A non-infectious chronic disease that, according to statistical data, affects several percent of the entire population, is psoriasis, the symptoms of which are manifested in the form of a focal rash, itching and intense peeling of the skin.
The disease can develop at any age and regardless of the social environment to which a person belongs. Psoriasis occurs equally in men and women. Most often, the disease affects young people under the age of twenty.
Many people are interested in the question: "Is psoriasis itchy, what are its symptoms and treatment, and most importantly, is it contagious? " Itching with psoriasis is found in almost 85% of cases, but theThe disease is not contagious at all and is not transmitted by airborne droplets or by household means. It is difficult to treat, but complex therapy almost always works well.
Manifestation of the disease
How does psoriasis manifest and what is this disease? Psoriatic plaques often develop first in areas that are subject to the most friction, such as the elbows or knees.
Furthermore, the signs of psoriasis can appear on absolutely any area of the skin: head, face, back, abdomen, palms, feet, armpits and even on the genitals.
If we consider another similar disease, eczema, then it affects the inner part of the flexor surfaces, with psoriasis, the outer part of the knee and elbow joints.
Pathology is chronic and has a wavy course, that is, a person's condition may improve under the influence of treatment methods or, conversely, worsen under the influence of negative factors, while remission andexacerbations are usually completely spontaneous.
Relapse can be caused by alcohol abuse, stress, infectious diseases. The severity of psoriasis varies from one person to another, and even from the same person, throughout the course of the disease.
The main symptoms of skin psoriasis are plaques, which appear as minor lesions in certain areas. In some cases, they can cover the entire body.
Psoriasis progresses over time, especially if proper steps are not taken to correct it. The progression of the disease consists of an increase in the periods of exacerbations and an increase in the area of the lesion with the participation of areas of healthy skin in the inflammatory process. There are cases in which the disease progressed continuously without periods of remission.
Pathology such as onychodystrophy: nail damage is very common. This disease can develop on its own, without the addition of a skin lesion. In addition, psoriasis can contribute to the development of an inflammatory process in the joints - psoriatic arthritis (a disease of the small joints of the lower limbs and hands), and onychodystrophy is observed in about 15% of psoriasis patients.
There are many different ways to treat this ailment, but due to the disease's tendency to constantly relapse and get worse, psoriasis is very difficult to treat. Complete cure is almost impossible, that is, it remains with a person until the end of their life, but with proper treatment and following all medical prescriptions, longer periods of remission can be achieved.
Reasons
Today, medicine does not know the true cause of this pathology, but it has been proven that a malfunction of the immune system, neurological disorders and metabolic disorders can cause the disease. There are also a number of factors that can trigger the development of the disease:
- Genetic predisposition,in other words, simple inheritance. Experts say that signs of psoriasis can be found in people whose blood relatives suffered from psoriasis. Also, if one of the parents is sick, the risk of developing the disease increases to 20%, and if both parents - up to 50%. This is due to the existence of certain genes responsible for the development of dermatological changes. The first signs of hereditary psoriasis appear, as a rule, before the age of 25.
- Neurological disorders.Any emotional shock, nervous tension, chronic fatigue can provoke the development of the disease. Also, in people with psoriasis, any stressful situation can lead to an exacerbation of the disease.
- Hormonal failure.All pathological changes in the functioning of the organs of the endocrine system can trigger the mechanism of the development of the disease.
- Violation of the metabolic process.Metabolic disorders associated with a lack of useful trace elements and vitamins in the body can cause psoriasis.
- Helminthic Invasion.Some types of parasites can cause illness. Many laboratory studies were carried out, the results of which showed that many psoriasis patients were infected with giardiasis, opisthorchiasis, ascariasis, enterobiasis. It is that in the process of their vital activity, helminths emit poisonous substances that poison the entire body. This leads to an exacerbation of chronic diseases and a significant decrease in immunity.
- Viral infectionsthat also attack the human immune system.
From the above, it is clear that the process of development of psoriasis, in one way or another, is associated with disturbances in the work of the body's defense mechanisms. Psoriasis on the body can develop under the influence of a whole complex of triggers or under the influence of factors such as an unbalanced diet, climate change, alcohol abuse, and smoking.
The clinical picture and types of psoriasis
How does psoriasis start? The first symptoms of the disease are the appearance of reddish plaques and scaly patches that itch and look like lichen. Over time, the spots peel off and underneath them is a denser, scaly layer.
When the disease begins to progress, the so-called Kenber phenomenon is observed, when plaques appear in places of skin trauma (with wounds, cuts, burns).
