What is sarcoidosis and how does it affect the body?

Q: What is sarcoidosis and its causes? How can it be cured? I have been diagnosed with tuberculosis at d7 and d8 along with sarcoidosis. Please help.

A:Both TB and sarcoidosis have similar symptoms so an accurate diagnosis is a must. Here is some information on sarcoidosis. Sarcoidosis involves inflammation that produces tiny lumps of cells (called granulomas) in various organs in your body. They are very small and can be seen only with a microscope. If many granulomas form in an organ, they can affect how the organ works. Sarcoidosis can occur in almost any part of your body, although it usually affects some organs more than others. It usually starts in lungs or the lymph nodes, especially in the chest cavity. It also often affects the skin, eyes and liver.Less often, sarcoidosis affects the spleen, brain, nerves, heart, tear glands, salivary glands, bones and joints. Sarcoidosis almost always occurs in more than one organ at a time. Sarcoidosis has an active and a non-active phase. In the active phase, the granulomas form and grow. In this phase, symptoms can develop, and scar tissue can form in the organs where the granulomas occur. In the non-active phase, the inflammation goes down, and the granulomas stay the same size or shrink. But the scars may remain and cause symptoms. The course of the disease varies greatly among people. In many people, sarcoidosis is mild. The inflammation that causes the granulomas may get better on its own. The granulomas may stop growing or shrink. Symptoms may go away within a few years. In some people, the inflammation remains but doesn't get worse. You may also have symptoms or flare-ups and need treatment every now and then. In other people, sarcoidosis slowly gets worse over the years and can cause permanent organ damage. Although treatment can help, sarcoidosis may leave scar tissue in the lungs, skin, eyes, or other organs. The scar tissue can affect how the organs work. Treatment usually does not affect scar tissue.