Psoriasis- one of the most common and<1_img_leftxx>mysterious skin diseases. The name "psoriasis" comes from the Greek word "psoriasis" which means itching, scabies.
"Devil's Roses"- this is what is called in old age, a disease characterized by desquamation of the skin.
In the time of Hippocrates, the term "psora" was introduced, this term was used to designate a group of skin diseases accompanied by flaking, 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 changes in the skin with intense itching, but this disease had nothing to do with psoriasis.
In the past, psoriasis was similar to leprosy, scabies and vitiligo, and people suffering from these diseases were required to wear a special suit, a rattle or a bell.
In the early 19th century, 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 suffering, genetic predisposition, etc. ), but the exact causes of the disease remain a mystery.
During the entire existence of the Earth, 5. 5 billion people fell ill with psoriasis.
Psoriasis is believed to be the "mark of God" for people with a special artistic talent.
Among people suffering from psoriasis, there are many successful and excellent personalities, eg Benjamin Franklin, Henry Ford, Winston Churchill, John Rockefeller
Blacks suffer from psoriasis much less often 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 untreated. During Number of patients with psoriasis in World War II. In September 2009, a fashion show was held for the first time 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 patient to a healthy one, even with a blood transfusion.
Causes of disease
Psoriasis is considered a multifactorial disease. This means that psoriasis appears suddenly, by coincidence of certain circumstances. Despite many years of research, scientists have yet to discover the exact causes of the disease's development, but there are many hypotheses.
- heredity (although the presence of a person with psoriasis in the family does not always mean that their offspring will be ill);
- nervous stress (especially in adolescence) causes an exacerbation of the disease;
- nutrition (abuse of fatty, salty foods, citrus fruits, chocolate, is directly associated with the appearance of psoriasis);
- weakened immunity - long-term drug therapy, frequent colds, other diseases that reduce immunity, affect the condition of the skin, causing the development of psoriasis;
- lack of vitamins and minerals;
- disturbance of metabolic processes.
And much more "Each person has their own psoriasis with its own causes. "
disease symptoms
People under 30, regardless of gender, are the most susceptible to this disease. The first symptoms of the disease are small scattered reddish or pinkish nodules, covered by silvery-white scales on top, when scraped under them, a reddish surface with small drops of blood protruding ("blood dew") is exposed. As psoriasis develops, the nodules grow, merging with each other, covering a growing surface of the skin. The patient experiences constant itching in the affected areas, combs them, and after intense scratching, psoriatic "plaques" form - areas of dense, thickened and irritated skin.
The areas of psoriasis on the skin are endless, but most often the elbows, knees, extensor surfaces of the arms and legs, and scalp are affected. Sometimes the disease completely recedes, then comes back suddenly, sometimes the patient's condition improves (most often in summer), sometimes worsens (most often in winter), usually sheer unpredictability.
Psoriasis does not make a person physically disabled, but it inflicts a crushing blow on the patient's psyche, depriving him of adequate communication with others.
If you have psoriasis. . .
- Make sure the rash is actually psoriasis.
- Don't panic.
- Try to analyze the events that precede the onset of the disease, in the future this will help to avoid repeated exacerbations.
- Self-medication is dangerous!
- Don't be fooled by the expensive treatment, each psoriasis has its own treatment method.
- Don't immerse yourself in the disease, dispel anxiety, tune in to a favorable outcome. Your attitude is the first aid in the victory over the disease.
Forms of psoriasis
Scalp psoriasis. Well-defined, pale pink scaly patches appear on the scalp, and the hair never falls out (hair loss on a limited area of skin indicates another condition, such as ringworm).
nail psoriasis(psoriatic onychodystrophy). Fingernails and toenails are affected. It is characterized by discoloration of the nail plate and nail bed, appearance of spots, spots, transverse lines, thickening of the skin under the nails, thickening and stratification of the nail plate, until the total loss of the nail plates.
Palmar-plantar psoriasis. The papules appear on the surface of the palms and soles, usually combined with psoriasis of the nails (to be 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 the healthy skin, red or purple (even purple), very dry, similar in the form of drops, tears or small dots. It mainly occurs on the thighs.
