea and Linear) which affect only the skin.
Scleroderma symptoms include one or more of the following:
- Raynaud's Phenomenon (abnormal sensitivity to cold in the
extremities).
- Swelling of the hands and feet.
- Pain and stiffness of the joints.
- Thickening of the skin.
- Joint contractures.
- Digestive system and gastrointestinal tract problems.
- Sjogren's Syndrome (dry mucus membranes).
- Oral, facial and dental problems.
- Kidney, heart, and lung involvement.
- Non-specific symptoms such as extreme fatigue, generalized
weakness, weight loss, and vague aching of muscles, joints and
bones.
Rheumatologists specialize in pain and inflammation of muscles,
joints or soft tissue. They are most likely to be familiar with many
different signs of scleroderma so that a diagnosis can be made.
Dermatologists specialize in skin and can also perform tests that can
confirm a diagnosis can be made.
Scleroderma can be diagnosed through the following tests:
- The nailfold capillary test, which was developed through the work
of the Scleroderma Research Foundation, is one of the most useful
and least invasive tools. This test examines skin beneath the
fingernail under a microscope to determine the presence or absence
of normal capillary function (an early sign of scleroderma).
- The anti-nuclear antibody test is a blood test that can be helpful
in determining the presence of scleroderma, although it is not a
conclusive test and is used only as part of a complete diagnostic
evaluation
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