How to Identify Sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis is a serious condition that causes inflammation which produces tiny clumps of cells in the organs of the body. The clumps grow together and get larger causing problems with whatever organ they inhabit. Sarcoidosis affects thousands of people throughout the United States. The symptoms of sarcoidosis vary from nonexistent to very serious depending on the individual. There are certain things to look for and test that can be ran to determine if you have sarcoidosis.

Things You'll Need

• Time
• Symptoms list
• Physician
• Doctor's appointment
• Multiple test
• Physical Exam

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Instructions

How to Identify Sarcoidosis

• 1

  The first step in knowing whether you have sarcoidosis is to know the symptoms of the condition. The following symptoms will vary depending on which organs are affected. Shortness of breath dry cough with no phlegm wheezing chest pain palpitations or irregular heart beats leg swelling sudden loss of consciousness or death enlarged lymph nodes in the chest, neck, under the chin, in the arm pits or groin ulcers, bumps, or flat areas of discolored skin near your nose, eyes, back, legs or scalp red or purple colored bumps on your ankles that are slightly raised-can cause fever and swelling painful sores on your cheeks, nose, fingers, ears or eyelids burning, itchy, tearing or pain in the eyes sensitivity to light eye redness and dryness floaters or blurry vision reduced color vision or reduced visual clarity blindness in rare cases stiff, painful, or swollen joints muscle pain or weakness a mass in the muscle painful or painless arthritis painless holes in bones painless swelling anemia fever fatigue itching pain in upper right of abdomen enlarged liver swollen cheeks very dry mouth and throat high calcium levels increased urination confusion headaches weakness or numbness in legs coma drooping on one side of the face paralysis of limbs stinging or tingling in limbs pain in upper left abdomen nasal obstruction and frequent sinusitis overall unwell feeling night sweats loss of appetite sleep problems

• 2

  If you have any of these symptoms your next step should be to check with your physician.

• 3

  Your physician will then determine whether you have sarcoidosis, or another condition, by doing a full medical history, physical exam, and various diagnostic tests.