Symptoms are often unnoticed, so more people might have sarcoidosis than are actually diagnosed.

Sarcoidosis affects more than 1 out of every 100,000 people worldwide.

5% of those with it develop severe problems, 15% of those with it have symptoms that get worse, and almost half the people with sarcoidosis get better without therapy (UMD Medical Center, 2014).

Can affect almost any organ, but we will mainly be focusing on pulmonary sarcoidosis which accounts for 90% of those affected (Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research).

The bead-like patches, called granulomas, form in response to a stimulus. Usually appearing in the lungs, which accounts for interfering with respiration, and nearby lymph nodes. These clumps of inflamed cells can cause inflammation and interfere with organ function which results in symptoms (Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research).

Serious symptoms are not that common, but will most likely result in some form of a lifestyle change.

The most common areas which it can become present are the lungs and the surrounding lymph nodes, but it can also affect the skin, the eyes, and, although it often does not often require treatment, the liver.

Certain populations, especially African-Americans, are more prone to the activation of the disease outside the lungs. It affects other parts of the body, which is why the symptoms which we will discuss later on are so broad.

(Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research)

A lot of symptoms are rather generic and non-specific because this is an inflammatory disease. Which is why most people experiencing this illness are not diagnosed.

All of these are from effects on the lungs which obviously impairs respiration and therefore physical activity.

(UMD Medical Center, 2014)

As you can see, all of these symptoms again are a result of inflammatory response.

As with any inflammatory response, if the inflammatory response persists in the tissues, it could result in tissue damage, complications, and eventually loss of function. The specific symptoms people experience depend on the specific organs and tissues being affected.

(UMD Medical Center, 2014)

Too strong of an immune response, resulting in damage to the body’s own tissues (UMD Medical Center, 2014).

Either by infection of bacteria or viruses, or an allergic response to foreign bodies or chemicals, especially those which can be inhaled, or even any combination of exposures which act as a stimulus (NHLBI).

Certain genes increase risk of developing it and certain genes determine its remission or if prolonged symptoms will occur.

Genetics are also believed to play a role as to which tissues in the body it affects, lending to the immune response theory (some may be more prone to exposure than others) (Morgenthau, A., 2011).

Cause is unknown, but more African-Americans have it than Caucasians.

Without a clear cause, there is not defined ‘cure,’ however, corticosteroids have been used with success for treatment.