Health Topic

Sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis is a disease that leads to inflammation, usually in lungs, skin, or lymph nodes. It starts as granulomas. Discover symptoms and tests.

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Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.

About Sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis is a condition in which groups of cells in your immune system form small, red, and swollen (inflamed) lumps. These lumps are called granulomas. They can form in any organ in the body. But they most commonly affect the lungs and lymph nodes in the chest. Over time, sarcoidosis can cause permanent scarring of organs.

Your immune system creates inflammation to help defend you against germs and sickness. But in sarcoidosis, inflammation goes off track. It causes the cells in your immune system to form granulomas. Studies suggest that this inflammation might be triggered by infections and certain substances in the environment such as insecticides and mold. And your genes may affect how your immune system reacts to a trigger.

Anyone can develop sarcoidosis, but you are more likely to have it if you:

  • Are older, especially if you are over age 55
  • Live or work near insecticides, mold, or other substances that may cause inflammation
  • Have a close relative who has sarcoidosis
  • Take certain medicines, such as some types of HIV medicines and monoclonal antibodies
  • Are of African or Scandinavian descent
  • Are female

Many people who have sarcoidosis have no symptoms, or they may feel unwell but without any obvious symptoms. If you have symptoms, you may have some general symptoms. And you may have other symptoms, which will depend upon which part of the body is affected.

The general symptoms can include:

  • Fatigue
  • Weight loss
  • Swollen lymph nodes
  • Depression
  • Fever
  • Night sweats (heavy sweating during sleep)

The symptoms of sarcoidosis in the lungs can include:

  • Wheezing
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath
  • Chest pain

The symptoms of sarcoidosis in other parts of the body can include:

  • Larger than normal liver or spleen
  • Jaundice, which can make your eyes or skin yellow
  • Nervous system problems, such as: Headache
  • Dizziness
  • Vision problems
  • Seizures
  • Numbness or tingling

There is also a set of symptoms that are called Lofgren's syndrome. Some people have Lofgren's syndrome when they first develop sarcoidosis. It usually goes away completely within 2 years. The symptoms of Lofgren's syndrome may include:

  • Swollen lymph nodes in your chest, neck, chin, armpits, or groin.
  • A rash of small, itchy, or painful bumps called erythema nodosum. The rash is most often on your head, neck, or legs.
  • Blurred vision, eye pain or redness, light sensitivity, or watery eyes.
  • Joint pain, stiffness, or swelling.
  • Fever.

If untreated, or if the treatment does not work, sarcoidosis can cause serious health problems called complications. Possible complications include:

  • Lung problems
  • Heart problems
  • Hormone problems
  • Brain, nerve, or muscle problems
  • Kidney problems
  • Severe organ damage

There is no single test that can diagnose sarcoidosis, and its symptoms can be similar to the symptoms of many other conditions. That makes it hard to diagnose. To find out if you have sarcoidosis, your health care provider:

  • Will ask about your medical history, including your symptoms, lifestyle, and any other health conditions you may have.
  • Will do a physical exam, which may include: Checking your temperature
  • Checking to see if your lymph nodes, spleen, or liver are swollen
  • Listening to your chest with a stethoscope as you breathe in and out
  • Looking for rashes or sores on your body, such as scalp and lower legs
  • Chest x-rays
  • A biopsy of the skin, lymph nodes, lungs, or other affected organs
  • Blood tests to check your blood counts, hormone levels, and how well your kidneys are working
  • Other imaging tests

If you are diagnosed with sarcoidosis, your provider may order other tests to look at how sarcoidosis is affecting the body.

There is no cure for sarcoidosis. The goal of treatment for sarcoidosis is remission, which means you still have the condition, but it does not cause you problems.

You may not need treatment, and sometimes the condition goes away on its own. If you do need treatment, which treatment(s) you get will depend on your symptoms, which organs are affected, and whether those organs are working well. You may be given medicines to:

  • Lower inflammation
  • Treat an overactive immune response
  • Treat joint pain
  • Treat skin problems

If you have complications from sarcoidosis, you may need other treatments, such as other medicines, surgery, oxygen therapy, pulmonary rehabilitation, or an implanted cardiac pacemaker or defibrillator.

Whether or not you have symptoms from sarcoidosis, it's important to get regular follow-up care from your provider, make healthy lifestyle changes, and contact your provider if you have any new symptoms.

It sits within Lungs and Breathing.

The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.

Research on Sarcoidosis

337 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.

What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.

Research currently under way

Research already completed

Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.

Where to read more

Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.

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Diagnosis and Tests

Clinical Trials

Medical subject headings

Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Sarcoidosis. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.

This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Sarcoidosis, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.