Scleroderma

Summary

Scleroderma means hard skin. It is a group of diseases that cause abnormal growth of connective tissue. Connective tissue is the material inside your body that gives your tissues their shape and helps keep them strong. In scleroderma, the tissue gets hard or thick. It can cause swelling or pain in your muscles and joints.

Symptoms of scleroderma include :

• Calcium deposits in connective tissues
• Raynaud’s phenomenon, a narrowing of blood vessels in the hands or feet
• Swelling of the esophagus, the tube between your throat and stomach
• Thick, tight skin on your fingers
• Red spots on your hands and face

No one knows what causes scleroderma. It is more common in women. It can be mild or severe. Doctors diagnose scleroderma using your medical history, a physical exam, lab tests, and a skin biopsy. There is no cure, but various treatments can control symptoms and complications.

NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

NIH MedlinePlus Magazine

• ‘Don’t Give up Hope’: Bob Saget’s Unlikely Path to Scleroderma Advocacy
• 5 Things to Know if You Have Scleroderma
• Family Battle with Scleroderma
• Scleroderma: An Overview for You
• Struggling for Answers: A Patient’s Scleroderma Journey

Diagnosis and Tests

• ANA (Antinuclear Antibody) Test National Library of Medicine

Statistics and Research

• Arthritis by the Numbers: Book of Trusted Facts and Figures Arthritis Foundation

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Scleroderma, Localized National Institutes of Health
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Scleroderma, Systemic National Institutes of Health

Patient Handouts

• Collagen vascular disease Medical Encyclopedia
• Scleroderma Medical Encyclopedia
• Swallowing problems Medical Encyclopedia

Find an Expert

• Find a Rheumatologist American College of Rheumatology
• National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Encyclopedia

• Gastroparesis Medical Encyclopedia
• Necrotizing vasculitis Medical Encyclopedia

Specifics

• Morphea American Osteopathic College of Dermatology

Journal Articles

• Scleroderma

Español/Spanish

• Scleroderma American College of Rheumatology

Start Here

• Scleroderma American Academy of Family Physicians
• Scleroderma Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Scleroderma: An Overview Cleveland Clinic Foundation
• What Is Scleroderma? National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Treatments and Therapies

• Scleroderma Complications and Treatments Scleroderma Research Foundation

Genetics

• Systemic scleroderma: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine