Ashton Kutcher Opens Up About Vasculitis Diagnosis | What Is Vasculitis?

Vasculitis is a rare autoimmune disorder. Actor Ashton Kutcher said the disorder left him temporarily blind and deaf

Hollywood actor Ashton Kutcher opened up about struggling with vasculitis, an autoimmune condition that affected his ability to see, hear, and even walk, on an episode of Running Wild with Bear Grylls: The Challenge.

While the 44-year-old star of The Butterfly Effect, Punk'd, and What Happens in Vegas said that he was over the worst of the disease, and that he has been living happily now, vasculitis can often turn ugly if left unaddressed or untreated.

But what puts you at risk of vasculitis? What causes vasculitis? How is it treated? And are you at risk of vasculitis?

Let's find out.

What is Vasculitis?

Vasculitis is a disorder or group of disorders that results in the inflammation of the blood vessels. It affects both the veins and the arteries. Left unaddressed, vasculitis can lead to the thickening of the walls of your blood vessels and restrict blood flow.

This can lead to several serious conditions including organ damage, tissue damage, and even an aneurysm. An inflamed blood vessel is weaker and more prone to rupture as well as other complications. When an inflamed blood vessel ruptures, it causes an aneurysm.

Vasculitis can affect many parts of the body, or it could be limited to one organ. For example, pressure from the inflamed blood vessels could affect vision, hearing, and even motor function.

The classification of vasculitis is usually done based on the cause of the vasculitis, the location of the inflamed blood vessels, and the type of blood vessels that are affected.

What Causes Vasculitis?

Vasculitis can affect anyone at any age. It isn't limited by age, ethnicity, or other factors. However, a medical history of certain disorders can trigger the disease.

Doctors haven't identified the specific trigger or cause for vasculitis, but several possible causes have been named. These include:

• Hepatitis B or C infections

• Immune system disorders like rheumatoid arthritis

• Unexpected reactions to some drugs or medication

• Some types of cancer

Some other risk factors for vasculitis include a family history of the disease, substance use and/or smoking tobacco, and some types of medication.

Some types of vasculitis, like giant cell arteritis usually only affect those older than 50, while other disorders like Kawasaki disease, are more common in children under the age of five.

What Are The Symptoms of Vasculitis?

Like we described earlier, red and/or inflamed blood vessels, vision trouble, frequent headaches, dizziness, and a range of other symptoms can manifest with vasculitis. The symptoms also depend on the part of your body that's affected by the inflammation.

Without the visible inflammation of blood vessels, your doctor may conduct a range of tests to diagnose your condition. This includes a complete blood cell count, tests for high amounts of C-reactive protein, as well as testing for the presence of specific antibodies.

Apart from the initial blood tests, you may also be subjected to non-invasive imaging scans like PET or CT scans, as well as MRI scans.

The doctor may also perform a biopsy on the affected part as well as an x-ray of your blood vessels, known as an angiography.

Usually vasculitis can only be confirmed after an examination by a doctor.

How Is Vasculitis Treated?

The treatment for vasculitis depends entirely on the severity of the disorder. The doctor may prescribe corticosteroids to counter the inflammation, or another course of medication.

Again, the treatment for vasculitis depends heavily on the organs affected, the severity of your disease, as well as other complications you may have.

In case an inflamed blood vessel forms an aneurysm and ruptures, you will need surgery to treat it. A ruptured aneurysm can quickly turn fatal if left unattended.