Pulmonary Sarcoidosis

What is Pulmonary Sarcoidosis?

Pulmonary sarcoidosis is a disease that affects your lungs. It happens when your immune system, which normally protects you from germs and infections, gets confused and starts attacking your healthy lung tissue.

When this happens, small lumps called granulomas form in your lungs. These granulomas are clusters of immune cells that stick together. Think of them like tiny balls of inflammation that shouldn’t be there. While these granulomas often form in the lungs first, sarcoidosis can spread to other parts of your body too, such as your skin, eyes, heart, and nervous system.

No one knows exactly what causes sarcoidosis.
Doctors think it might be triggered by:

Something in the environment you breathed in
A reaction to certain infections
Your genetic makeup that makes you more likely to get it

Pulmonary sarcoidosis is a complex condition where inflammation leads to granuloma formation in the lungs. This form of sarcoidosis of lung can affect breathing and may impact other organs over time.

How Sarcoidosis Affects the Lungs

When granulomas form in your lungs, they can cause several problems:

They can block the airways in your lungs, making it harder to breathe
They can reduce how much oxygen gets into your bloodstream
They can cause inflammation and swelling in your lung tissue

Many people with pulmonary sarcoidosis experience:

A persistent dry cough that won’t go away
Shortness of breath, especially during physical activity
Chest discomfort or pain
Unusual tiredness or fatigue

These symptoms are typical indicators of sarcoidosis lungs. Understanding sarcoidosis of lung symptoms is key to managing the disease and maintaining quality of life.

How Sarcoidosis Affects Other Parts of the Body

While sarcoidosis often starts in the lungs, it is a whole-body disease that can affect many different parts of your body

Your Respiratory System:

Your airways can become narrower, causing wheezing and difficulty breathing
Your lung tissue can become inflamed and scarred
The lymph nodes in your chest (called mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes) often become swollen
Your pulmonary blood vessels can be affected, sometimes leading to high blood pressure in the lungs

Your Skin:

You might develop red, tender bumps on your legs (called erythema nodosum)
Other skin rashes or lesions can appear anywhere on your body

Your Eyes:

Inflammation can cause red, painful eyes (uveitis)
If not treated, this can lead to vision problems or even vision loss

Your Heart:

Granulomas can form in heart tissue, causing irregular heartbeats
In rare cases, it can lead to heart failure

Your Nervous System:

Though less common, sarcoidosis can affect your brain and nerves
This might cause facial paralysis, seizures, or problems with thinking

Your Lymphatic System:

Swollen lymph nodes are very common, especially in your chest
These swollen nodes can be seen on chest X-rays and help doctors diagnose the condition

Although lung sarcoidosis is the most common form, the condition can extend to multiple body systems. Monitoring symptoms outside the lungs is essential for full-body care in sarcoidosis of lung.

Progression of Pulmonary Sarcoidosis

Everyone’s experience with sarcoidosis is different. The disease can follow several paths

Most people (about 70–80%) have a mild form that:

Gets better on its own without treatment
Improves within 2–5 years
Leaves little or no permanent damage

For about 20–30% of people, sarcoidosis becomes chronic and:

Lasts longer than 2–5 years
May require long-term treatment
Can cause permanent lung damage

Risk factors that make chronic disease more likely include:

Extensive lung involvement when first diagnosed
Delayed diagnosis and treatment
Family history of sarcoidosis
Certain genetic factors

Possible complications of long-term pulmonary sarcoidosis include:

Bronchial narrowing: The tubes that carry air into your lungs become narrow, making it harder to breathe and causing wheezing
Frequent lung infections: Damaged lungs are more vulnerable to infections like pneumonia or bronchitis
Breathing failure: In severe cases, the lungs may become so damaged that they can’t provide enough oxygen to the body. This might require oxygen therapy or, rarely, a lung transplant
Pulmonary fibrosis: Permanent scarring in the lungs that reduces their flexibility and ability to transfer oxygen
Bronchiectasis: Permanent widening of the airways, which can lead to mucus buildup and repeated infections
Pulmonary hypertension: High blood pressure in the lung arteries that puts strain on your heart

Understanding the possible paths of sarcoidosis of lung helps set realistic expectations. In many cases, pulmonary sarcoidosis resolves on its own, but some people may face chronic complications requiring long-term support.

Who Is at Risk of Developing Sarcoidosis?

Sarcoidosis can affect anyone, but some groups have a higher risk:

It’s more common in adults between ages 30 and 39
It affects African Americans more frequently and often more severely
It’s also common in people of Northern European descent, especially Scandinavians
It affects both men and women, though slightly more common in women

Environmental factors that might increase your risk include:

Exposure to dust from jobs like construction, mining, or farming
Exposure to mold or damp environments
Certain infections may trigger it in people who are already genetically susceptible
Family connections are important too. If someone in your family has sarcoidosis, you have a higher chance of developing it yourself