Sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting multiple body organs. This is a condition where lymph nodes are mostly affected. Because lymph nodes are maximum in lungs, therefore, this condition impacts lungs mostly. In sarcoidosis, inflammatory cells starts collecting in the lymphatic channels. Because of that these lymph nodes, swallow. These swallowed lymph nodes are known as- granulomas.

This condition impacts on the normal working of the body, where these lymph nodes swell. And this leads to different signs and symptoms. Because these pathological changes can occur in any system, therefore symptoms of the sarcoidosis are widespread. In modern medicines- Steroids are only solution. Steroids which are more problematic than the disease in long run. But Ayurveda is promising in this condition and can help you to get rid of the problem. Here we will discuss about the Ayurveda treatment of the sarcoidosis.

An individual suffering from sarcoidosis develops nodules or abnormal tiny masses consisting of inflammatory cells in specific body organs that alter the normal structure, and possibility impairs the function of the affected organ.

Facts on Sarcoidosis

• Sarcoidosis is a disease condition that causes inflammation of the body tissues.
• In 90 percent of the cases, sarcoidosis affects the lungs, lymph nodes, and glands that surround the lungs, but it may also affect the heart, skin, eyes, and other body organs. 
• Currently, western medicine has no cure for sarcoidosis.
• The exact cause behind sarcoidosis is unknown.
• Sarcoidosis may appear suddenly and then disappear, or it develops gradually. Sometimes the symptoms may come and go for a lifetime.
• The outlook of sarcoidosis varies from person to person.
• Many people with this disease recover with few or no long-term health complications.
• In two-third of people with this disease, there is remission within ten years of the diagnosis.
• Ayurveda not only treats it, but you can get rid of the remission of the condition too.
• Patients with advanced disease have a poor outcome and show little improvement with treatment.
• In about one-third of the patient suffering from sarcoidosis, there is organ damage that occurs over many years and may involve more than one organ.
• In rare cases, sarcoidosis may be fatal, and death results from problems with the heart, lungs, or brain.

Symptoms of Sarcoidosis

The sign and symptoms of sarcoidosis depend on the organ that is affected. Many patients with sarcoidosis may not display any symptom, and the disease is discovered only after the chest X-ray.

General Symptoms of Sarcoidosis

The general symptoms of sarcoidosis include:

• Swollen lymph nodes
• Fatigue
• Swelling and pain in the joints
• Weight loss

Lungs symptoms

Mostly sarcoidosis affects lungs and causes symptoms such as:

• Shortness of breath
• Wheezing respiration
• Persistent dry cough
• Chest pain

Skin symptoms

• Red rash or reddish-purple bumps that are mostly located on the ankles or shins and are tender and warm to touch.
• Dark or light areas of the skin.
• Disfiguring lesions or sores on cheeks, nose, and ears.
• Nodules or growth under the skin, particularly around tattoos or scars.

Eye symptoms

The eyes may be affected without causing any symptom; this is why it is essential to get your eyes checked regularly. The eyes symptoms may include:

• Sensitivity to light
• Blurred vision
• Severe redness
• Dry eyes
• Burning or itching
• Eye pain
• Floaters
• Reduced colour vision
• Reduced visual clearness
• Blindness in red cases

Heart symptoms

The symptoms of cardiac sarcoidosis include:

• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Fluttering or rapid heartbeat
• Cause due to Excess fluid
• Fainting

Lymph nodes symptoms

• Tender and enlarged lymph nodes
• Mostly it affects the lymph nodes in your neck and around the lungs, but sometimes the lymph nodes in your armpits, under your chin or groin may also be affected.

Nervous system symptoms

• Hearing loss
• Seizures
• Meningitis
• Dementia
• Depression
• Psychosis
• Other psychotic disorders

In many people suffering from sarcoidosis, the disease is mild. Inflammation causing the granulomas get better on their own with time. Granulomas shrink or stop growing and symptoms goes away in a few years.

In some people, the inflammation remains but does not get worse. The symptoms clear up now and then.

In rest of the patients suffering from sarcoidosis, the symptoms get worse over the years and results in the permanent damage of the organ.

What Causes Sarcoidosis 

The exact cause of sarcoidosis unknown. Some people may develop the disease due to genetic predisposition, which may be triggered by dust, chemicals, viruses, and bacteria. 

But pathologically, this is a type of allergy. Where allergens initiate the condition. Because of the allergens, CD4 cells and interleukins appear in the lungs. And these causes granulomatous formation in the lungs. Which leads later to- fibrosis of the lungs.

So over all this is like the immune response of the body. Why immune system starts behaving abnormally, this is not known in any of diseases. But as per Ayurveda this is just a disturbance of the “intelligence” of the immune system. Any irritation can lead to such problems.

Causes are not known. But we know the pathological process. Therefore we need to break-down the pathological process of the disease, for complete treatment.

