What Is Amyloidosis?
Amyloidosis is the accumulation of proteins called amyloid proteins. It occurs in the heart, kidney, joints, intestines, and other organs. When these proteins become insoluble, it leads to the deposition of amyloid in the tissues and cells. When this accumulation exceeds, it leads to a condition called amyloidosis. This condition is very rare and can affect only a few populations. Amyloidosis can damage the entire digestive system. Treatment cannot provide a complete cure, but the best treatment for amyloidosis is chemotherapy because it helps remove the formed amyloid substances.
What Is Macular Amyloidosis?
Macular amyloidosis is a condition that specifically affects the skin, and it is one of the types of amyloidosis. The other types are light chain amyloidosis, auto-immune amyloidosis, and familial amyloidosis. This condition is characterized by brown colored patches on the skin. The macules on the skin appear in grayish form sometimes. It appears in dusky color. The places where macules appear are the upper back, thighs, and breasts. These hyperpigmented patches do not present with a definite margin. Though this condition is harmless, it has to be treated early.
What Are the Symptoms of Amyloidosis?
Amyloidosis shows a wide range of symptoms. It varies from one person to another. The common symptoms of amyloidosis are:
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Chest pain.
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Decreased blood pressure, which can lead to drowsiness and lightheadedness.
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Irregular rate and rhythm of the heartbeat. The pulses are often very slow.
The other general symptoms are fatigue, weakness, joint pain, and swelling in the neck. Bruises might be seen around the eyes of the skin. An itchy sensation might accompany the lesions in the skin. If you already have kidney problems, then amyloidosis results in the swelling of the legs. This is due to the accumulation of fluid. There will be the excretion of an excess of amyloid proteins in the urine. Thus, the urine appears foamy in nature. If you have liver problems, the swelling will be presented in the abdomen region.
If you already have a history of gastrointestinal problems, you might experience symptoms like nausea, vomiting, weight loss, constipation, appetite loss, and bloated feeling.
If you already have a history of nervous disorder, then the symptoms might be dizziness when standing up, pain, and numbness in the legs, hands, and feet. The patient might be unable to feel extremely hot and cold items.
What Are the Causes and Risk Factors?
The important function of bone marrow is to produce all the blood cells. In amyloidosis conditions, the white blood cells result in the abnormal accumulation of amyloid.
This disease is associated with carpal tunnel syndrome. The risk factors are:
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Age: The risk increases with age. People who are more than 50 years of age are likely to be affected.
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Gender: Men are more commonly affected than women.
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Family History: If any of your family members are known to have a history of amyloidosis, then you have the chance of getting this condition.
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Medical History: If you have an underlying inflammatory condition, then the possibility of acquiring this condition is higher.
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Race: Americans and Africans are commonly affected by amyloidosis.
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Kidney Problems: If you are a dialysis patient, then your kidneys will not be potent enough to remove a large number of proteins from your blood, and acquiring this is higher in patients with kidney failure.
How Is It Diagnosed?
Diagnosis requires a proper history of the patient. Your doctor might recommend you to take blood and urine tests.
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Urine Test: A urine sample is collected from the patient and sent to the laboratory for diagnosis. If there is an excess of amyloid proteins present in the urine, the patient can be suspected of having amyloidosis.
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Blood Test: A blood sample is collected from the patient and sent to the laboratory for diagnostic procedures. An elevation in the level of amyloid protein can be easily detected with blood tests. They are highly technique-sensitive procedures.
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Biopsy: A biopsy might be necessary in complicated cases. A biopsy specimen is taken from the particular organ and sent to the laboratory to check the presence of abnormal cells.
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Bone Marrow Aspiration: A small amount of fluid is withdrawn from the bone marrow. If it is necessary, a biopsy of the bone marrow tissues is also taken and diagnosed together.
What Are the Treatment Options?
There is no proper treatment for macular amyloidosis. Certain lifestyle changes can be made.
Lifestyle Modification:
The main cause of amyloidosis is a sedentary lifestyle. If you are a cardiac patient, then it might be difficult for you to perform intense cardio workouts. Still, you can manage to perform mild-to-moderate exercises. This will keep you from being too strenuous. By exercising regularly, you can become free from pain and fatigue caused by amyloidosis. Ask your doctor to recommend a weight loss program for you. You might require help from a personal trainer also. Several methods, like yoga, Tai Chi, and walking programs, might be helpful.
Sleep Improvement Therapy:
If you have daytime sleepiness, or if you are suffering from insomnia, then you might probably have a higher degree of fatigue. This might be a contributing factor to amyloidosis. Uncomfortable sleep is necessary to overcome such conditions. If you are suffering from insufficient sleep, you should talk to your doctor. Try practicing meditation and listening to soft music before going to sleep. Drinking milk before bed also helps you to fall asleep faster.
Diet:
When you have amyloidosis, the heart's ability to pump becomes potentially less. The kidneys may not purify the blood properly. This might lead to swelling in the legs. Salt intake contributes to the increase in swelling of the legs. So the intake of salt must be restricted as much as possible. In this way, exacerbation of the tissues can be prevented. The heart and kidney might need to be prevented from further damage. If there is swelling in the tongue, it might be difficult for the patient to eat and swallow. In such conditions, the patient might go without food for a long period of time. The patient might take fluids more than food as such. It is good to stop drinking caffeine and alcohol. It is necessary to drink lots of water. In this way, you will not be dehydrated.
Medications:
The first and the foremost treatment for macular amyloidosis involves treating the skin lesion and relieving the patient from itching. The topical application of steroids can be advantageous. The topical application of dimethyl sulfoxide can also be beneficial. You should get proper recommendations from your doctor before using these medications.
