Treating and Managing Sarcoidosis

How Is Sarcoidosis Treated?

The main goals of treatment for sarcoidosis are managing symptoms, decreasing the risk of organ damage, and improving quality of life. You may go into remission, meaning that the condition is no longer causing any complications. If you have no symptoms or they are mild, you may not require treatment, however, it is important for you to continue to see a specialist to be monitored.

Specialists often use medications that will lower your immune system's activity. Immune lowering medications can increase your risk of infection, so it is important to talk to your healthcare provider about the benefits and risks of each medication. The immune lowering medications may include:

• Corticosteroids, or prednisone, which turn down the immune system's activity to reduce inflammation. Prednisone can have some serious side effects if taken long term, so you may be treated for a while and then your healthcare provider may gradually decrease your dose of this medication as your symptoms improve.
• Methotrexate, a medication used to treat severe rheumatoid arthritis can be used to suppress the immune system. 
• Antimalarials, which are usually used to treat malaria, may help with sarcoidosis of the skin or joints.
• TNF inhibitors, which are also used to treat inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis, may be given intravenously or injected under your skin for sarcoidosis.
• Corticotropin, a drug that helps your body produce its natural steroid hormones and can be injected under your skin.

Often starting a new medication can come with new side effects, which is why it is important to report any changes to your healthcare provider and stay on top of your lab work. If your sarcoidosis of the lungs progresses to pulmonary fibrosis, your healthcare provider may recommend additional treatments such as respiratory medications, oxygen therapy, pulmonary rehabilitation and in severe enough cases may consider you a candidate for a lung transplant.

Managing Sarcoidosis

Depending on the location, symptoms and severity of your disease, your treatment and management options may vary.