About Sarcoidosis | Virginia

WHAT IS IT?

It is an inflammatory disease that affects multiple organs in the body, with most cases affecting the lungs, lymph glands, eyes, and skin. It causes masses or nodules (called granulomas) consisting of inflamed tissues to form in certain organs of the body. These granulomas may alter the normal structure and possibly the function of the affected organ(s). The exact cause of sarcoidosis is not known. What triggers this response is uncertain. Some people appear to have a genetic predisposition to develop the disease, which may be triggered by bacteria, viruses, dust or chemicals. How sarcoidosis spreads from one part of the body to another is still being studied.

There is no single way to diagnose sarcoidosis, being that it mimics so many other diseases. Due to this, doctors have to carefully review a patient's medical history and examine them to determine if they have sarcoidosis. The main tools a doctor will use to diagnose sarcoidosis include:

Chest X-rays to look for cloudiness (pulmonary infiltrates) or swollen lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy).
CT scan to provide an even more detailed look at the lungs and lymph nodes than provided by a chest X-ray.
Pulmonary function (breathing) tests to measure how well the lungs are working.
Bronchoscopy to inspect the bronchial tubes and to extract a biopsy (a small tissue sample) to look for granulomas and to obtain material to rule out infection. Bronchoscopy involves passing a small tube (bronchoscope) down the trachea (windpipe) and into the bronchial tubes (airways) of the lungs.
Positron emission tomography (PET) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) if sarcoidosis seems to be affecting your heart or central nervous system.
Blood tests to assess your overall health and how well your kidneys and liver are functioning.

There is no cure for sarcoidosis. Treatment is given to reduce symptoms and to maintain the proper working order of the affected organs.

Treatments generally fall into two categories, maintenance of good health practices and drug treatment. Good health practices include getting regular check-ups with your health care provider, eating a well-balanced diet with a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, drinking enough fluids every day, getting six to eight hours of sleep each night, exercising regularly and managing your weight, and quitting smoking. The oral corticosteroid prednisone is the most commonly used drug treatment. Fatigue and persistent cough are usually improved with steroid treatment. If steroids are prescribed, its best to see a doctor at regular intervals so that he or she can monitor the disease and the side effects of treatment. Medications like methotrexate (Trexall) and azathioprine (Azasan, Imuran) reduce inflammation by suppressing the immune system. Other treatment options include methotrexate (Otrexup, Rheumatrex), hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil), and other drugs. Organ transplant may also be an option if sarcoidosis has severely damaged your lungs, heart or liver. Click HERE to download the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Awareness' Treatment Protocol.

As we all know from the many commercials and ads for pharmaceutical drugs and treatments come with many side effects. Also access to educational information on the various drugs and treatments prescribed is of abundance when compared to other alternatives and methods. Thats why here at #TeamAndreaFight one of our goals is to push the education, information, and resources of alternative treatment methods. See our blog for various information and resources on holistic and herbal healing and treatments!

HOW IS IT DIAGNOSED?

TREATMENT

THE HARD TRUTH

Over 200,000

PEOPLE IN THE U.S. HAVE SARCOIDOSIS

36 out of every 100,000

AFRICAN AMERICANS DIAGNOSED

20 - 40 year olds

ARE MORE COMMONLY AFFECTED, WITH MOST BEING WOMEN

The symptoms of sarcoidosis can vary greatly, depending on which organs are involved. They may include:

Dry cough, fatigue, shortness of breath.
Tender reddish bumps or patches on the skin.
Red and teary eyes or blurred vision.
Swollen and painful joints.
Enlarged and tender lymph glands in the neck, armpits, and groin.
Enlarged lymph glands in the chest and around the lungs.
Hoarse voice.
Pain in the hands, feet, or other bony areas due to the formation of cysts (an abnormal sac-like growth) in bones.
Kidney stone formation.
Enlarged liver.
Development of abnormal or missed heart beats (arrhythmias), inflammation of the covering of the heart (pericarditis), or heart failure.
Nervous system effects, including hearing loss, meningitis, seizures, or psychiatric disorders (for example, dementia, depression, psychosis).

Sometimes sarcoidosis causes long-term problems like:

Lungs. Untreated pulmonary sarcoidosis can lead to permanent scarring in your lungs, making it difficult to breathe.
Eyes. Inflammation can affect almost any part of your eye and can eventually cause blindness. Rarely, sarcoidosis also can cause cataracts and glaucoma.
Kidneys. Sarcoidosis can affect how your body handles calcium, which can lead to kidney failure.
Heart. Granulomas in your heart can cause abnormal heart rhythms and other heart problems. In rare instances, this may lead to death.
Nervous system. A small number of people with sarcoidosis develop problems related to the central nervous system when granulomas form in the brain and spinal cord. Inflammation in the facial nerves, for example, can cause facial paralysis.