What Are the Symptoms of Sarcoidosis?
Symptoms of sarcoidosis vary, depending on the area of the body involved, and may be mild, moderate, severe, or absent. The first symptoms are often vague and may include the following: • Fatigue • Fever • Weight loss • Joint pain Shortness of breath or a cough that won’t go away are frequently the symptoms that lead a patient to the doctor. The lungs are usually the first area to be affected by sarcoidosis. In fact, nine of 10 people with sarcoidosis have some type of lung involvement. Pulmonary sarcoidosis can be serious, leading to the formation of scar tissue (fibrosis) in the lungs. This complication can interfere with breathing. Other symptoms include skin rashes or red bumps (erythema nodosum) on the legs. In about 20% to 30% of cases, sarcoidosis affects the eyes, causing redness, tearing, or, rarely, more severe complications, such as cataracts, glaucoma, and blindness. Sarcoidosis can also affect the brain and nerves, heart, liver, and various hormone-producing glands. The gr
