Guide to treatment of   Scleroderma

Return to first page of scleroderma 

Return to causes of Scleroderma                     

Heart problems: Common among people with scleroderma, heart problems include scarring and weakening of the heart (cardiomyopathy), inflamed heart muscle (myocarditis), and abnormal heart beat (arrhythmia). All of these problems can be treated. Treatment ranges from drugs to surgery, and varies depending on the nature of the condition. We recommend Homepathic Cratageous 200 be taken daily.

Kidney problems: Renal crisis occurs in about 10 percent of all patients with scleroderma, primarily those with early diffuse scleroderma. Renal crisis results in severe uncontrolled high blood pressure, which can quickly lead to kidney failure. It's very important that you take measures to identify and treat the hypertension as soon as it occurs. These are things you can do:

• Check your blood pressure regularly. You should also check it if you have any new or different symptoms such as a headache or shortness of breath. If the blood pressure is higher than usual, call your doctor right away.
• If you have kidney problems, take your prescribed medications faithfully. In the past two decades, drugs known as ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors, including captopril (Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec), or lisinopril, have made scleroderma-related kidney failure a less threatening problem than it used to be. But for these drugs to work, you must take them as soon as the hypertension is present.

Cosmetic problems: Even if scleroderma doesn't cause any lasting physical disability, its effects on the skin's appearance - particularly on the face - can take their toll on your self-esteem. Fortunately, there are procedures to correct some of the cosmetic problems scleroderma causes:

• The appearance of telangiectasias - small red spots on the hands and face caused by swelling of tiny blood vessels beneath the skin - may be reduced or even eliminated with the use of guided lasers.
• Facial changes of localized scleroderma - such as the en coup de sabre that may run down the forehead in people with linear scleroderma - may be corrected through cosmetic surgery. (However, such surgery is not appropriate for areas of the skin where the disease is active.)

How Can Scleroderma Affect My Life?

Having a chronic disease can affect almost every aspect of your life, from family relationships to holding a job. For people with scleroderma, there may be other concerns about appearance or even the ability to dress, bathe, or handle the most basic daily tasks. Here are some areas in which scleroderma could intrude.

Appearance and self-esteem: Aside from the initial concerns about health and longevity, people with scleroderma quickly become concerned with how the disease will affect their appearance. Thick, hardened skin can be difficult to accept, particularly on the face. Systemic scleroderma may result in facial changes that eventually cause the opening to the mouth to become smaller and the upper lip to virtually disappear. Linear scleroderma may leave its mark on the forehead. Although these problems can't always be prevented, their effects may be minimized with proper treatment. Also, special cosmetics - and in some cases, plastic surgery - can help conceal scleroderma's damage.

continue to  Scleroderma Caring for yourself: