M34.8: Other forms of systemic sclerosis

You have systemic sclerosis.

With systemic scleroderma, the body produces too many connective tissue proteins. The connective tissue thickens and hardens as a result. This is probably caused by the body’s immune system. There is connective tissue all over the body. There is connective tissue beneath the skin and around muscles and organs, for example. Muscles and organs have connective tissue, too. The disorder can affect certain parts of the body or the body as a whole.

Systemic sclerosis can involve changes to the skin and joint problems. The skin may be unusually hard. It may be harder to move your joints, or movements may be painful. This disorder can also affect internal organs. The connective tissue in your lungs or your oesophagus might have thickened, for example. The blood vessels in your fingers might also contract more than usual in the cold. So the fingers turn white or blue.