Title: CREST Syndrome - What is?, Pictures, Symptoms, Treatment, Diagnosis
Headings: CREST Syndrome
CREST Syndrome
Definition
Symptoms
Tight hardened skin
Raynaud’s phenomenon
Red spot marks on the skin
Lumps beneath the skin
Difficulty in swallowing
Classification
Causes of CREST Syndrome
Risk factors
Complications
Diagnosis
Blood test
Biopsy of the skin sample
Heart, lung and gastrointestinal tests
CREST Syndrome Treatment
Antibiotics
Antacids
Antihypertensive drugs
Immunosuppressive medications
Rehabilitation Therapy
References

Content: These lumps may be infected and tenderness also develop. Difficulty in swallowing
In CREST syndrome, people often face swallowing difficulties, due to their problem in the esophagus. The loss of control over the esophageal muscles at the upper and lower end can cause difficulty in swallowing and let back flow the acidic content of the stomach into the esophagus. This leads to heartburn, irritation and scarring of the esophagus. ( 1,2,3,4)
Classification
In medical science, depending upon the sign and symptoms, CREST syndrome is further divided into two forms: “Pure”CREST — it means when the diagnostic reports reveled that patient have two or more than two symptoms of CREST and not associated with diffuse scleroderma or other autoimmune disease. Plus CREST – It means when the patient has CREST syndrome along with another form of scleroderma, including diffuse scleroderma or other types of autoimmune disease symptoms. In diffuse scleroderma the involved skin is not localized in a particular area and the involvement of the internal organs like the digestive system, heart, lungs and kidney. ( 2,4)
Causes of CREST Syndrome
It assumed that CREST syndrome is developed due to an autoimmune disorder, means the immune system of one’s body can act against own body. This assumption comes from the pathophysiology involved in developing the CREST Syndrome.