Scleroderma

The word Scleroderma means hardening of the skin. It is a disease of the connective tissue, internal organs and blood vessels. Scleroderma is an auto-immune disease. 

With Scleroderma your body makes too much of the protein collagen. Collagen is an important part of your skin. The immune system, which usually protects you from germs, turns on your body and causes inflammation of the skin and other organs.

The skin gets thick, and tight, and scars can form on your lungs and kidneys. The blood vessels can thicken and not work the way they should which leads to tissue damage and high blood pressure. Many sufferers have the mild form of the disease where the hands and feet become stiff and shiny. 

The gullet can also be affected making eating and swallowing difficult.

Some patients also form tiny deposits of calcium under the skin (calcinosis) which can cause ulcers. In the more severe form, called diffuse scleroderma, wide areas of skin and internal organs (such as the lungs, bowel heart and kidneys) are affected. 

Localised scleroderma can be divided into two types:

· Some types are relatively mild and may eventually improve on their own

· Others can lead to severe and life-threatening problems.

It is important to highlight that there’s no treatment for scleroderma.

The aim of treatment is to relieve symptoms, to prevent the condition getting worse, and to detect and treat any complications (such as pulmonary hypertension).

You will be prescribed certain medications: 

· non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen and aspirin to target the swelling and pain.

· Steroids and other drugs to control your immune response as well as help with muscle, joint, or internal organ problems.

· Drugs that boost blood flow to your fingers.

· Blood pressure medications

· Drugs that open blood vessels in the lungs or prevent tissue from scarring and heartburn medication.

Moisturising affected areas of skin to help keep it supple and relieve itchiness.

If symptoms are severe, surgery may be needed: to remove hard lumps under the skin or to loosen tightened muscles.

It is also important to notice that newer treatments such as laser therapy and photodynamic therapy are currently being trialled and may improve the outcome of the condition for many people.   

It is important to highlight that there’s no treatment for scleroderma.

The aim of treatment is to relieve symptoms, to prevent the condition getting worse, and to detect and treat any complications (such as pulmonary hypertension).

You will be prescribed certain medications: 

· non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen and aspirin to target the swelling and pain.

· Steroids and other drugs to control your immune response as well as help with muscle, joint, or internal organ problems.

· Drugs that boost blood flow to your fingers.

· Blood pressure medications

· Drugs that open blood vessels in the lungs or prevent tissue from scarring and heartburn medication.

Moisturising affected areas of skin to help keep it supple and relieve itchiness.

If symptoms are severe, surgery may be needed: to remove hard lumps under the skin or to loosen tightened muscles.

It is also important to notice that newer treatments such as laser therapy and photodynamic therapy are currently being trialled and may improve the outcome of the condition for many people. 

The condition is progressive and when is gets worse it is vital to detect and treat any complications as early as possible.

One complication might be pulmonary hypertension (which is a serious condition that can damage the right side of the heart). 

The walls of the pulmonary arteries become thick and stiff and can't expand to allow blood to flow through. 

The reduced blood flow makes it harder for the right-hand side of the heart to pump blood through the arteries. 

Symptoms here would be a shortness of breath; tiredness; feeling faint or dizzy; chest pain (angina); a racing heartbeat (palpitations); swelling (oedema) in the legs, ankles, feet or abdomen. 

If the right-hand side of the heart must continually work harder than it should it can gradually tire and lead to heart failure.          

Carbon dioxide is colour and odourless gas that is heavier than air. When bathing (to chest height) in a “dry carbon dioxide” the gas is absorbed through the hair follicles and skin into the capillaries and connective tissues. This (vasodilation) expands the blood vessel’s diameter which improves blood flow and the removal of waste products as well as increasing the transport of oxygen, nutrients and glucose to the tissues.

Effects:

Within the first couple of minutes a client experiences pleasant heat and perspiration.

Blood pressure is decreased typically by 15-20mmHg Systolic and 10-15mmHg Diastolic.

Benefits last up to six months:

· Helps to alleviate Stroke related Neuropathic pain

· Better blood flow increases energy levels alleviates fatigue and improves mood

· Cognition may improve

· Eyesight may improve

· Alleviates wheezing

· Helps to improve independence and improves quality of life

· Helps improve lymphatic fluid drainage (gravitational oedema) - meaning shoes fit properly

Gradually walking distance will improve