Psoriasis

“This unbearable itching will kill me one day” exclaimed 21 years old young charming girl. She was devastated with what she was undergoing.  Intensive itching unbearable to bear at this young age had taken away her beauty charm. Her confidence was low and she couldn’t even attend the regular classes due to this. She was suffering with Psoriasis. 

Psoriasis skin disease is considered to be an auto-immune condition in which the immune cells of the body mistakenly attack the body’s own skin cells. Psoriasis is basically a chronic condition that affects the growth cycle of skin cells — the cells rapidly build up on the skin forming thick, silvery scales; this results in itching, discomfort and pain. Persistent yet unpredictable, this is one of the most baffling skin conditions.

The incidence is higher amongst young adults though it can strike at any age. No gender predilection is seen in the cases largely. In addition to all this, it’s very important to bear in mind that Psoriasis is not infectious – it cannot be passed from person to another through physical contact.

TRIGGERING FACTORS :-

•    Bacterial infection, such as streptococcal throat infection; thrush; viral infection
•    Stress — this is one of the commonest triggers for the abnormal immune response that is initiated in the body
•    Injury to the skin — this could be in the form of a cut, scrape, insect bite — the phenomenon in which the skin lesions occur at the site of the trauma is called Koebner phenomenon
•    Cold weather — the onset of winters is known to cause a relapse in a large number of patients of psoriasis
•    Smoking
•    Excessive consumption of alcohol

SYMPTOMS :-

•    Red, thickened patches/lesions (called as plaques) on the skin – these may vary from small rain-drop sized lesions to large ones covering an extensive area, The lesions are covered with silvery scales, Itching of the lesions is a common feature – there may be burning that occurs after scratching . During the active stage of the disease, scratching or cutting the skin may give rise to new lesions at such areas (known as Koebner phenomenon)
•    Nails may be thickened, pitted or ridged. There may be discoloration of the nails and they may crumble or detach from the nail-bed

Diagnosis

Your physician can mostly identify Psoriasis based on the presenting signs and symptoms and examination of the lesions. Special tests are usually not required for this.

However, if it is difficult to confirm the diagnosis, he may take a small sample of your skin (biopsy) to be examined under the microscope at a laboratory.

Homeopathy :-

The homeopathic remedies prescribed for Psoriasis address the body at the level of immunity and gently restore the deviation back to normalcy. They help to control the further progress of the disease.

Treatment also depends on the duration and severity of illness. Recent -onset cases and milder cases respond faster as compared to those with a longer duration and extensive spread.

On account of being a stubborn disease, cases of Psoriasis usually require long-term treatment and there is no magical cure. Perseverance and compliance with the treatment is the key to cure.

Self Care Tips

•    One of the principal things that have helped thousands of our patients is the intake of flax seeds. Known as ‘alsi’ and commonly available, flax seeds are a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids which modify the chain of events that cause psoriasis.
•    Avoid red meat since it contains a natural inflammatory substance which worsens the inflammation in psoriasis.
•    Exposure to the morning sun for about 15 minutes is helpful to many patients. Avoid sun exposure between 11 am to 4 pm.
•    Apply olive oil to scalp the night before washing hair
•    Wear cotton clothes (instead of synthetic fabrics)
•    Apply moisturizer or olive oil immediately after bath to seal moisture in the skin
•    Consult your physician for exercises to be done in case of joint affection
•    Learn to relax – take up relaxation techniques or meditation to reduce the stress on your system
•    Protect your skin from any kind of injury
•    Keep nails trimmed so as to avoid excessive scratching which may lead to flare up.

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