Psoriasis

Psoriasis- one of the most common andmysterious skin diseases. The name "psoriasis" comes from the Greek word "psoriasis", which means itching, scabies.

"Devil's Roses"- this is how a disease characterized by peeling of the skin was called in old age.

In the days of Hippocrates, the term "psora" was introduced, this term was used to refer to a group of skin diseases accompanied by peeling, dryness and itching.

The famous Greek physician Claudius Galen, at the beginning of our era, was the first to use the term "psoriasis" to refer to scaly skin changes accompanied by severe itching, but this disease had nothing to do with psoriasis.

In the past, psoriasis was comparable to leprosy, scabies and vitiligo, and people suffering from these diseases were forced to wear a special costume, a rattle or a bell.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the English physician Willlen and his students distinguished between psoriasis and leprosy.

In the future, the science of dermatology has been enriched with new information about the causes of the disease (metabolic disorders, immunological changes in the body, viral nature, environmental distress, genetic predisposition, etc. ), but the exact causesof the disease remain a mystery.

During the entire existence of the Earth, 5. 5 billion people have fallen ill with psoriasis.

Psoriasis is believed to be "the mark of God" for people with special artistic talent.

Among people suffering from psoriasis there are many successful and great personalities, for example, Benjamin Franklin, Henry Ford, Winston Churchill, John Rockefeller

Blacks suffer much less from psoriasis than whites. Drinking green tea reduces the risk of psoriasis. The risk of developing psoriasis in women who smoke is 78% higher than in non-smokers. Often during pregnancy, psoriasis goes away without treatment. During World War II, the number of patients with psoriasis In September 2009, a fashion show was first organized in the United States specifically for patients with psoriasis.

In all of human history, there has not been a single case of psoriasis being transferred from a sick person to a healthy person, even with a blood transfusion.

Causes of the disease

Psoriasis is considered a multifactorial disease.This means that psoriasis appears suddenly, by coincidence of certain circumstances. Despite many years of research, scientists still have not been able to find out the exact causes of the development of the disease, but there are many hypotheses.

• heredity (although the presence of a person with psoriasis in the family does not always mean that their descendants will be ill);
• nervous stress (especially in adolescence) causes an exacerbation of the disease;
• nutrition (the abuse of fatty, salty, citrus, chocolate, is directly associated with the appearance of psoriasis);
• weakened immunity - long-term drug therapy, frequent colds, other diseases that decrease immunity, affect the condition of the skin, provoking the development of psoriasis;
• lack of vitamins and minerals;
• violation of metabolic processes.

And much more "Each person has their own psoriasis with their own causes. "

Symptoms of the disease

People under the age of 30, regardless of their gender, are the most susceptible to this disease. The first symptoms of the disease are small scattered reddish or pink nodules, covered with silvery white scales on top, when scratched below, a reddish surface with small protruding blood droplets ("blood dew") is exposed. As psoriasis grows, the nodules grow, merge with each other, covering a growing area of the skin. The patient feels constant itching of the affected areas, combs them and, after intensive scratching, psoriatic "plaques" are formed - areas of dense, thickened and irritated skin.

The areas of psoriasis on the skin are endless, but most commonly the elbows, knees, extensor surfaces of the arms and legs, and the scalp are affected. Sometimes the disease recedes completely, then suddenly returns, sometimes the patient's condition improves (more often in summer), sometimes worsens (more often in winter), in general, pure unpredictability.

Psoriasis does not make a person physically disabled, but it inflicts a heavy blow on the patient's psyche, depriving them of adequate communication with others.

If you have psoriasis. . .

• Make sure the rash is actually psoriasis.
• Don't panic.
• Try to analyze the events preceding the onset of the disease, this will help in the future to avoid repeated exacerbations.
• Self-medication is dangerous!
• Don't be fooled by the expensive treatment, each psoriasis has its own unique method of treatment.
• Do not immerse yourself in sickness, drive away anxiety, tune in to a favorable outcome. Your attitude is the first helper in overcoming illness.

Forms of psoriasis

Scalp psoriasis. Well-defined pale pink scaly patches appear on the scalp, and hair never falls out (hair loss in a limited area of the skin indicates another condition, such as ringworm).

Psoriasis of the nails(psoriatic onychodystrophy). The fingernails and toenails are affected. It is characterized by discoloration of the nail plate and nail bed, the appearance of dots, spots, transverse lines, thickening of the skin under the nails, thickening and stratification of the plate, up to'to the complete loss of the nail plates.

Palmoplantar psoriasis.Papules appear on the surface of the palms and soles, usually associated with psoriasis of the nails (as distinguished from fungal diseases).

