Another early sign of systemic scleroderma is puffy or swollen hands before thickening and hardening of the skin due to fibrosis. Skin thickening usually occurs first in the fingers (called sclerodactyly) and may also involve the hands and face.
Beside this, can you have scleroderma without skin problems?
It is possible to have Systemic Sclerosis without skin thickening (sine scleroderma), which is when a patient has the internal organ manifestations without the skin findings, but this is very rare.
Considering this, does scleroderma affect walking?
Since scleroderma causes skin degeneration and scarring, people with this condition are also at an increased risk of developing foot wounds. Abnormalities in the gait or walking pattern are sometimes found in people with this condition as well.
Does scleroderma come on suddenly?
skin changes can affect the whole body. other symptoms can include weight loss, fatigue, and joint pain and stiffness. symptoms come on suddenly and get worse quickly over the first few years, but then the condition normally settles and the skin may gradually improve.
Does scleroderma make you gain weight?
Acute localized scleroderma (morphea) can present as severe generalized oedema with rapid weight gain and oliguria.
How do I know if I have scleroderma?
Scleroderma: Signs and symptoms
- Hard, thickening, or tight skin. This trait is what gives scleroderma its name. …
- Hair loss and less sweating. …
- Dry skin and itch. …
- Skin color changes. …
- Salt-and-pepper look to the skin. …
- Stiff joints and difficulty moving them. …
- Muscle shortening and weakness. …
- Loss of tissue beneath the skin.
How does scleroderma affect the bowels?
In each section of the intestines, the muscles are controlled by the nervous system and ordinarily function in a well-coordinated series of contractions to move food through the digestive system. In scleroderma, the muscles of the intestines become weakened and ultimately get replaced by scar tissue.
What blood tests show scleroderma?
A blood test alone cannot diagnose scleroderma. Depending on the clinical situation, additional tests may be done, such as: Pulmonary function tests or breathing tests to measure how well the lungs are working. CT chest scan may also be ordered to evaluate the extent of lung involvement.
What can mimic scleroderma?
However, similar features of hard and thick skin can be seen in other conditions which are often referred to as “scleroderma mimics”. These mimics include eosinophilic fasciitis, nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, scleromyxedema, and scleredema among others.
What does a scleroderma flare feel like?
Your fingertips may change colour (usually white to blue/purple, then to red), get very cold and sometimes hurt or feel numb. They may also develop red, swollen areas which are painful to touch (sometimes called chilblains)11 often in cold weather or when you are stressed.
What does the start of scleroderma look like?
Skin. Nearly everyone who has scleroderma experiences a hardening and tightening of patches of skin. These patches may be shaped like ovals or straight lines, or cover wide areas of the trunk and limbs. The number, location and size of the patches vary by type of scleroderma.
What foods should be avoided with scleroderma?
REFLUX/HEARTBURN: eat small frequent meals to avoid overfilling your stomach; avoid eating within 2-3 hours of bedtime; avoid foods that may aggravate symptoms such as citrus fruits, tomato products, greasy fried foods, coffee, garlic, onions, peppermint, gas-producing foods (such as raw peppers, beans, broccoli, raw …
What happens if scleroderma is left untreated?
Scleroderma causes a restrictive ventilatory defect (small lungs) secondary to an inflammatory process in the lung alveoli (air sacs). This process, left untreated, leads to fibrosis of the lung tissue (a fibrosing alveolitis) that interferes with normal gas exchange from the air to the blood.
What is the life expectancy of a person with scleroderma?
People who have localized scleroderma may live an uninterrupted life with only minor symptom experiences and management. On the other hand, those diagnosed with an advanced and systemic version of the disease have a prognosis of anywhere from three to 15 years.