There are some rare diseases that affect thousands and thousands of people in the whole wide world. These diseases are so saddening and are quite a surprise when developed. One of which is the amyloidosis. Amyloidosis is an unusual disease, which occurs when a particular substance known as the amyloid builds up in the organs. The amyloid is actually an abnormal protein that is from the bone marrow and can go through some organs or tissues in the body. Amyloidosis is a serious condition, thus having enough knowledge and understandings about the causes, symptoms, and of course, the treatments for amyloidosis is beneficial. If you would like to know these and more, feel free to give this article a read.
Amyloidosis: What is this condition?
Amyloidosis is a condition that is not only rare but is also a unique one. However, unluckily, it has no cure at all. Furthermore, it does not have any absolute cause as well. Essentially, a particular person suffering from this condition is not capable of properly producing and processing proteins in the body.
Furthermore, the body suddenly accrues proteins that are incorrectly folded. This just means that the body is not able to undo them and it cannot also dissolve them in water or recombine them in some functional and appropriate ways. This is since these proteins are distributable all throughout the body in their own basically useless form. The specific organs and the tissues where they’re dumped will then manifest the symptoms of the condition independently. For this reason, there is no certain symptom package for the amyloidosis. Because every part of the body handles the amyloids in different ways.
Some of the most common parts of the body that are being attacked by the condition are the nervous system, heart, and the kidneys. However, they may also develop in the tongue, eyes, face, skin, digestive system, and some other bodily areas. The amyloids may disrupt the normal functioning of various systems in the body, thus resulting in fatal complications or may cause secondary conditions or illnesses because of its negative impact on the body.
Furthermore, there are actually more than 12 varieties of amyloidosis. Hence, suitable diagnosis of the condition is necessary. Moreover, there are no known treatments for amyloidosis, and the home cures are also limited. That’s why the best thing to do is to treat the secondary symptoms, thus keeping the organ system as strong as possible.
Causes of Amyloidosis
Generally, the condition is caused by the buildup of amyloid into some of the organs in the body. however, the specific cause of amyloidosis mainly relies on the type of amyloidosis the patient has. Here are the types of amyloidosis:
- Dialysis-related amyloidosis
- Hereditary amyloidosis
- AA amyloidosis
- AL amyloidosis.
Risk Factors for Amyloidosis
Anyone can develop amyloidosis. Here are some of the factors that may increase the risk of amyloidosis:
- Race
- Kidney dialysis
- Family history
- Chronic and infectious illness
- Sex
- Age
Complications of Amyloidosis
The possible complications of the condition actually depend on the organs that get the damages. Amyloidosis can extremely damage the:
- Nervous system: pain, tingling sensation, and numbness of the fingers, burning sensation on the toes or feel soles. If the condition affects the nerves, which controls the bowel function, there may be some periods of alternating diarrhea and constipation.
- Heart: the condition reduces the ability of the heart to fill with blood in between every heartbeat. The lesser the blood that is pumped every beat, the shorter the breathe.
- Kidneys: amyloid can extremely harm the filtering system of the kidneys. This is since it causes the protein to leak from the blood into the urine.
Treatments for Amyloidosis
Actually, there are no treatments for amyloidosis. However, some treatments may help in managing the symptoms and may limit further production of the amyloid protein. Certain treatments mainly depend on what type of amyloidosis it is and then target the source of the production of amyloid.
- Dialysis-related amyloidosis: the treatments in this particular type of amyloidosis include changing the mode of dialysis or getting a kidney
- Hereditary amyloidosis: one option that can be beneficial in this type of the condition is a liver. This is the protein that causes the condition, which is from the liver itself.
- AA amyloidosis: the treatments here aim to target the causal condition.
- AL amyloidosis: various chemotherapy medications, which are beneficial in treating multiple myeloma are useful in this particular type of amyloidosis.
Here are some tips that can be beneficial in living with the condition:
- Eat a well-balanced diet: having a good nutrition is necessary for providing the body with some satisfactory energy. Follow a diet that is low in salt if your doctor recommended you to do so.
- Pace yourself: if you are having a hard time breathing, take a break. Avoiding strenuous activities is necessary.
With the proper care, attention, and treatments, you’ll be able to get rid of this condition and live your life the way you used to be.
