Scleroderma: Treatment, Procedure, Cost and Side Effects

Autoimmune disorder

Scleroderma is a type of disease which is related to the connective tissue which results in thicker skin. This thick skin causes scarring, certain blood vessel problems and also issues of inflammation and pain. Scleroderma is mainly caused due to the overreactions in the immune systems. In this condition the body’s tissues are affected by its own immune system. Common symptoms of this disease are formation of fibrosis in the skin which leads the skin to cause firmness. Scleroderma is also known to be formed in the kidney. There have been results that scleroderma is associated with certain genes as well. Scleroderma maybe caused due to external factors such as exposure to certain viruses. If scleroderma is left untreated then it might lead to blood vessel damage and collagen accumulation. There are different kinds of scleroderma depending on where it occurs. In children, liner scleroderma leads to a certain level of stunted growth and sometimes it is associated with the skins in the abdominal regions as well. Sometimes the internal organs might develop skins which can be diffused or limited in nature. Sometimes, high blood pressure can be a major problem if you have kidney scleroderma and if left untreated or unrecognized, it can lead to kidney failure and renal crisis.

The treatment procedure depends on the severity of the case. One of the common treatments of scleroderma is transplantation. In the process of transplantation there is a procedure known as Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) which removes the additional skin formed and eliminated the firmness on the skin. There is also a form of skin fibrosis treatment procedure where the antibiotics are injected in the body to alter the complications formed in the genes and prevent anti-transforming growth of beta antibodies which are one of the trouble causes of scleroderma. There are other forms of treatment such as to dilate the blood vessels which prevent the scleroderma to cause lung and kidney problems. Sometimes you may have to suppress the immune system so as to improve the productivity of the medications applied. Reducing the acid content in your stomach is also an effective way to eliminate the problems caused by this disease. Therapies are also viable for eliminating the symptoms of this disease which help you to manage pain and improve the strength and proper functioning in the affected areas. Surgery depends on the location of the affected area. The surgeries involve amputation to remove the ulcers caused by scleroderma and there are also lung transplants for those who have developed scleroderma in their lungs. Lungs transplants are necessary for those who have high blood pressure in the arteries of their lungs.

You should consider for the treatment of scleroderma If you face the following symptoms. The symptoms of this disease are usually hardening of the skin, inflammation in the affected areas and pain as well. This disease causes numbness, color changes in the skin of the affected areas and certain complications in the digestive system as well. If you have scleroderma in your kidney then you might experience irregular abdominal pains as well.

Those who have complications regarding their immune system are often avoided with the surgeries as they sometimes do not recover properly from this disease. Sometimes the inflammation of the skin is confused with arthritis therefore you should confirm the course of treatment from your medical expert. Those who have genetic complications are provided with a different set of medications to avoid certain side effects.

With the course of the treatment, depending on the immune system from person to person, you might have certain side effects with the treatment. These side effects are mainly skin rashes, swollen skin and minor ulcers. You might also experience sensitivity on your skin when suddenly exposed to hot or cold surfaces. The complications might also include certain shortness of breath, sudden tightness and looseness of the skin. Other side effects are dry mouth and fatigue.

Along with the course of the treatment you have to maintain some guidelines for better results. You should apply medicinal moisturizers to avoid the tightness of the skin. You should obtain regular physiotherapies to properly carry out day to day activities and to ease the pain. You should also continue with your medications as prescribed by your medical expert.

The recovery time for this disease varies from person to person and it takes ample amount of time to eliminate the problems completely. Even if the problems are eliminated completely, suddenly you might start facing the symptoms again due to overwork, injury etc. Approximately it takes about six to 15 months to notice that the symptoms have been eliminated. However, you need to carry on with the medications and therapies otherwise there might be signs of the scleroderma to rejuvenate again.

The surgeries for this disease approximately range from Rs. 23,000 to Rs. 44,000. The medications monthly range from Rs. 1,500 to Rs. 3,000 and the therapies range from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 15,000 depending on the condition of the patients.

The results of the treatment of scleroderma depend on the genetics and immune system of the person. If one has a good immune system then they might recover at a fast rate and have comparatively less side effects than those who have genetic complications and improper immune system. Blood pressure also plays an important role in the effectiveness of the treatment of scleroderma.