Diagnosis

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Scleroderma is very hard to diagnose as it overlaps and resembles many other diseases. The physician may suspect scleroderma after assessing the history of the symptoms and performing a physical examination. As part of this examination, the physician may do the following:

• check the skin for thickened and hardened areas. The major clinical clues to scleroderma are symmetrical hardening and thickening of the skin on fingers and/or toes.
  
• press affected tendons and joints to detect crackling or grating sensations, which can indicate sclerodermic changes beneath the skin.
  
• careful examination of the fingernails to detect any changes in capillaries that are characteristic of scleroderma.