Varieties
There are several types of psoriasis, each of which has a specific clinical picture:
- Plaque (true psoriasis)is the most common form of the disease, occurring in more than 80% of all patients. The skin becomes inflamed, dry, and thickened, with raised areas above it that are covered in light silver scales. The skin in these areas is warm to the touch and is constantly flaking. After peeling, reddish inflammatory foci are found, which very often are damaged and bleed. Inflammation can merge into large foci. With psoriasis of the elbows and knees, the scaling is not as pronounced.
- Drop-shaped: There are many small, round, red or purple, dry swellings that rise above the surface of the skin. Guttate psoriasis covers large areas of the body. The first signs of the disease can occur after a previous sore throat or pharyngitis, which are caused by a strep infection.
- Pustularis the most complex form of the disease. It looks like foci of a blistering rash rising above the surface of healthy skin. These bubbles are full of exudate. Around the pustules, the skin becomes red, swollen, thickened, and later flakes off. When a secondary infection is attached, the blisters fill with purulent fluid. Normally, this psoriasis is limited and affects specific areas, such as the lower leg and forearm. In severe cases, the inflammation begins to spread further along the skin's surface, and the patches of the rash merge into a single focus.
- Psoriatic arthritis: the joints and connective tissue are involved in the pathological process. The main manifestation of this form is intense itching. Also, the skin on the finger joints becomes painful, swollen, scaly, and scaly.
- Onychodystrophy (nail psoriasis)can look like a mycosis. With such a disease, the appearance of the nails changes, they become brittle and exfoliate, the color of the nail bed and the plaque itself may turn yellow or gray. In addition, white spots, dots and cross lines appear on the nails and under the nails. The skin under and around the nails becomes firm. Most often, onychodystrophy leads to nail loss.
Additional symptoms of psoriasis include:
- bleeding wounds (in places of skin trauma);
- nail erosion;
- intense itching;
- fever, swelling, and joint pain in psoriatic arthritis (not always).
How the disease progresses
There are several stages in the course of the disease:
- Progressive.This is the initial stage of the disease. It is characterized by exacerbations, in which the number of new eruptions increases.
- Stationary.At this stage, the picture of the disease remains unchanged, that is, the rash and other symptoms of psoriasis do not increase or decrease.
- Regression stage.The last stage of the disease, which progresses without a rash.
Depending on the prevalence of the inflammatory process, the disease can be:
- limited: small areas of the skin are affected;
- common: large areas of the skin are affected;
- generalized: Almost the entire surface of the body is affected.
Among other things, psoriasis is considered a seasonal disease, meaning all symptoms get worse depending on the season. Basically, most people have a worsening of their condition in winter or summer. In some patients, this process is not associated with a change of season.
Diagnosis
How is this disease diagnosed? The diagnosis of psoriasis is based primarily on examination by a dermatologist. The exam allows you to identify the shape and extent of the injury.
In some cases, differential diagnosis is made to distinguish psoriasis from another dermatologic disease. How to recognize that a patient has this particular ailment?
As already mentioned, Kenber's phenomenon is observed in psoriasis, which is not inherent in skin pathologies. Another symptom should also be taken into account, when a light border appears around a new papule, which has not yet begun to detach, a kind of vascular reaction that indicates further progression of the disease.
Sometimes a skin biopsy is used to make the diagnosis more accurate or tests are taken that can detect an inflammatory process in the blood. After the diagnosis of psoriasis has been made, you should begin treatment immediately.
Treatment
Medications
The main therapy is the use of topical preparations in the form of ointments, gels, creams and sprays.
These medications contain ingredients that stop excess cell division in the skin and relieve the unpleasant symptom of itching. A series of substances are distinguished that effectively fight this disease:
- Glucocorticoid hormones.They relieve inflammation and normalize the immune system.
- Vitamin D.The use of vitamin D medications will be most effective after the disease reaches the stationary stage, when the patient's condition is stable. Good results are obtained when taking such drugs in combination with ultraviolet irradiation procedures.
- Silicon.Improves the condition of the skin, has an absorbent effect and absorbs the antigens involved in the development of the disease.
- Tarhas a good effect on inflammation foci, which are located on the head.
- Lecithin.Promotes rapid tissue regeneration. Preparations with this substance help the body to deal with inflammation more quickly.
- Activated Zincquickly eliminates redness and relieves itching.
Patients are also prescribed medications from the following groups:
- corticosteroids: normalize metabolic processes;
- cytostatics: prevent cell division, but can weaken the body's defense mechanisms;
- immunomodulators: they also regulate immune responses, but their efficacy is in doubt;
- non-steroidal: relieve inflammation and itching.
