Scleroderma Patient
Scleroderma
The author of this report has been presented with a hypothetical situation where a forty-four-year-old patient has contracted scleroderma within her lung tissue. There are many implications to having this medical disorder and they are not limited to the medical realm. Indeed, this report will cover a number of these implications and byproducts including stereotyping by all of society including medical professionals, the overall predisposition for the disease, daily life of scleroderma, comorbidities that might exist or end up happing and social issues such finances, the environment and so forth. While there are a good number of things that can be done to mitigate, treat or even prevent scleroderma, there are a lot of implications that any scleroderma patient must face and it can be very difficult for the patient.
Analysis
Scleroderma is rare but it can take on many forms. Indeed, while the patient in this hypothetical situation has it in her lungs, it can actually affect many other places within the body. Scleroderma, at its core, just refers to a group of rare disorders whereby there is hardening and/or tightening of the skin and connective tissues of the affected area. These tissues and fibers are indeed what are needed to create the framework that supports the body. In many instances, scleroderma only affects the skin. However, the patient used in the hypothetical situation for this report as well as others have areas affected that go far beyond the skin. These others areas can include blood vessels, internal organs (like the lungs) and the digestive tract. Depending on where the scleroderma forms, the symptoms and signs of the disorder will vary greatly. In terms of gender, women are typically more often affected but both men and women can contract the disorder. There is no cure for scleroderma, but there are treatments that can improve quality of life and/or ease the symptoms experienced (Mayo, 2016).
The cause of scleroderma is an overproduction and accumulation of collagen in the body's tissues. Collagen is a fibrous variant of protein that helps make up the body's connective tissues, up to and including the skin. While this cause is known, the cause for the dysfunctional buildup is not known as of yet. However, there are clues that point to the immune system and the state thereof being a major catalyst. Indeed, there are some that may be triggered to develop scleroderma due to exposure to certain pesticides, resins or solvents. The complications that emerge from scleroderma can be moderate to nasty. In the case of the patient in this case, the scarring of the lung tissues that can result is known as pulmonary fibrosis. This can result in reduced lung function overall as well as high blood pressure, reduced ability to breathe properly and reduced tolerance for exercise and other physical activity (Mayo, 2016).
For fingertips, ulcers and other things can develop and this can ultimately end up causing fingers to be amputated. When scleroderma affects the kidneys, it can cause elevated blood pressure and increased levels of protein in the urine. More serious cases of scleroderma in the lungs can lead to renal crisis and even kidney failure. When the teeth are affected, there is the happenstance of the mouth space becoming tighter and more cramped due to the aforementioned tightening. Saliva production is usually diminished a good deal and this creates a higher risk of dental decay than a patient that does not have scleroderma, all else equal. When there is scleroderma in the digestive system, there is a greater amount of acid reflux and a greater difficulty swallowing. There is often the sensation of food getting stuck in the esophagus as well as bouts of either constipation or diarrhea, if not both. When it comes to sexual function, scleroderma can play a negative role with that as well. Men with the disorder quite often have erectile dysfunction. With women, there is a decrease in lubrication and an overall constriction of the vaginal opening (Mayo, 2016).
Testing for and verification of the disease being present can be a tricky thing. However, there are ways to do it. The use of blood testing, biopsies and other similar tests can be used to identify and troubleshoot abnormalities. When the lungs are involved, such as is the case for the patient mentioned in this report, the use of breathing tests, otherwise known as pulmonary function tests, and CT scans can be used. In some instances, an echocardiogram of the heart might be useful. As far as the medications...
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