Causes of scleroderma

Scleroderma is hardening of skin. This happens due to excessive collagen deposits on the skin, and causes the cells to harden also because of calcium deposits inside the lining of the skin. There are more than one types of scleroderma, one type affects only the skin, and the other type affects nerves as well as other vital organs.

There are three different types of scleroderma; these are diffuse, limited and linear scleroderma. Out of the three limited scleroderma affects only the skin, where as other two types diffuse and linear might affect other parts of the body. Linear scleroderma is the most dangerous for of this disease, it spreads faster and causes more damage to vital organs the any other form.

Diffuse scleroderma, too is a dangerous form, however, it does not spread as fast, it might cause damage to lungs and gastrointestinal system.

Causes for this disease are not known, however, there is a slight connection to genetically borne autoimmune diseases. Scleroderma too is an auto-immune disease. People suffering from this disease have a history of someone in family suffering from some type of auto immune disease.

Physical therapy for all types of scleroderma are not available, most of the time medications are only to seek relief from discomfort as well as painful situation, though some medicines help easing out problems like inflammation etc. Therefore finding a cure for this disease is quite difficult. In limited scleroderma, however, there have been advances where medicines which will stimulate collagen formation and ease out scar tissue as well as hardened skin have been developed.

This disease has been found more commonly among women than in men. There is also another type of scleroderma which is called juvenile scleroderma, this disease affects small children. Most of the times, it might be limited scleroderma or linear scleroderma amongst children.

There can be a special diet prescribed to people suffering with the disease to avoid pain and inflammation. For most of the people this disease begins as joint pain and then goes on to affect larger parts of the body.

There are advances in studies about autoimmune diseases, it has been noticed that circulation of fetal cells in maternal blood, is being viewed as foreign bodies by immune system and this might be the cause for auto immune diseases. Therefore, there might be hope to fight against this as well as the other auto immune diseases.