Exudative psoriasis.The scales on the surface of the papules acquire a yellow hue, become multilayered, adhere to each other. When this papule is scraped off, the moist, pink surface of the skin is exposed.
Pustular psoriasis.Small blisters with purulent content appear on various parts of the skin, the patient's general condition worsens and body temperature rises.
Psoriatic erythroderma.In the defeat of large areas of skin (sometimes over the entire surface of the body), the inflammation is pronounced, the skin color is bright pink, the patient experiences a severe and unbearable itching, and the general condition deteriorates.
Arthropathic psoriasis.Not only the skin is affected, but also small joints (hands, feet). When moving, pain appears in the joints, joints are limited in movement, edematous.
Isomorphic psoriasis or Koebner's phenomenon.This form of the disease develops at the site of a physical injury to the skin (scratches, surgical wounds, sunburn).
Plaque psoriasis.Early in the disease, clearly bordered red scaly papules appear, which fuse as the disease progresses, forming dark red, stable round or oval plaques.
Reverse psoriasis (intertriginous).Unusual form that occurs under the mammary glands and in the groin area. The plates are smooth, red, with well-defined contours and superficial maceration.
Erythrodermic psoriasis.Severe form, skin surface is red, painful, patient has high fever, chills.
Complications of psoriasis
Psoriasis- this is not just a skin disease, it is unequivocally clear that psoriasis is a systemic disease that affects not only the skin, but almost all body systems, therefore, in the context of psoriasis in humans, the following disorders occur:
- psoriatic arthritis;
- degeneration of the nail plates;
- damage to mucous membranes (mouth, gastrointestinal tract, urethra, bladder, etc. );
- damage to eyes;
- liver disturbances;
- organic disorders of the central nervous system;
- cardiac damage (myocarditis, myocardial dystrophy, etc. );
- amyotrophy;
- lymphadenopathy.
Characteristics of psoriasis in children
As a rule, psoriasis in children develops at the age of 4-8 years, its onset is often associated with an infectious disease (tonsillitis, chickenpox, etc. ), stress, skin trauma, etc. It manifests itself mainly on the scalp, as well as on the skin of the face and in the groin area. The most common in childhood is the tear and exudative form of psoriasis.
psoriasis treatment
As it is extremely difficult to identify the cause of the disease, it is also difficult to identify a single prescription for fighting psoriasis. This disease is very individualized and the treatment approach must be strictly individual.
Diet.In most cases, dietary advice is enough to stop the development of psoriasis. It is necessary to exclude foods 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 medications, means to strengthen the body's immune system, eliminate nervous stress.
Puvotherapy.Application of special therapeutic agents to the skin, followed by activation by irradiation with ultraviolet radiation.
Cryotherapy.Placement in a very low temperature cell.
Bioresonance therapy.Exposure to weak electromagnetic vibrations.
Ozone Therapy.The use of ozonized gas and cosmetic treatments.
Hirudotherapy.The use of medicinal leeches.
Spa treatment.This type of treatment is carried out without aggravation of the disease, in the summer-spring period with great care, as sometimes a change in climate can, on the contrary, cause the disease. For psoriasis, the Dead Sea (Israel), Baku, etc. sanatoriums are recommended.
External treatment(ointments, creams, etc. ).
systemic treatment(pills, injections, etc. ).
Photochemotherapy.Exposure to ultraviolet rays directly on the affected areas of the skin is carried out using special devices that radiate only the right places without touching healthy skin (which is important in the treatment of limited forms of psoriasis, eg the treatment of psoriasisnail).
Traditional methods of treatment.Based on the therapeutic effect of medicinal herbs (Celidonia, Kalanchoe, eucalyptus, honey, kombuchá, etc. ).
Phytotherapy.Treatment with medicinal herbs.
Hypnotherapy.Hypnosis treatment.
Acupuncture.Restores the physical and mental state of a patient with psoriasis.
Homeopathy.
Treatment of psoriasis with folk remedies.
Today, you can easily find many articles about the treatment of psoriasis with folk remedies, there really are many remedies for the treatment, we will present to your attention some of them.
Very good results, gives the use of internal decoctions of herbs such as chicory, dandelion, parsley. For the treatment, ground roots of these plants are used, which are harvested in spring or autumn on their own or purchased at a pharmacy.
