Psoriasis

28 May 2019

Psoriasis is an unpleasant skin disease in which the body is covered with red rashes and they merge in spots. The person may worry itching, unable to sleep, and at occurrence of complications such as arthritis can disturb pains in the joints. Psoriasis greatly affects the quality of life. Studies show that patients feel just as bad as those people who suffered a heart attack, suffer from heart failure or severe hypertension.

Unfortunately, doctors still have not found the answer to the question of how to cure psoriasis. All that is offered by the pharmaceutical industry and medicine – ointments, creams, ultraviolet light, medications for immune system – brings only temporary relief. Other measures – psychotherapy, vitamins, diet in psoriasis – not a cure, and help improve the condition.

Psoriasis

Psoriasis is non-contagious affection of the skin, which affects about 4% of the population. The reasons for its finally revealed, but the main version is genetic disorder. No less popular opinion that psoriasis is an autoimmune disease. Noteworthy versions of the infectious origin of the disease.

But, whatever the causes of the disease, psoriasis brings a lot of suffering patients – they are concerned about severe itching and constantly growing skin inflammation, and over time they may join pain in the joints, which indicate the development of arthritis.

Psoriasis treatment the initial stage is performed using means which include weak hormones. If they don't help, and the process progresses, it should switch to the more powerful hormone. In addition to their assigned physical therapy in the form of ultraviolet radiation, ultrasound, laser and electrosleep.

If the exacerbation can be used hormonal drugs and sedatives inside, cleansing the body of toxins with the help of sorbents and plasmapheresis. In the absence of the effect, patients are offered treatment Immunopreparat.

Psoriasis: symptoms

The symptoms of psoriasis are so distinctive that can accurately and quickly establish the diagnosis. The main manifestation of the disease – red scaly patches (plaques) on the skin surface, which consist of papules. Patients concerned about severe itching and signs of inflammation in the spots. One of the characteristic features of psoriasis is the spreading of plaques where there is damage of skin microtrauma, scrapes, cracks. Favourite localization rash – on head under hair on the extensor surfaces of the joints, lower back and the cross, all natural skin folds. Sometimes the disease affects the nail plate, which can become thinner or, on the contrary, thicker, covered with spots, grooves and recesses.

Psoriasis is different in such a course, in which periods of exacerbation of remission spontaneously change. Many patients say that can't connect any event in my life since the beginning of aggravation. During this period the symptoms of psoriasis are manifested most clearly – flaking increases, the redness becomes obvious bright spots, as a result of shedding skin flakes and infection may abscess plaque.

Depending on what time aggravated the disease, there are forms of winter and summer, which is not dependent on seasons. Most patients suffering from the winter form, symptoms which subside under the influence of the summer sun. In a heated state of the disease, its course, on the contrary, is deteriorating due to natural ultraviolet radiation.

Stages of psoriasis

Psoriasis the initial stage

To assess the severity of psoriasis and its phase are different scales, which involve:

The area of the rash
The severity of the disease (redness, itching, presence of edema and exudate, bleeding surface)
Common symptoms (emotional and General physical condition)
The impact of the disease on the lifestyle and social functioning of an individual
Evaluation of the effectiveness of previous attempts therapy

The initial phase of psoriasis – the stage at which the skin surface is affected not more than 3%, are not affected nails and joints. At this time, it is possible to achieve stable remission of the disease.

How to cure psoriasis at the initial stage? The list of medicines and procedures gives a dermatologist, and it may include:

Creams and ointments based on zinc, salicylic acid, birch tar, and which is composed of grease.
Cosmetics.
Moderate use of hormonal drugs.
Phototherapy.

All assignments (except for phototherapy) allow to treat psoriasis at home, without resorting to the hospital.

The average stage of psoriasis

The middle stage corresponds to the psoriasis skin lesions ranging from 3 to 10% of the skin. In addition to the means that is used for minor illness, in this case a dermatologist to expand the list of appointments:

Hormonal cream of the new generation
Drugs based on retinoids
Physiotherapy laser, magnet and ultrasound
Antihistamines

Severe stage psoriasis

Severe stage of psoriasis is the lesions of the skin by more than 10% or the development of psoriatic arthritis in any area of rashes. The disease at this stage causes patients considerable inconvenience and suffering, because arthritis can be accompanied by pain, and a large area of rash is accompanied by severe itching and insomnia.

How to cure psoriasis severe? Here you must use the whole complex of measures:

Creating Allergy-free lifestyle and diet.
Normalization of day, eliminating sources of stress.
Observance of rules of personal hygiene.
Moisturizing and skin treatment pharmacy care.
The use of ointments based on retinoids and vitamin D, hormone cream the new generation.
Physiotherapy of different directions (electrosleep for stress relief, light therapy, ultrasound and laser for skin cleansing). At this stage of the disease justified the appointment of PUVA-therapy, in which ultraviolet light is supplemented by medications that enhance the effects of radiation.
Procedure for blood purification – plasmapheresis, hemosorption.
Immunosuppressants and corticosteroid for oral – to some extent this is an extreme measure which should apply if other treatment options have failed.
At a certain subsidence of the symptoms patients are recommended a full Spa and climatic treatment.

Only the combination of all treatments can help to reduce symptoms of severe psoriasis to a minimum.

