What is hardening of the skin?

What is hardening of the skin?

Scleroderma is a rare and chronic condition that can affect many parts of your body including the skin, joints, blood vessels and internal organs. The word “scleroderma” means hard skin. One of the most visible symptoms of the condition, also called systemic sclerosis, is hardening or thickening of the skin.

What causes Harden of the skin?

Scleroderma is an uncommon condition that results in hard, thickened areas of skin and sometimes problems with internal organs and blood vessels. Scleroderma is caused by the immune system attacking the connective tissue under the skin and around internal organs and blood vessels.

What is hardened tissue called?

Hard tissue (also termed calcified tissue) is tissue which is mineralized and has a firm intercellular matrix. The hard tissues of humans are bone, tooth enamel, dentin, and cementum. The term is in contrast to soft tissue.

What is the medical term for hardening of the skin?

Scleroderma means “hard skin”. There are many human diseases associated with tightening and thickening of the skin so there are many “sclerodermas”. In modern medical terminology, scleroderma has evolved to be “shorthand” for two main groups of illness – systemic sclerosis and localized scleroderma.

What is the life expectancy for someone with scleroderma?

People who have localized scleroderma may live an uninterrupted life with only minor symptom experiences and management. On the other hand, those diagnosed with an advanced and systemic version of the disease have a prognosis of anywhere from three to 15 years.

What does hard tissue mean?

Hard tissue is usually referring to bones, while soft tissue refers to muscle, ligaments, tendons, or connective tissue. Hard tissue damage can affect any bone in the body, including the head or spine.

How does a person get scleroderma?

Environmental triggers. Research suggests that, in some people, scleroderma symptoms may be triggered by exposure to certain viruses, medications or drugs. Repeated exposure — such as at work — to certain harmful substances or chemicals also may increase the risk of scleroderma. Immune system problems.

What is the survival rate for scleroderma?

Two hundred and thirty-seven patients with systemic sclerosis were followed prospectively in a scleroderma clinic. The overall 3, 6, and 9-year survival rates were 86, 76 and 61 per cent respectively.

What are the diseases of connective tissue?

Connective Tissue Disease (CTD) Overview. Connective tissue diseases are complex illnesses that can affect any part of the body, such as dermatomyositis/polymyositis, lupus, mixed connective tissue disease, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, and Sjogren’s.

How does connective tissue disease affect the body?

Connective tissue disease causes inflammation of these proteins and affects their connection with aligned body parts or organs. Women are more affected by them than men. Connective tissue disease affects skin, muscle, fat, blood, blood vessels, tendons, ligaments, bone, cartilage, eye, heart, lungs, kidneys, and even gastrointestinal tract.

What exactly is connective tissue disorder?

Connective tissue disease refers to a group of disorders involving the protein-rich tissue that supports organs and other parts of the body. Examples of connective tissue are fat, bone, and cartilage.

Are tendons thin sheets of fibrous connective tissue?

A tendon sheath is quite thin , but it is composed of a few layers of connective tissue-fibrous and synovial layers. The fibrous layer is supportive and protective; the synovial layer lines the tendons and produces synovial fluid. Both of these layers are flexible and they move as the tendons move.