Dill is good for psoriasis. It is very useful to eat it in any form available, and it is best to grind the seeds in a coffee grinder. In the morning, you can prepare a dill seed decoction: pour boiling water over two tablespoons of dill seeds (0. 5 l), insist for an hour and drink the resulting decoction thirty minutes before meals, 3-4times a day.
Cleansing the liver and intestines can also help relieve psoriasis. The easiest way to clean is with pumpkin seeds, which you need to eat a cup a day for a month, and also a tablespoon of corn oil twice a day.
The use of conifer baths, every two days, about half an hour, will help in cleaning the skin. The preparation of the broth is simple: at the bottom of a large pot or bucket, place fir branches, add celandine leaves, pour all this with water, let it boil and evaporate over a 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 baths, you can use other herbs: mint, mother grass, chamomile, valerian, lemon balm, oregano, cumin seeds, hops.
For psoriasis treatment, you can also use sea buckthorn oil, both externally and internally.
Most popular questions and answers about psoriasis.
Is psoriasis contagious?
Psoriasis is not contagious, in any case, numerous studies confirm it. The presence of several family members with psoriasis is explained by the possible hereditary transmission of the disease.
What are the guarantees of treatment?
There can be no guarantees, only stable remission is possible.
How much does the treatment cost on average?
It is virtually impossible to calculate the cost of treatment due to strictly individual treatment methods and treatment duration.
How is the diagnosis made?
Visual examination and scraping for a fungal infection to detect concomitant pathology.
How does alcohol affect the psoriasis patient?
Alcohol, due to its toxicity, has a deleterious effect on the whole body, which can be said of skin change.
In most patients with alcohol abuse, there is a loss of seasonality in the course of psoriasis and frequent exacerbations. The clinical course of the disease becomes more severe.
Therefore, people with psoriasis are not recommended to drink alcoholic beverages, even in small amounts.
How do stressful situations affect psoriasis?
The human nervous system is associated with brain activity. The brain controls all bodily functions, organs of intelligence and emotions in a person. It has been established that, in people with negative emotions, the amount of adrenaline in the blood increases, which leads to a malfunction of the nervous system and, consequently, of all internal organs. Therefore, during stressful conditions, 56. 6% of patients experience an exacerbation of the disease.
If a relative has psoriasis, how likely is it that I have psoriasis?
1, 2% of patients with psoriasis had no sick relatives. 5% of patients had sick relatives. If one twin has psoriasis, the other has psoriasis in 16% of cases, provided one parent is ill. If both parents and one of the twins is sick, the other has psoriasis in 50% of the cases and, if the twins are identical, in 73%.
Practical advice for patients with psoriasis
- Wear loose, breathable clothing.
- Protect your skin, avoid mechanical irritations.
- Don't dress too well.
- Avoid contact with caustic cleaning agents and solvents whenever possible.
- For body care, only mild soaps are allowed, sparing the skin's acidic layer.
- The shower or bath you take should not be hot and time-consuming. It is best to take a short to moderately hot shower.
- Try not to rub yourself too hard with a cloth while washing and with a towel when drying.
- Control your emotions.
- Communication with other patients can be of additional help.
- Exercises help to improve the condition, yoga is especially recommended.
- A balanced diet and healthy intestinal microflora will improve your skin's condition.
Rehabilitation of patients with psoriasis
Rehabilitation of patients includes the following activities:
- elimination of the side effects of the main treatment.
- stabilization of metabolic processes in the body.
- treatment of concomitant diseases.
- increasing the body's resistance to the factors that cause an exacerbation.
For a stable remission, you may need to radically change your lifestyle, work, and in some cases even change your place of residence (moving to ecologically clean rural areas often maintains a stable remission). The support of relatives and friends is especially important, communication with people who have the same illness will help to overcome difficulties together.
Life according to Hufeland
The eminent German medical therapist Christoph Wilhelm Hufeland once said: "Among the life-shortening influences, fear, sadness, discouragement, melancholy, cowardice, envy, hatred occupy a predominant place. you can get sick with the idea of illness, why not imagine yourself in good health to be well? "Perhaps these wonderful words will come firmly into your life and help you to overcome the illness. Live according to Hufeland!