National Scleroderma Awareness Month is June. During this month it is important to bring awareness of this rare autoimmune disease that affects thousands of people in the United States, being more common in women than men. Scleroderma is a group of rare diseases in which the skin and connective tissues become hard and tight, in which not only the skin is affected, but also the internal organs.

There are two main types of scleroderma, localized scleroderma and systemic. Localized scleroderma affects the skin only, unlike systemic scleroderma which affects the skin, joints, lungs, and other organs. The symptoms vary but some of them are hardening and tightening on the skin, toes or fingers becoming numb or changing color in response to things such as change in temperature. Someone with scleroderma can experience problems with the digestive system due to having problems with absorbing the nutrients. The heart, lungs, and kidneys can also be affected. The cause of scleroderma is due to overproduction and accumulation of collagen in the body tissues.

There is no cure but there are treatments to help you deal with this disease. Some of the treatments are medications, therapy, and sometimes surgery in a severe circumstance. It is important to stay active, not smoke, manage heartburn, and protecting self from the cold. If you would like a second opinion on what is the best treatment for you, contact us at SecondOpinions.com.