Renowned for his work in such films as “That ’70s Show” and “Dude, Where’s My Car?,” Ashton Kutcher is an American actor, producer, entrepreneur, and investor. Besides “Two and a Half Men,” “Workaholics,” and “Punk’d,” he has appeared in a number of other well-known television series.
Kutcher was unlucky enough to learn he had an autoimmune disorder in 2011. In this article, we will talk about the signs and symptoms of vasculitis disease, Kutcher’s experience with the disease, and the treatment options available for this disease.
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Ashton Kutcher Illness
After suffering from a rare autoimmune ailment that left him momentarily deaf and blind, actor Ashton Kutcher has said he is “fortunate to be alive” now that he has recovered. In a forthcoming episode of Running Wild with Bear Grylls: The Challenge on National Geographic, Kutcher discusses his experience with vasculitis.
Before there are a bunch of rumors/ chatter/ whatever out there. Yes, I had a rare vasculitis episode 3yrs ago. (Autoimmune flair up) I had some impairments hear, vision, balance issues right after. I fully recovered. All good. Moving on. See you at the 2022 NY Marathon w/Thorn
— ashton kutcher (@aplusk) August 9, 2022
Mr. Kutcher explains to presenter Bear Grylls,
“Like two years ago, I got this crazy, incredibly rare form of vasculitis, it like knocked out my vision, it knocked out my hearing, and it knocked out like all my equilibrium.” While he tweeted that he was “totally recovered,” the That 70’s Show star detailed the impact of his illness in Running Wild.
When asked why, he replied,
“You don’t really appreciate it until it’s gone.” You haven’t lived until you’ve said, “I don’t know if I’m ever going to be able to see again, I don’t know if I’m ever going to be able to hear again, I don’t know if I’m ever going to be able to walk again.”
In this article, we will cover the fundamentals of vasculitis.
What is Vasculitis?
Rare disorders that cause inflammation of blood vessels, such as veins and arteries are collectively referred to as vasculitis.
It’s possible to experience symptoms like:
- Fever \Headache \Fatigue
- A reduction in body fat
- discomfort and pains of a general nature
- Red, itchy, and scaly skin
- Different forms of vasculitis cause different symptoms and degrees of illness.
Perhaps you’ve heard of Kawasaki disease, an inflammatory disorder that was initially considered to be caused by the pandemic COVID-19 virus. Mr. Kutcher hasn’t said which type of vasculitis he has, although giant cell arteritis is known to affect the arteries in the head and cause blindness. Organ failure, thrombosis, and aneurysms are among the potential outcomes of the most severe forms of vasculitis.
Symptoms
Depending on the vasculitis subtype, the affected organs, and the degree of disease, the resulting symptoms might be quite different. Symptoms might range from mild to severe, and from being localized to affecting many organs.
The onset of symptoms might be rapid over the course of a few days or weeks, or more gradual over the course of a few months. It’s possible to experience any of the following as a result of generalized symptoms:
- Tiredness
- Fever
- General aches and pains
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
Inflammation can be harmful if it restricts blood flow to a body part. Aneurysms or aortic dissection, arrhythmias, coronary artery disease, deep vein thrombosis, myocardial infarction, myocarditis, high or low blood pressure, renal disease, strokes, transient ischemic attacks, and excessive cholesterol are all examples of serious, potentially fatal conditions.
Treatment
Reducing inflammation and preventing further difficulties from developing are the primary aims of treatment for vasculitis. Remission induction, maintenance, and monitoring are the three pillars of any vasculitis therapy plan.
Many people with vasculitis begin treatment with corticosteroids; these drugs can be used alone or in combination with other immunosuppressive dr*gs such as methotrexate, azathioprine, mycophenolate, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab.
Vasculitis pathogenesis has come a long way in the past decade. Key cytokine and cellular effectors of the inflammatory cascade are the targets of new treatment methods made possible by the recent identification of target molecules.
Can Vasculitis Be Cured?
Unfortunately, vasculitis is now incurable. In modern medicine, the emphasis is on reducing inflammation and treating any underlying causes of the patient’s disease. The inflammation caused by vasculitis is typically treated with a steroid medication like prednisone.
Many forms of vasculitis respond well to treatment and can go into long-term remission with diligent upkeep. If vasculitis patients do not receive therapy, 85 percent of them will die within five years, according to the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health. Early diagnosis, however, increases the likelihood of a full recovery or remission.
