Scleroderma is a skin disease in which small vessels of the whole organism become inflamed with subsequent damage to them. Scleroderma has a progressive and systemic nature, which in the future, in the absence of support of the body leads to adverse effects in the form of disability.
Unfortunately, modern medicine is unable to eliminate the disease completely, but the timely removal of symptoms helps maintain the body at the proper level.
In America and Europe, today they are practicing stem cell transplants to treat the disease, but it is not currently known how effective and justified it can be. It is only known that in 93% of cases patients with scleroderma respond to similar therapy.
Scleroderma refers to one of the forms of arthritis .
Causes of Scleroderma
Like many other complex diseases that are systemic and progressive, systemic scleroderma is considered genetic. However, it is fair to note that this can be one of the factors that strengthens a similar response of the body to other unfavorable factors.
Subcooling is considered the most common cause of scleroderma - the vessels in this case become inflamed, and around them collagen and fibrous tissue form. The walls of the vessels thicken in response to these processes, lose elasticity, up to the complete closure of the lumens.
This state of the vessels leads to a violation of blood circulation first in separate areas, and then in all parts of the body and even internal organs. In turn, this leads to even more violations - the mucosa is thinner, because of what, first of all, the stomach and esophagus suffer. But other reactions of the body to inflammation of blood vessels and circulatory disorders are also frequent - the mucous membrane may thicken, which also entails strong disorders in the body: the thickened gastric mucosa does not allow the normal absorption of food substances, the lungs violate the excretion of carbon dioxide, and the muscle fibers are reduced.
Thus, the disease gradually leads to the dysfunction of many organs and systems, which poses a challenge for treating physicians.
In addition to hypothermia, nervous system infections, chemicals, disorders in the immune system, and even the constant effects of vibration on the body during work can also lead to scleroderma.
Symptoms of scleroderma
When the disease occurs keratinization of the skin. According to its manifestations, scleroderma has several forms.
Limited scleroderma
With this form, the upper layers of the skin are affected, and the rest do not suffer. One type of scleroderma of this kind is plaque scleroderma, in which small areas with a rounded shape are affected. First, there are spots that have a pinkish-violet hue, then plaques appear - seals, and the final stage of such local development of scleroderma is atrophy.
The onset of the disease is imperceptible - several spots appear, usually on the arm. They are large - larger than the palm of your hand. A peculiarity of scleroderma is that in the area of spots there is a loss of hair. The period of plaques can have a long duration - years and months, and not manifest atrophy.
Juvenile scleroderma in this case has similar manifestations.
Diffuse scleroderma
This kind of scleroderma manifests itself brighter than a limited form - a person's fever rises, numbness of the limbs and a slight itch. Then begins the universal process of skin damage, which has three stages: swelling of the tissues, induration (compaction) occurs, and then atrophy.
Skin color acquires a yellowish tinge, and the distinctive feature of this form is that it can not be folded. If you press on the skin, the hole does not form. For a person with this form of illness it is difficult to move, and the face acquires a masklike appearance.