Scleroderma is a chronic disease that affects the skin, connective tissues and can even cause damage to organs. The Cleveland Clinic notes scleroderma is also known as systemic sclerosis (SSc), and affects only about 20-people per 1-million adults in the U.S. making it a rare disorder.
While there’s no cure yet, there are a number of treatment approaches to help manage the autoimmune disease. Since June is Scleroderma Awareness Month, and June 29 is World Scleroderma Day, let’s take a closer look at six ways to manage it…
1. Medications
This is of course one of the front-line solutions to manage many conditions, although the Mayo Clinic notes, “No drug has been developed that can stop the underlying process of scleroderma — the overproduction of collagen”.
Despite this, the clinic says there are drugs that can help control the symptoms and help prevent related complications. These drugs can dilate blood vessels, suppress the immune system (autoimmune diseases are when your body attacks healthy cells), reduce stomach acid, prevent infections, and relieve pain. Consult a physician about medications that may help.