Psoriasis: causes

Causes of psoriasis still not fully understood. Of course, science has progressed in studying the disease, but the exact answer to the question, why is there a psoriasis is still not found. It is known that the dermatitis is not contagious, and therefore, the cause is most likely not an infection. Researchers are inclined to believe that the disease has a multifactorial nature of the fault and disturbances in the metabolism, and immunity.

What are the main versions of the appearance of the disease?

Some scientists believe that the blame for the defect in the immune system. Autoimmune shifts lead to the production of antibodies against healthy skin – skin particles begin to cut off as alien. As a result of stress or infection, which affects the body, weakens the immune system and triggers of the disease. And then it can't be cured – it is possible to achieve only temporary improvement. Within the autoimmune version of the disease, finds its explanation in the fact that psoriasis eventually spreads to other organs and body parts – there is the psoriatic arthritis affects the nails.
Some studies on psoriasis revealed that the lymph node patients have deviations from the norm. They increased in size due to the fact that react to a skin inflammation in the area from which they have drained the lymph. The more inflammation, the greater the lymph nodes. This was the basis for the virus theory of the origin of the disease is found guilty who inherited retroviruses. Retrovirus – a special type of virus that can modify the human genome and contribute to the development of the disease. But in theory there is a "weak spot". A blood transfusion from a donor suffering from psoriasis has never been a source of spread of the disease. And if the theory were completely accurate, infection of a recipient would have happened necessarily.
Another version of genetics. It is proved that the presence of the disease in one parent increases the risk of passing the defective gene the child to 20% and if psoriasis are both parents, the figure increases to 60%.
Sometimes the cause of psoriasis is called failure in the endocrine system. It is believed that too rapid formation of skin cells says about the violation of hormonal regulation. However, so far not revealed exactly which hormones directly affect the appearance and development of psoriasis.
Changes in metabolic processes that are observed in all cases (increase the amount of cholesterol in the blood, a deficiency of vitamins b and A) can also be considered as its cause, as they reduce the protective properties of the body and skin.
Proponents of the neurogenic theory of the emergence of psoriasis believe that all the fault of nerves. The contraction of the muscles of the blood vessel walls, which occurs under the influence of mediators of stress leads to disruption of the cellular nutrition of the skin and formation of psoriatic plaques. This theory is today less backed by evidence. On the other hand, it was proved that psoriasis is able to escalate from anxiety, stress and chronic fatigue.

Psoriasis: treatment

Treatment of psoriasis in adults

How to treat psoriasis? Medicine still has not given a comprehensive answer to this question, but the principles of therapy developed for a long time. They can be divided into three groups:

Eliminate the cause of the disease.
To relieve the symptoms.
Which strengthen the immune system.

The goal of all therapies is to translate the disease into remission for a longer period of time.

The effectiveness of therapy in each individual case is different – unfortunately, there are patients for whom no treatments and drugs.

The largest part medicines are prescribed to eliminate the symptoms – a variety of ointments and creams, relieves inflammation and eliminates itching, disinfect the surfaces and to prevent suppuration of papules and skin under them. Apply tools based on the hormones and without them. Hormonal external funds is, first and foremost, ointments based on salicylic acid, tar, calcium and vitamin D.

Local treatment may be supplemented with oral antihistamines and sorbents. Antihistamines relieve itching and sorbents deprive the gastrointestinal tract of toxins and reduce allergic reactions. With the aim of cleansing the blood from harmful substances sometimes used in plasmapheresis.

To relieve nervous tension patients are assigned a sedative in the form of special preparations and a relaxing bath.

Since psoriasis is often due to immune disorders, the treatment can be used systemic medications that affect the immune system.

Besides medicines, in the treatment of successfully applied methods of physical therapy – phototherapy, laser, ultrasound, magnetic therapy, electric, x-ray irradiation.

Treatment of psoriasis in children

Psoriasis in children causes discomfort and suffering is often greater than in adults. Children, because of immature nervous system and psyche can't endure the pain and itching, it is difficult to endure sidelong glances and curiosity surrounding healthy children.

Treatment of psoriasis in children is aimed at rapid achievement of long-term remission, and is not fundamentally different from therapy for adults:

Compliance with hypoallergenic diet with the usual composition of foods: an exception of fried, salty, spicy, which contains preservatives, vegetables and fruits that can cause allergies.
The formation of life without allergens (down pillows, dusty old things, etc.).
Following the tips on hygiene (proper washing, drying and hydration of skin damage).
Physiotherapy. Can be used electric, phototherapy, magnetotherapy, ultrasound and laser. The use of photochemotherapy, because of the potential damage is recommended for children aged 15 years.
Sanatorium-resort treatment with mineral baths and mud.
Topical treatment hormonal and not hormonal ointments and creams prescribed by the doctor in accordance with the severity of illness, intensity of manifestations in the skin and individual response.
If local treatment is not enough, children can be prescribed systemic medications and treatments (UVA photochemotherapy, drugs for influencing the immune system).

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease that completely changes a person's life. To diagnose the disease is easy, because the "brand" psoriatic lesions well known to any dermatologist. Causes of skin lesions is still not precisely determined, and not devised an effective means of getting rid of it: no cream, no hormones, no ointment for psoriasis does not guarantee complete cure. But don't despair! You should always remember that this is not a fatal disease, and with proper treatment, diet, preventive measures, Spa treatment to achieve stable remission.