Vitamin complexes are prescribed in combination with these drugs.
Along with drug treatment, the following methods are very popular:
- Hirudoterapia.Treatment with leeches improves blood circulation and normalizes immune mechanisms.
- Cryotherapy.A peculiar way of "freezing" relieves itching, swelling and inflammation.
- Ultraviolet irradiation.These short-term procedures are combined with the introduction of special medications.
Attention!Self-medication for psoriasis is unacceptable, since many drugs have contraindications and are prescribed by a specialist only taking into account the individual physiological characteristics of the patient.
Children tend to have a less severe course of psoriasis than adults, so local therapy works well, and even in the event of an exacerbation, a repeated course of treatment can achieve long-term remission.
Even if a child is diagnosed with a serious form, with timely and adequate treatment, the prognosis will be more or less favorable.
The main rule for parents is to know how to identify the characteristic signs of psoriasis and start fighting this disease immediately!
Traditional Medicine
Traditional medicine recipes are often used to treat psoriasis. Medicinal herbal compresses will be effective.
To make a compress, grind 4 tablespoons. tablespoons of dried herbs and pour a glass of boiling water, then let it steep. In the broth, you need to moisten the gauze and apply it to the sore spots.
The following plants have healing properties:
- calendula;
- ponytail;
- walnut leaves;
- celandine;
- yarrow;
- sweet clover;
- burdock;
- black currant leaves.
You can also prepare an oral tincture. For this, 1 tbsp. A tablespoon of dried herbs should be poured with a glass of boiling water, insist for 8 hours, strain and drink 100 ml twice a day, preferably half an hour before meals. Suitable for herb collection:
- St. John's wort;
- celandine;
- sequence;
- marshmallow;
- valerian.
Attention!Some of these herbs can cause side effects, therefore, before starting treatment, you should read all contraindications.
Medicated ointments for home treatment are very popular. Here are some effective recipes:
- Burn the dried rose hips and mix the ash with petroleum jelly. The ointment should be applied to the affected areas every day.
- Grind the celandine leaves to make 2 tablespoons. spoons, add lanolin and petroleum jelly. Ointment to treat inflamed skin.
- Mix the yarn dye with lanolin and petroleum jelly and rub on the psoriatic plaques.
- Grind the roots of the meadowsweet, mix with oil or petroleum jelly, boil the resulting ointment, cool and smear the sore spots.
Soothing herbal teas are beneficial. They can be prepared from motherwort, oregano, chamomile, mint, thyme, valerian, linden, peony.
Traditional medicine does not guarantee 100% of the result, it is better to combine it with the main treatment.
Psoriasis and pregnancy
Many women with psoriasis who find themselves in a situation worry about how the disease will behave during this period.
Psoriasis is an unpredictable disease, so it is difficult to answer the question: “How to determine the course of the disease during pregnancy”. Symptoms of psoriasis can begin to progress, remain stationary, or decrease. There are cases when after childbirth the disease completely disappeared.
Every pregnant woman is concerned that the disease may be transmitted to her baby, but the disease itself is not inherited, but only a predisposition to it.
During breastfeeding, if the mother is on strong drug therapy, breastfeeding is very dangerous, since the substances can harm the baby's health. In this case, she must stop treatment or transfer the baby to artificial feeding.
The disease does not affect the conception and intrauterine development of the fetus, but the medications that the expectant mother takes can have negative consequences, so it is important to consult with your doctor during pregnancy planning, who will cancel some of them.
Prevention
This disease cannot be prevented, but its manifestations can be significantly reduced. To achieve a decrease in the symptoms of the disease, you must adhere to the following preventive rules:
- Try not to get nervous and learn to keep your emotions under control. Natural sedatives can be used to facilitate this task.
- Reduce the consumption of salty, smoked, spicy, fried and fatty foods, as well as honey, citrus fruits, chocolate and coffee.
- Wear clothes made from natural fabrics.
- Choose personal care products with low pH levels that won't dry out or irritate sore skin.
- Be careful with medications, as many of them can cause psoriasis flare-ups, antibiotics are especially dangerous.
- Stop smoking and drinking alcohol.
- Avoid direct sunlight.
Psoriasis is one of the most common skin diseases, the nature of which is not yet fully understood. The disease causes many inconveniences, worsens the quality of life and reduces a person's self-esteem.
It can happen suddenly and, unfortunately, no one is immune from this disease. That is why it is very important to know how this pathology manifests itself in order to consult a doctor in time and start treatment.