Guttate psoriasis.It is characterized by the appearance on the patient's skin of a large number of small circles raised above the surface of healthy skin, red or purple (up to purple), very dry, similar in shape todrops, tears or small dots. It mainly occurs on the thighs.

Exudative psoriasis.The scales on the surface of the papules acquire a yellow tint, become multi-layered, stick together. When such a papule is scraped off, the moist, bright pink surface of the skin is exposed.

Pustular psoriasis.Small bubbles with purulent contents appear on various parts of the skin, the general condition of the patient worsens, and the body temperature rises.

Psoriatic erythroderma.The defeat of large areas of the skin (sometimes over the entire surface of the body), inflammation is pronounced, the color of the skin is bright pink, the patient feels unbearable strong itching and deterioration of the general condition.

Arthropathic psoriasis.Not only the skin is affected, but also the small joints (hands, feet). When moving, pain appears in the joints, the joints are limited in their movements, edematous.

Isophore psoriasis or Koebner's phenomenon.This form of the disease develops at the site of physical damage to the skin (scratches, surgical wounds, sunburn).

Plaque psoriasis.At the onset of the disease, red, clearly limited, scaly papules appear, which merge with the progression of the disease, forming stable round or oval plaques of dark red color.

Reverse psoriasis (intertriginous).An unusual form that occurs under the mammary glands and in the groin area. The plates are smooth, red, with clear boundaries and superficial maceration.

Erythrodermic psoriasis.Severe form, the skin surface is red, painful, the patient has a high fever, chills.

Complications of psoriasis

Psoriasis- it is not just a skin disease, it is unequivocally clear that psoriasis is a systemic disease that affects not only the skin, but almost every system in the body. Therefore, against the background of psoriasis in humans, the following disorders occur:

• psoriatic arthritis;
• degeneration of the nail plates;
• mucosal damage (mouth, gastrointestinal tract, urethra, bladder, etc. );
• eye damage;
• violations in the liver;
• organic disorders of the central nervous system;
• heart damage (myocarditis, myocardial dystrophy, etc. );
• amyotrophy;
• lymphadenopathy.

Features of psoriasis in children

As a rule, psoriasis in children develops at the age of 4-8 years, its onset is often associated with infectious disease (tonsillitis, chickenpox, etc. ), stress, skin trauma, etc. It mainly manifests on the scalp, as well as on the skin of the face and groin. The most common in childhood is the teardrop and exuding form of psoriasis.

Psoriasis treatment

Since it is extremely difficult to identify the cause of the disease, it is also difficult to identify a unique recipe for fighting psoriasis. This disease is very individual, and the approach to treatment should be strictly individual.

Diet.In most cases, dietary advice is sufficient to stop the development of psoriasis. It is necessary to exclude foods that are traditionally considered allergens - citrus fruits, chocolate, eggs, honey, peppers, strawberries. It is recommended to limit the consumption of acidic, spicy, fatty foods (oil, lard), alcohol.

Fortifying agents.It is necessary to take multivitamin preparations, means of strengthening the immune system of the body, eliminating nervous stress.

Puvotherapy.Application of special therapeutic agents to the skin, followed by activation by irradiation with ultraviolet rays.

Cryotherapy.Placement in a very low temperature cell.

Bioresonance therapy.Exposure to weak electromagnetic vibrations.

Ozone therapy.The use of gas treatments and ozonated cosmetics.

Hirudotherapy.The use of medicinal leeches.

Spa treatment.This type of treatment is carried out without exacerbation of the disease, in the summer-spring period with great care, because sometimes a change in climate can, on the contrary, provoke the disease. For psoriasis, sanatoriums in the Dead Sea (Israel), Baku, etc. are recommended.

External treatment(ointments, creams, etc. ).

Systemic treatment(tablets, injections, etc. ).

Photochemotherapy.Exposure to ultraviolet rays directly to the affected areas of the skin is carried out using special devices that irradiate only the right places without touching healthy skin (which is important in the treatment of limited forms of psoriasis, for example the treatment of psoriasis of the nails).

Traditional methods of treatment.Based on the therapeutic effect of medicinal herbs (celandine, Kalanchoe, eucalyptus, honey, kombucha, etc. ).

Phytotherapy.Treatment with medicinal herbs.

Hypnotherapy.Treatment by hypnosis.

Acupuncture.Restores both the physical and mental state of a patient with psoriasis.

Homeopathy.

Treatment of psoriasis with folk remedies.

Today you can easily find many articles on how to treat psoriasis with folk remedies, there are really many remedies for treatment, we are going to present some for your attention.

