what is sarcidosis...?
Question:
thanks in advance
Answers:
This is what Green Bay Packer Reggie White died from.
Sarcoidosis (sar"koi-do'sis) involves inflammation that produces tiny lumps of cells in various organs in your body. The lumps are called granulomas (gran"u-lo'mahs) because they look like grains of sugar or sand. They are very small and can be seen only 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 can affect how the organ works. This can cause symptoms of sarcoidosis.
Sarcoidosis can occur in almost any part of your body, although it usually affects some organs more than others. It usually starts in one of two places:
-Lungs
-Lymph nodes, especially the lymph nodes in your chest cavity.
Sarcoidosis also often affects your:
-Skin
-Eyes
-Liver.
Less often, sarcoidosis affects your:
-Spleen
-Brain
-Nerves
-Heart
-Tear glands
-Salivary glands
-Bones and joints.
Rarely, sarcoidosis affects other organs, including your:
-Thyroid gland
-Breasts
-Kidneys
-Reproductive organs.
Sarcoidosis almost always occurs in more than one organ at a time.
Sarcoidosis has an active and a nonactive phase:
In the active phase, the granulomas form and grow. In this phase, symptoms can develop, and scar tissue can form in the organs where the granulomas occur. In the nonactive phase, the inflammation goes down, and the granulomas stay the same size or shrink. But the scars may remain and cause symptoms.
The course of the disease varies greatly among people.
In many people, sarcoidosis is mild. The inflammation that causes the granulomas may get better on its own. The granulomas may stop growing or shrink. Symptoms may go away within a few years. In some people, the inflammation remains but doesn't get worse. You may also have symptoms or flare-ups and need treatment every now and then. In other people, sarcoidosis slowly gets worse over the years and can cause permanent organ damage. Although treatment can help, sarcoidosis may leave scar tissue in the lungs, skin, eyes, or other organs. The scar tissue can affect how the organs work. Treatment usually does not affect scar tissue. Changes in sarcoidosis usually occur slowly (e.g., over months). Sarcoidosis does not usually cause sudden illness. However, some symptoms may occur suddenly. They include:
-Disturbed heart rhythms
-Arthritis in the ankles
-Eye symptoms.
In some serious cases in which vital organs are affected, sarcoidosis can result in death.
-Sarcoidosis is not a form of cancer.
-There is no known way to prevent sarcoidosis.
Sarcoidosis was once thought to be an uncommon condition. It's now known to affect tens of thousands of people throughout the United States. Because many people who have sarcoidosis have no symptoms, it's hard to know how many people have the condition.
Sarcoidosis was identified in the late 1860s. Since then, scientists have developed better tests to diagnose it and made advances in treating it.
Other Answers:
It is an autoimune disease that make the body's immune system attack an organ and kill it like an invading cold germ. it attacks the lungs and musclar system.
Is this what you are asking about. If so, go to web site. Info is all there.
http://www.arthritis.org/conditions/DiseaseCenter/sarcoidosis.asp
Sarcoidosis (SAR-coy-DOH-sis) is an inflammatory disease characterized by granulomas (small rounded outgrowths made up of blood vessels, cells and connective tissues) that can produce many different symptoms. It is generally a chronic disease, lasting for several years or a lifetime. Some people, however, may have a type that only lasts a few months
What Are the Symptoms?
Some people may have no symptoms; others may have symptoms that include:
Skin problems
Lung problems
Eye problems
Arthritis
Myositis
Fever
Fatigue
Weight loss
What Causes It?
Although the cause is unknown, suspected causes include:
Viral/bacterial infection
A defect in body immune system
An unidentified toxic substance
An unknown environmental cause
An inherited or genetic factor
Sarcoidosis (SAR-coy-DOH-sis) is an inflammatory disease characterized by granulomas (small rounded outgrowths made up of blood vessels, cells and connective tissues) that can produce many different symptoms. It is generally a chronic disease, lasting for several years or a lifetime. Some people, however, may have a type that only lasts a few months.
What Are the Symptoms?
Some people may have no symptoms; others may have symptoms that include:
Skin problems
Lung problems
Eye problems
Arthritis
Myositis
Fever
Fatigue
Weight loss
What Causes It?
Although the cause is unknown, suspected causes include:
Viral/bacterial infection
A defect in body immune system
An unidentified toxic substance
An unknown environmental cause
An inherited or genetic factor
Some people have no symptoms when sarcoidosis is first diagnosed by chest X-ray or other tests. With other people, sarcoidosis begins with a few symptoms, and then gradually becomes more widespread and serious. With still others, it begins with many symptoms that appear either gradually or very suddenly. Since sarcoidosis commonly causes lung disease, a chest X-ray is usually done to detect the condition. There is no one single test to diagnose sarcoidosis.
Sarcoidosis can affect people in different ways. The acute form of sarcoidosis is severe, but usually only lasts a short time. The chronic form can last several years or even a lifetime.
How Is It Diagnosed?
During a physical exam, physicians check for:
Enlarged, tender lymph glands.
Dry cough
Erythema Nodosum (redness of the skin)
Eye problems
Tests include:
Biopsies of skin lesions, lymph nodes or lungs
Chest X-ray
Blood tests
Treatment Options
Physical therapy
Medications: glucocorticoids, NSAIDs/salicylates, colchicine, hydroxychloroquine. Methotrexate, azathioprine and cyclosporine are being tested
Who Is At Risk?
Sarcoidosis is most common in young adults between the ages of 20 and 40. It affects more women than men, and occurs more often in African-Americans
Treatment:
In a majority of people, sarcoidosis disappears and no treatment is necessary. However, when treatment is needed, the main goal is to keep the lungs working properly. People with the acute form of sarcoidosis may need treatment to relieve pain from skin nodules or joint inflammation. The treatment for joint inflammation includes medication to reduce inflammation.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are medications used to treat inflammation and pain. Examples of NSAIDs include ibuprofen and naproxen. COX-2 inhibitors, a class of NSAIDs, also may be used. Colchicine, a drug used to treat a form of arthritis called gout, also can be helpful.
Glucocorticoids are the main treatment for sarcoidosis. These drugs help reduce pain and inflammation and the occurrence of granulomas. Doctors also may prescribe glucocorticoids, such as prednisone, for those people who do not respond to NSAIDs. Glucocorticoids can cause side effects such as mood swings and weight gain
Go to WebMD. good luck
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