Scleroderma - Symptoms

Symptoms

Scleroderma affects different body parts such as the skin, bones, muscles, eyes, kidneys, respiratory system and the digestive tract. Symptoms largely depend on the type of scleroderma.

Some of the most common symptoms are detailed below-

Skin symptoms

• Change in color of the finger tip from white (blanching) to blue to red, due to Increased response to cold. This condition is called Raynaud's phenomenon
• Skin inflammation (swelling, itching, tenderness, pain)
• Tightness, hardness or thickening particularly around fingers, feet, face or mouth
• Low mobility of the affected areas
• Shiny skin due to the tightness
• Swollen fingers, hands
• Mask-like facial skin
• Abnormal skin coloring
• Ulcerations on finger tips, toes
• Small white lumps underneath the skin
• Hair loss

Bone/Muscle symptoms

• Joint pain
• Wrist pain
• Pain, swelling and stiffness of fingers and joints
• Pain and numbness in the feet

Eyes

• Burning /itching
• Discharge from the eyes

Kidney symptoms

Systemic forms of sclerosis can cause renal crisis.

• Reduction in kidney function due to abrupt high pressure
• Increase in serum creatinine
• Increase of protein in urine

In some cases renal crisis can lead to heart failure.

Digestive tract symptoms

• Difficulty in swallowing
• Stomach bloating after a meal
• Constipation/diarrhaea
• Heartburn or GERD
• Impaired nutrient absorption due to improper food motility
• Weight Loss

Respiratory system symptoms

• Shortness of breath /wheezing
• Dry cough
• Scarred lungs
• Pulmonary hypertension