Fairly good results, gives the use of interior decoctions of herbs such as chicory, dandelion, parsley. For processing, crushed roots of these plants are used, which are collected on their own in spring or autumn or purchased at a pharmacy.

Dill is good for psoriasis. It is very useful to eat it in any available form, and it is best to grind the seeds in a coffee grinder. In the morning, you can prepare a decoction of dill seeds: pour boiling water over two tablespoons of dill seeds (0, 5 l), insist for an hour, then drink the resulting decoction thirty minutes beforemeals, 3 to 4 times a day.

Cleansing the liver and intestines can also help relieve psoriasis. The easiest way to clean is to use pumpkin seeds, which you need to eat one glass a day for a month, as well as a tablespoon of corn oil twice a day.

The use of coniferous baths, every other day, about half an hour, will help to cleanse the skin. It is simple to prepare the broth: at the bottom of a large saucepan or bucket you need to put spruce branches, add celandine leaves to them, pour everything with water, bring to a boil andevaporate over very low heat for 20 minutes. Then infuse the broth for 2-3 hours and pour into the prepared bath. The water temperature should be 37-38 degrees.

For the preparation of the baths, you can use other herbs: mint, motherwort, chamomile, valerian, lemon balm, oregano, caraway seeds, hops.

For the treatment of psoriasis, you can also use sea buckthorn oil, both externally and internally.

The most popular psoriasis questions and answers.

Is psoriasis contagious?

Psoriasis is not contagious, in any case, many studies confirm this. The presence of several family members with psoriasis is due to the possible hereditary transmission of the disease.

What are the processing guarantees?

There can be no question of guarantees, only a stable remission is possible.

How much does the treatment cost on average?

It is practically impossible to calculate the cost of treatment due to strictly individual methods of treatment and the duration of treatment.

How is the diagnosis carried out?

Visual examination and scratching for fungal infection, to detect concomitant pathology.

How does alcohol affect the patient with psoriasis?

Alcohol, due to its toxicity, has a detrimental effect on the whole body as a whole, what about the altered skin.

In most patients with alcohol abuse, there is a loss of seasonality during psoriasis and frequent exacerbations. The clinical course of the disease worsens.

People with psoriasis are therefore not recommended to drink alcoholic beverages, even in small amounts.

How do stressful situations affect psoriasis?

The human nervous system is associated with the activity of the brain. The brain controls all the functions of the body, the organs of intelligence and the emotions of a person. It has been established that in people experiencing negative emotions, the amount of adrenaline in the blood increases, which leads to dysfunction of the nervous system and, as a result, all internal organs. Therefore, under stressful conditions, 56. 6% of patients experience exacerbation of the disease.

If a parent has psoriasis, how likely is it that I will get psoriasis?

1, 2% of patients with psoriasis did not have sick parents 5% of patients had sick parents If one of the twins has psoriasis, the other has psoriasis in 16% of cases, providedthat one of the parents is sick If both parents and one of the twins is sick, then another suffers from psoriasis in 50% of cases, and if the twins are identical - in 73%.

Practical advice for patients with psoriasis

• Wear loose, breathable clothing.
• Protect your skin, avoid mechanical irritation.
• Don't dress too warmly.
• Avoid contact with caustic cleaning products and solvents if possible.
• For body care, only mild soaps are allowed, sparing the acid mantle of the skin.
• The shower or bath you take should not be hot and long. It is best to take a short to medium hot shower.
• Try not to rub too hard with a washcloth while washing and with a towel while drying.
• Control your emotions.
• Communication with other patients can be of additional help.
• Exercise will help improve the condition, yoga is especially recommended.
• A balanced diet and a healthy intestinal microflora will improve the condition of your skin.

Rehabilitation of patients with psoriasis

Patient rehabilitation includes the following activities:

• elimination of side effects of the main treatment.
• stabilization of metabolic processes in the body.
• treatment of concomitant diseases.
• increase the body's resistance to factors provoking an exacerbation.

For stable remission, you may need to radically change your lifestyle, your job, in some cases even change your place of residence (moving to rural and environmentally clean areas often maintains stable remission). Support from relatives and friends is especially important, communicating with people with the same disease will help overcome difficulties together.

Life according to Hufeland

The eminent German medical therapist Christoph Wilhelm Hufeland once said: "Among the influences which shorten life, fear, sadness, discouragement, melancholy, cowardice, envy, hatred occupy a predominant place. No one doubts that you can get sick from the idea of illness, why not imagine yourself in good health to get better? Maybe these wonderful words will come firmly into your life and help you overcome illness. Live according to Hufeland!