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Hidradenitis Suppurativa Foundation

Hidradenitis Suppurativa is one of the rarest skin diseases on the planet. There is little known about the origins of Hidradenitis Suppurativa and it is a fairly debilitating condition.

Causes of Hidradenitis Suppurativa

There is so little known about the disease Hidradenitis Suppurativa that its causes have yet to be discovered. Some researchers believe that there is a link between Crohns disease and Hidradenitis Suppurativa but that link has yet to be proven beyond a doubt.

In some studies, there is a link between people treated for sexually transmitted diseases and Hidradenitis Suppurativa. There was an increase of four percent between the normally healthy individuals and those with a sexually transmitted disease that has been recently treated. This has given new hope to those who suffer from this terrible disease as any new development means they are one step closer to a cure.

They have also determined that the disease is not contagious but it can be passed from mother to child during the late months of pregnancy.

Diagnosis for Hidradenitis Suppurativa

More often than not, Hidradenitis Suppurativa can be diagnosed with a simple physical examination. The signs of this disease are very specific are not easy to overlook. There are occasions when the doctor may want to order some tests to be certain of the diagnosis.

There are a few other diseases that present in the same way as Hidradenitis Suppurativa and they are just as rare but they are treatable. Most likely the doctor will order a skin culture to be collected and sent out for testing. This will help to confirm that the diagnosis is correct and that it is not a lesser known and curable disease.

The doctor may also order a battery of blood tests. There are several tests that have proven reliable in diagnosing Hidradenitis Suppurativa and also ruling it out. Check with your doctor about what is right for you in attempting to diagnose any skin condition that you may have.

Treatment for Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Hidradenitis Suppurativa is not a curable disease. Sadly, there are only a few viable treatments that are available and they do not always work. It all depends on the progression of the disease and the person that is being treated.

The swollen areas that have become inflamed with pus are drained in one of the treatment options. Doctors believe that this slows the progression of the disease and may help it from further damaging the surrounding tissue. This is not definitive by any means but it does hold some promise too many of the sufferers out there in the world.

In certain instances a doctor may choose surgery as a viable option. Removal of the enlarged lumps through surgery has proven effective and in some cases, the lumps have not returned or have returned to a lesser degree that is more manageable to the patient. Surgery is the last resort for some doctors as the surgery is rather invasive and can leave the patient in a lot of pain following the procedure.

Radiation therapy is the newest treatment option that is currently available. A small and intense beam of radiation is aimed at the affected area to effectively kill the bad tissue. This treatment has not gained wide spread acceptance as of yet but tests are ongoing and there is hope.

Antibiotics have also proved useful in some cases. Doctors are weary of this type of treatment as it has harsh effects on the body and its systems but some of the patients have shown marked improvement with this course of treatment.

Symptomsof Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Hidradenitis Suppurativa presents in three stages. Each stage is worse than the one before it until the disease is fully generated in the body. In stage one large boils or pus filled sacks appear in the folds of the skin, like under the arms. These boils will seep a smelly yellow liquid similar to the oozing of an infected area of the body. In the second stage the boils will become hard and seep even worse than in the first stage. Some patients have noticed that the odor given off by these boils in the second stage is worse and the fluid takes on a sticky consistency.

In the final stage, tunnels form around and in between the boils and scars begin to form. This is the most painful time in the disease and it is then that most people seek medical attention for some relief from the pain.

This disease is normally slow to progress but it has been know to present quickly in some cases. As the disease progresses the symptoms gradually get worse and the amount of skin that is affected by the disease continues to grow.