Table of Contents
Introduction
Sarcoidosis is an illness that results from a particular type of tenderness of the body tissues. It can emerge in almost any body organ, but it start most frequently in the lymph nodes or lungs. The cause of sarcoidosis is mysterious. It can develop gradually to show signs that come and go, sometimes for a lifetime or the disease can disappear and appear suddenly.
As sarcoidosis progresses, microscopic lumps of a precise form of inflammation, named as granulomas, emerge in the affected tissues. In the mass of cases, these granulomas disappear either with or without cure. The tissues tend to remain inflamed and become scared (fibrotic) in cases where the granulomas do not heal and disappear.
Dr. Jonathan Hutchinson in England and Dr. Caesar Boeck in Norway were the two dermatologists working independently that were the first people to Identify Sarcoidosis over one hundred years ago. Sarcoidosis was initially called Boeck's disease or Hutchison's disease. Dr. Boek went on to style today name for illness from the Greek words "oid" and "sark" meaning flesh like. The idiom describes the skin eruptions that are normally caused by the illness (Iannuzzi, 2006).
Overview
Any organ in your body can be affected by Sarcoidosis. Though, it is more likely to take place in some organs than in others. The disease normally starts in the skin, lymph nodes (especially the lymph nodes in your chest) or lungs. The disease also regularly affects the liver and the eyes. Though in less common situation Sarcoidosis can affect the brain and heart, leading to serious complications.
Organ can be affected on how to work if many granulomas form in an organ.
This can result to signs and symptoms. Signs and symptoms differ depending on which organ is affected. Lots of people who have Sarcoidosis have no mild symptoms or symptoms. Lofgren's syndrome is classic set of symptoms and signs that is usual in some people who have Sarcoidosis. Lofgren's syndrome may cause fever, erythema nodosum (er-THE-ma no-DO-sum) arthritis (usually in the ankles) or enlarged lymph nodes.
A rash of reddish purple or red bumps on your shins and ankles is called as Erythema nodosum. The rash may be tender to touch and worm. Sarcoidosis treatment varies depending on which organ is affected. Your doctor may prescribe medicine or treatment to treat the disease. Not everybody who has Sarcoidosis require treatment.
Signs and symptoms
In addition to the lymph nodes and lungs, the body organ may likely than other be affected by Sarcoidosis are the liver, skin, heart, nervous system and the kidneys, in that same order of frequency. Patients can have symptoms connected to the specific organ affected, they can be without any symptoms whatsoever or they can have only general symptoms. Symptoms can also differ according to how long the disease has been underway, where the formation of granulomas is, whether the granulomatous process is still active and how greatly tissue has been affected.
A doctor can at times notice symptoms of sarcoidosis during a routine assessment even when there is no symptom, usually when checking out another complaint and a chest x-ray, The patient's ethic group and age or race can raise an additional red flag symptoms or sign of sickness could be related to sarcoidosis. Swelling of the tear glands and salivary and cysts in the bone tissue are also among sarcoidosis signal.
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The first site involve in the sarcoidosis are usually the lungs. Indeed, sarcoidosis patients who have some type of lung problem are about nine out of ten, with nearly one- third of these patients viewing some respiratory symptoms usually coughing, either with phlegm or dry, and dyspnea. Occasionally, patients have feeling of tightness in the chest and chest pain. It is believed that lung sarcoidosis begins with swelling of the alveoli (alveolitis), the tiny sac like air spaces in the lung where oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged. Alveolities either leads to granuloma formation or clears up spontaneously. Eventually, fibrosis forms making breathing even more difficult and causing the lungs to stiffen.
Eye sickness occurs about twenty to thirty percent of patients with sarcoidosis, mostly in children who get the illness. Nearly any part of the eye affected the membranes of the eyelid, retina, outer coat of the eyeball (sclera), lens and cornea. The eye involvement can start with reddening or watery eye or with no symptoms at all. In few cases glaucoma, cataracts and blindness can result.
Sarcoidosis patients are affected in the skin by nearly twenty percent. Skin sarcoidoss is normally marked by tinny, increased patches on the face. Occasionally, the patches are larger and purplish in color. Patches can also appear on face, buttocks and limbs.
Erythema nodosum is also another symptom of sarcodosis, mostly on the legs and always accompanied by arthritis in the ankles, wrists, hands and elbows. Erythema nodosum normally goes away, but other skin problem may endure. Occasionally one to five percent, can lead to nervous organism problems. For instance, sarcoid granulomas can appear in the spinal cord, brain, optic nerves and facial. Other symptoms of nerve and facial paralysis call for prompt treatment with remedy such as high doses of cortisone. People with sarcoidosis can have depression that is dissimilar to the motion of the disorders and is felt to be, partly, due to a misdirected immune system. Symptoms can appear rapidly and then disappear. In some situation they can continue over a lifetime.
Diagnosis
Initial diagnosis of Sarcoidosis depends on the medical history, a physical examination, routine test, and a chest x-ray of the victim. In eliminating other diseases with similar feature the doctor confirms the diagnosis of Sarcoidosis. These include such granulomatous diseases as tuberculosis, farmer's lung disease (hypersensitive pneumonitis), rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatic fever, carncer of the lymph nodes (lymphoma) and berylliosis (a diseases resulting from exposure to beryllium metal).
Treatment
Luckily, many Sarcoidosis patients do not require medication. Its symptoms are not fatal and tend to disappear unexpectedly. The main goal is to keep the lungs and other affected body organ working and to relieving symptoms, when therapy is needed. Once the symptoms fade the diseases is considered inactive. Corticosteroid drugs remain the primary treatment for granuloma and inflammation formation, after many years of experience with treating the diseases (White, 2007).
The corticosteroid most often prescribed today is prednisone. There is no cure at present to reverse the lung scarring (fibrosis) that may be present in extreme sarcoidosis.
Many tests are needed to diagnose sarcoidosis.
Tests can also reveal whether Sarcoidosis patients are getting better. Intermittently, a blood test may indicate high blood level of calcium supplementing sarcoidosis. When it occurs, the victim might be advised to try and avoid types of food that are calcium-rich, sunlight or vitamin D, or even taking prednisone.
Since the disorder can always disappear without medication, even physicians differ on when the treatment should be started, the kind of dose to be prescribed, and the period that should be taken to continue the remedy. The decision of the physician depends on the organ system that is involved and to what extend the tenderness has progressed. If the disease becomes stern, particularly in the nervous system, eyes, heart, lungs, kidneys or spleen, the physician may recommend corticosteroid.
Conclusion
At one time, Sarcoidosis was regarded as an uncommon disease. It is understood to be a common chronic disorder appearing worldwide. Apparently, it is the most widespread of the dreadful lung diseases and occurs regularly in the U.S for the Congress to be able to make a national Sarcoidosis Awareness Day declaration in 1990. It can be experienced by all races in both sexes. Nonetheless, the risk can be greater for young black adults, particularly a black woman, or even of German, Puerto Rican and Irish origin.