Faith Caudill
Travis Fields
English 4
March 18, 2015
Vasculitis
Vasculitis is a general term for a group of uncommon diseases that feature inflammation and damage to the walls of the blood vessels. Blood vessels are part of your body’s circulatory system, also known as the vascular system. Occasionally, an allergic reaction to a medication or after an infection has come and gone can trigger vasculitis. The signs and symptoms of vasculitis vary greatly and are often related to decreased blood flow throughout the body, and the treatment of the various forms of vasculitis is based on the severity of the illness and the organs involved. Therefore, this disease needs to be taken seriously and people should be cautious.
The exact cause of vasculitis isn’t fully understood. Some types are related to a person’s genetic makeup. Others result from the immune system attacking blood vessel cells by mistake. Possible triggers for this immune system reaction include: Infections, such as hepatitis B and hepatitis C; blood cancers; immune system diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and scleroderma; and reactions to certain drugs. Blood vessels affected by vasculitis may bleed for become inflamed. Inflammation can cause the layers of the blood vessel wall t thicken. This narrows the blood vessels, reducing the amount of blood – and therefore oxygen and vital nutrients that reaches your body’s tissues and organs (Mayo Foundation).
The general signs and symptoms of this disease vary greatly and are often related to a decrease blood flow though out the body. These signs and symptoms include: Fever, headache, fatigue, weight loss, general aches and pains, night sweats, rash – your normal cold symptoms, which is why being cautious is very important. More progressive symptoms include nerve problems, such as numbness or weakness and loss of pulse in a limb. Other signs and symptoms are related to specific types of vasculitis. The symptoms can develop early and rapidly or in later stages of the disease. Making an appointment with a doctor is very important if these symptoms develop over time.
Because Vasculitis is caused in part by an