10 Scleroderma Symptoms
Symptom #5: Skin Color Changes
Many patients with systemic sclerosis exhibit signs and symptoms of Raynaud phenomenon. It is a condition in which spasms of small arteries, typically in the fingers of the hands, cause episodes of reduced blood flow to the area. Coupled with the narrowing of blood vessels also caused by the disease, it results in color changes in the skin. These include pallor as blood flow reduces (white or pale), cyanosis or bluish discoloration when most of the flow is cut off, and finally erythema or red skin when the blood returns to the area. These episodes may also be accompanied by pain, tingling, or numbness.
These skin changes are short-lived and clear within a few minutes. Triggers for these events include emotional stress, cold exposure, and smoking. Most importantly, Raynaud Phenomenon is one of the earliest scleroderma symptoms in about 90 percent of patients.
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