Ashton Kutcher battled vasculitis causing blindness, loss of hearing. Know all about the rare condition

Ashton Kutcher has opened up about being diagnosed with a "rare form of vasculitis", an autoimmune disease that left him unable to see, hear, or walk. The Two And A Half Men actor shared the diagnosis in the Monday episode of the National Geographic show, Running Wild with Bear Grylls: The Challenge. "Like two years ago, I had this weird, super rare form of vasculitis, that like knocked out my vision, it knocked out my hearing, it knocked out like all my equilibrium," Kutcher said in a clip shared by entertainment programme Access Hollywood.

In the video, the 44-year-old further said it took him a year to build his life from scratch and that he was "lucky to be alive". After the clip went viral on social media, Kutcher posted a clarification on Twitter, saying the health scare happened three years ago following which he had made a full recovery.

Let's find out what vasculitis is that affected Kutcher severely. 

What is Vasculitis? 

Vasculitis is inflammation of a blood vessel or blood vessels. The inflammation can cause the walls of the blood vessels to thicken, which reduces the width of the passageway through the vessel. If blood flow is restricted, it can result in organ and tissue damage. Vasculitis may affect anyone regardless of age or other factors. It may be treated with medication that controls the inflammation and prevents flare-ups.

Vasculitis may cause organ damage 

Kutcher revealed that due to his Vasculitis, he was unable to 'see, hear, or walk'. This is a possible complication of untreated giant cell arteritis, which can cause double vision and temporary or permanent blindness in one or both eyes. Some types of vasculitis can cause numbness or weakness in a hand or foot. The palms of the hands and soles of the feet might swell or harden. Dizziness, ringing in the ears and abrupt hearing loss may also occur, as per Mayo Clinic. 

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Vasculitis symptoms and when to see a doctor 

General symptoms of vasculitis include: fever, headache, fatigue, weight loss, general aches and pains. Other signs and symptoms are related to the parts of the body affected. Vasculitis may turn severe and requires treatment and expert care. So if any of the mentioned symptoms show up or persist, seeing a doctor is recommended. Mostly, vasculitis can be treated with medication and proper medical oversight. 

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(With PTI inputs)