You are coughing. You do not have a fever. Cough drops don’t help. You don’t have allergies or asthma. You do not feel sick, but the cough just won’t quit. In exhaustion and frustration, you finally go to the doctor. He or she checks you over and orders a chest x-ray, tuberculosis (Tb) test, a CT scan and maybe other tests. The doctor may refer you to a pulmonologist or other specialist for biopsy to confirm this disorder. You briefly hold your breath upon hearing the diagnosis, “Sarcoidosis,” or “Sarcoid Tumors,” or “Sarcoid Inflammatory Cells,” bracing for the next word you might assume is coming. You release a deep cleansing sigh, as the doctor reassuringly says that these tumors are not cancerous.
The cause of sarcoid is not known for sure. If you have a certain career or lifestyle, it seems you might be more likely to have this, but medical experts do not know why. This list includes elementary school teacher, and anyone regularly exposed to mold, dust, pesticides, or chemicals.
Living With Sarcoid
Sarcoid is a chronic condition occuring most often in the lung or in lymph nodes, but can occur in or around any organ. A chronic condition is not curable, but a disorder that either comes and goes repeatedly throughout your life, or is one you work toward daily control. Sarcoid is a chronic inflammatory condition where fatty lumps of cells form and can stick together making bigger lumps. These can get more inflamed and make you cough, wheeze or other symptoms, depending on which organs are affected.
Treatment needs vary from person to person. There is about a 75% chance for full remission within about 9 years of diagnosis, according to Merck Manual Online Medical Library. Merck also says that around 50% relapse to some degree in one or more organs. Many symptoms go into remission without treatment at all. If medication is needed, the steroid known as prednisone, pronounced pred-ni-zone, is often the first line of defense to treat the inflammation. If that is not enough, methotrexate, pronounced meth-oh-trex-ate, may be prescribed, but it is saved for a second level option because of some of its side-effect possibilities. If sarcoid attacks organs too severely or other problems occur because of it, more aggressive action might be needed for prevention of more serious health issues that can cause death.
Regular monitoring of your blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes risk, dental and eye exams, and more are just good health maintenance and preventative measures that should be done anyway. If diagnosed with sarcoid, it is just added to that normal list. As a chronic issue, the difference is simply that sometimes it will need more than just monitoring with occasional x-rays and such. Daily medication may need to help keep it under control, and there is a rare chance of need for surgery.
Future of Sarcoidosis?
A cure does not appear to be for the near future. However, the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) at the National Institute of Health (NIH) is looking for a way to rely less on the prednisone steroid treatment for sarcoid. As of January 2011, the NHLBI is doing a clinical trial on a cholesterol lowering drug already on the market. The hope is that it might decrease the amount of steroid needed to manage the illness. Recruitment information for potential participants is at the NHLBI website.
Sources
Sarcoidosis, National Heart Lung Blood Institute (NHLBI) at the National Institute of Health (NIH) Sarcoidosis, MedlinePlus National Library of Medicine (NLM) at the NIH
Sarcoidosis, Merck Manuals Online Medical Libraries
Methotrexate: Drug Benefits and Cautions , Lynn Pritchett, Health & Wellness, AC by Yahoo!
Patient Recruitment, NHLBI at the National Institute of Health
