Saving Yourself From Sarcoidosis
You feel run down most of the time. You have a fever and a loss of appetite. You have lost some weight. You also have a dry cough and have a little trouble breathing. You could have sarcoidosis.
Sarcoidosis refers to a condition where something has turned on the immune system. White blood cells and other body cells pile up and die inside of an organ. After they die, they aggregate into mounds called granulomas. These granulomas, so named because they look like grains of sugar or sand, can only be seen with a microscope.
These tiny granulomas can grow and clump together, making many large and small groups of lumps. If many granulomas form in an organ, they affect how the organ works. This can cause symptoms of sarcoidosis. Sarcoidosis can occur in almost any part of the body, although it usually affects some organs more than others.
Sarcoidosis affects people of all ages and races worldwide. It is more prevalent among 20 to 40 years old; blacks, especially women; and people of Asian, German, Irish, Puerto Rican and Scandinavian origin.
In the United States, sarcoidosis affects African Americans somewhat more often and more severely than Caucasians. The illness is chronic (long-term) and systemic (throughout the body).
Most people with sarcoidosis will develop granulomas in their lungs or liver. Granulomas are also commonly seen in the lymph nodes, eyes and skin. Other organs that can be affected include the spleen, bones, joints, muscle, heart and nervous system.
The cause of sarcoidosis is unknown but there has been speculation of a viral or bacterial infection, a defect in the immune system, exposure to a toxic substance, an unknown environmental cause or an inherited or genetic cause. When the white cell debris builds up, the patient experiences shortness of breath, fever and a general run-down feeling. Other possible symptoms include numbness, weakening of muscles, migraines, dizziness, problems with walking, balance and coordination, memory problems, seizures and Bell’s palsy.
Some people with the illness walk around feeling well and not experiencing any symptoms at all. Sarcoidosis can be discovered if the person takes an X-ray for an unrelated reason.
Family members of someone with sarcoidosis have an increased risk of getting it because of unknown inherited traits.
Blood tests and X-rays can be helpful in diagnosing sarcoidosis, but confirmation should come from examination of biopsied tissue of a granuloma.
Deciding when to treat sarcoidosis can be a tough call. Usually doctors hold off on treating newly diagnosed sarcoidosis for a couple of months to see if the illness disappears on its own.
Though many people without symptoms don’t need treatment, for some it can be a devastating illness.
For those that require it, the standard of treatment is oral corticosteroid therapy, which needs to be taken for years.
Taking steroids for years may have some negative side effects but the positive effects far outweigh them for many people. Working closely with your health provider is essential to continually adjust for the optimum therapeutic dose and keep an eye towards potential side effects.
The outlook is good regarding patients with sarcoidosis in the early stages of the disease. It is rare that it is fatal. But sarcoidosis often goes into remission on its own.