Risk Factors 

Anyone can develop sarcoidosis. 

A few factors that increase the risk include: 

Race – People of Northern-European and African descent have a higher incidence of sarcoidosis. African-Americans are more likely to you have the involvement of other organs along with lungs. 

Age – Individuals of any age may suffer from sarcoidosis, but it is more common between 20 to 60 years of age. 

Sex – Females are more likely to develop this disease in comparison to males. 

Family history – You are more likely to suffer from sarcoidosis if you have someone in your family with this disease.

How Sarcoidosis Occurs 

The overactive immune system in the absence of any triggers such as bacteria, viruses, or chemicals begins to collect in a pattern of inflammation known as granulomas. As the granulomas build up and grow in the organ, it impairs the function of the organ. 

The lungs are the first site involved in sarcoidosis. 9 out of 10 patients of sarcoidosis have lung problems and one third in them display respiratory symptoms. 

Stages of Sarcoidosis 

Based on Siltzbach classification system, pulmonary sarcoidosis divided into five stages: 

• Stage0 (no pulmonary sarcoidosis): no sign of granulomas in the lungs or lymph nodes
• Stage 1 (lymphadenopathy granulomas present in the lymph nodes only
• Stage2 (lymphadenopathy and pulmonary infiltrates): granulomas present in both the lymph nodes and lungs
• Stage3 (pulmonary infiltrates): granulomas present in the lungs only
• Stage4 (pulmonary fibrosis): scarring of the lung tissue and permanent damage. 

However, stages of pulmonary sarcoidosis do not indicate the progress of the disease but the areas affected by it. 

In stage 4, permanent damage to lung occurs. In this stage, the patient starts experiencing the symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis, even if the granulomas are removed. It is the only irreversible stage

In some cases, sarcoidosis affects other organs of the body than lungs and leads to long-term health such as:  

Eyes – Any part of the eye can be affected and may even damage the retina. In rare cases for losses causes glaucoma and cataracts. 

Heart – Cardiac sarcoidosis leads to granulomas that heart that disturb the blood flow heart, rhythm, and normal function of the heart. 

Kidneys – Sarcoidosis effects the ability of the body to handle calcium and leads to reduced kidney function and kidney stones. In rare cases, it may lead to kidney failure. 

Nervous system – In a small number of patient granulomas are formed in the brain and spinal cord. If there is inflammation of facial nerve leads to facial paralysis.

Ayurveda About Sarcoidosis

The name of disease is not important in Ayurveda. The most important thing is- complete understanding of the disease and doshas involved in the disease. When we have a better understanding about the doshas, any disease can be treated through Ayurveda treatment. Therefore at Sukhayu the treatment of the sarcoidosis is done according to the doshas alone.

So what we need to know is the involvement of the doshas for this condition-

Doshas involved in Sarcoidosis

This disease impacts the lymph nodes primarily. Lymph nodes are all about kapha dosha. And this is the reason, these lymph nodes are in abundance in the Kapha region- lungs. When Pitta dosha starts affecting these lymph nodes, these (lymph nodes) loose their nature and these become hard. This is the basic pathological process of the sarcoidosis.

Because the place belongs to the Kapha dosha, therefore we need to make the kapha stronger. So that the other doshas won’t impact. Once we achieve this condition, we can treat the condition.

Secondly we need to check the aspect of the “autoimmunity” in sarcoidosis.

Because in sarcoidosis autoimmunity is involved. Therefore the treatment protocol is based on all three doshas. No autoimmune condition can occur without the three doshash.

The condition with lungs is all about the Kapha and Vata Dosha. Kapha starts reducing in the pulmonary sarcoidosis. And because of the low level of the kapha, Vata causes dryness. This dryness is the factor behind fibrosis of the lungs.

Ayurveda Treatment for Sarcoidosis

The line of treatment for Sarcoidosis works on the doshas. This is a medicine based treatment, in most of the cases. When joints are poorly affected or in neurological expression of the disease- we go for Panchakarma.

The main of the treatment of sarcoidosis is to bring down the doshas to normal level. So that normal physiological activities can be restored. And the main system of treatment is mostly goes with the involvement of the system. But while treating a particular system, we take care of the treatment of the whole body too. Because this is a condition which impacts the multiple systems and organs. And in many cases the mistake is that- we only focus on one system, not on others and this causes remission of the condition.

Primarily you can start the medicines after video consultation with Vaidya Pardeep Ji. In most of the cases, medicines can start after the first video consultation. But when condition is complicated, you might need to come for the consultation.

The Ayurveda treatment for sarcoidosis continues for 24 months in case of the complicated conditions and in the meantime you need to consult on regular intervals.

For any type of consultation you need to make prior appointment. Be sure that you can get rid of the problem of the sarcoidosis and need not to be prey of the steroids.