Dermatomyositis is a chronic inflammation of muscles and skin throughout the body. Although there is no cure for this disease, earlier effective treatment helps to prevent ongoing progression and get a better result.
Can Dermatomyositis be cured?—effective treatment is the key
Firstly, causes and damage of Dermatomyositis:
Although there is no known cause of Dermatomyositis, it is believed that an autoimmune reaction which mistakes cells of the muscle as dangerous substances and attack them. In the developing course, the disease can involve muscles of the lungs, esophagus, throat, etc. Severe complications of the disease include difficulty breathing, difficulty swallowing, pneumonia, gastrointestinal ulceration, etc.
Secondly, clinical treatment for Dermatomyositis
Drugs available mainly functions to suppress the immune system and limit the production of autoantibodies so as to protect muscle functions. Examples of common immunosuppressive drugs include Methotrexate, Azathioprine, Cytoxan, Neoral, Sandimmune, etc. If the patients respond poorly to those drugs or their illness condition is uncontrolled by one or several of those drugs, doctors may prescribe some newly researched biologics which have potent immunosuppressive functions, such as Rituximab, tumor necrosis factor(TNF) inhibitor, etc.
For the patients with Dermatomyositis, uncontrolled symptoms or complications are signal of active inflammation and progressing illness condition. In this case, you will need immediate change of medication plan. The earlier Dermatomyositis is effectively controlled, the better your prognosis will be.
Clinically, patients with Dermatomyositis have varying disease course; some patients have their disease well controlled in early stage, while some others may have increasing complications with their illness condition deteriorating to the advanced stage.
Finally and above all, for patients with Dermatomyositis seeking for a cure, it is essential to monitor and closely observe changes of illness condition, and note that early tight control is the key. For any further individualized information on management of Dermatomyositis, you may contact us.
Relevant topics you may be interested in:
Advantage of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Dermatomyositis
Dermatomyositis Patients Need Muscle Biopsy
