Sarcoidosis is not always a death sentence and many people who have sarcoidosis live a long life when they get treatment as soon as possible.
In a lot of cases of sarcoidosis the sarcoidosis goes into remission on it's own even without treatment.
Most people who have long-term sarcoidosis eventually improve and can have an active life.
But in some cases, when long-term sarcoidosis gets worse over months or years, there can be permanent damage to the affected parts of the body.
The cause of sarcoidosis is unknown, however it's that that sarcoidosis results from the body's immune system responding to an unknown substance
The most common symptoms of pulmonary sarcoidosis are shortness of breath, which often gets worse with activity; dry cough that will not go away; chest pain; and wheezing.
Treatment is generally done to control symptoms or to improve the function of organs affected by the disease.
Steroids are often used.
Sarcoidosis is a rare condition that causes small patches of red and swollen tissue, called granulomas, to develop in the organs of the body.
It usually affects the lungs and skin.
The symptoms of sarcoidosis depend on which organs are affected, but typically include: tender, red bumps on the skin.
Some people appear to have a genetic predisposition to develop the disease, which may be triggered by bacteria, viruses, dust or chemicals.
This triggers an overreaction of your immune system, and immune cells begin to collect in a pattern of inflammation called granulomas.
For a small number of people, sarcoidosis is a chronic condition.
In some people, the disease may result in the deterioration of the affected organ.
Rarely, sarcoidosis can be fatal.
Death usually is the result of complications with the lungs, heart, or brain.
There is no cure for sarcoidosis, and in many cases, no treatment is required and patients recover on their own.
Most patients have a normal life expectancy.
About 1 to 8 percent of cases are fatal, and it depends on the severity and location of the disease.
What are the 4 stages of sarcoidosis?
Stage I: Lymphadenopathy (enlarged lymph nodes) Stage II: Enlarged lymph nodes with shadows on chest X-ray due to lung infiltrates or granulomas.
Stage III: Chest X-ray shows lung infiltrates as shadows, which is a progressive condition.
Stage IV (Endstage): Pulmonary fibrosis or scar-like tissue found on a chest X-ray.
In many patients with sarcoidosis, the granulomas go away on their own in 2 to 3 years without the patient knowing or doing anything about them.
In others, the granulomas progress to irreversible fibrosis.
There's no cure for sarcoidosis, but in many cases, it goes away on its own.
You may not even need treatment if you have no symptoms or only mild symptoms of the condition.
The severity and extent of your condition will determine whether and what type of treatment is needed.