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Scleroderma: Education is the Key.

Scleroderma: Education is the Key. By, Dana Tanner. Scleroderma is a disease that is in the process of being understood fully. . The more we know, the faster we can find a cure. What do we know? No one knows what causes scleroderma.

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Scleroderma: Education is the Key.

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  1. Scleroderma: Education is the Key. By, Dana Tanner

  2. Scleroderma is a disease that is in the process of being understood fully.

  3. The more we know, the faster we can find a cure. • What do we know? • No one knows what causes scleroderma. • It is a disease that causes an abnormal growth of connective tissue, the proteins that support your skin and organs. • There are two main types. • Localized scleroderma affects only your skin. • Systemic scleroderma affects your blood vessels and internal organs, as well as your skin. • There is no cure, but various treatments can relieve symptoms

  4. There are people in the U.S. that don’t know they have Scleroderma. How can a person find out if they have Scleroderma? • A diagnosis could take months as the disease develops and as the doctor tried to rule out other possible causes for the symptoms a person is having. The person’s doctor will use their medical history and a physical exam to determine a diagnosis. • The doctor will order some laboratory tests. These tests will evaluate a persons blood counts and kidney function. The presence of certain antibodies in your blood can help confirm a suspected diagnosis. Although, the lab tests can help diagnose a person, with out physical symptoms it is hard to do so.

  5. Treatment is different for each individual. • No treatment had been proven effective at impacting the over production of collagen that creates scleroderma. However, several treatments are very effective at preventing and/or reducing organ damage from this disease. Because systemic sclerosis is a complicated disease that can affect many different organs, you may need to be treated by several different physicians at different times.

  6. Learn more! You could help save a life! How has knowing more about Scleroderma helped today? • We have learned that scleroderma is not contagious. • While the amputation of fingers and toes is sometimes still unavoidable, these procedures are rarely necessary because of the availability of many new treatments that target specific tissues and nerves. • Other health specialists become involved if particular organs are affected: for example, cardiologists for heart problems, pulmonologists for lung complications, and gastroenterologists for digestive tract issues.

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