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What is psoriasis: causes, symptoms and treatment

In recent decades, dermatology has increasingly dealt with cases of psoriatic dermatitis. Statisticians point out that these cases most frequently affect light-skinned people. And although experts have not yet set an age limit for the rampant disease, the most active phases of the disease are recorded precisely between 15 and 45 years. In terms of prevalence, psoriasis can currently affect one in 25 people on the planet, which overall, according to the WHO (World Health Organization) for 2016, represents approximately 4. 2% of the entire world population. .

What type of disease is psoriasis and what external signs does it present?

The name of such a sore was given in accordance with its characteristic external sign: red plaques and papules with scales, which are formed as a result of a rash accompanied by itching and inflammation of the skin. The disease psoriasis is also called squamous lichen and has its own rather extensive classification of types, symptoms and causes that provoke the appearance, progress and exacerbation of the disease. The general picture of pathology today is such that it does not give doctors a clear idea of its unequivocal origin and treatment methods. Therefore, doctors must find ways of partial cure together with the patient.

The definition of what psoriasis is today is accepted by all specialists as a non-infectious disease that appears mainly for various reasons and must be treated carefully, very carefully, under the constant supervision of several specialists, and not just a dermatologist. . The word psoriasis itself means "itch" (from the Greek term "psora"), "scabies" (from the English term, which is also written "psora"). The diagnosis of the disease is carried out comprehensively, not only through skin tests or blood tests.

Additional Information:The specificity of the disease, which has not been fully studied, is such that patients must prepare for persistent, persistent and long-term healing, as well as alternating periodic exacerbations with remissions, stages of relief, lasting from several weeks to several weeks. years.

Classification of types of psoriasis.

Skin rashes characteristic of different types of psoriasis.

When experts want to determine exactly psoriasis in a sick patient, what are those rashes on the skin and the unbearable desire to constantly scratch the sores, what type of disease the disease belongs to, what the patient suffers from, then experts can focus on a special classification of diseases. Furthermore, it is not alone, today there are at least four, which should be reviewed briefly to get a general idea.

According to ICD-10

According to the International Classification of Diseases in the tenth revision, such dermatitis is divided into the following types:

  1. Ordinary or plate-shaped. Prevalence – 90-95%. Manifestations: papulo-squamous structures of gray, white and pink tone. As they grow, entire "islands" and "lakes" of diseased skin form.
  2. Generalized pustular disease or "impetigo", "Tsumbusha", exudative. It begins with blisters and blisters that contain fluid (exudate). After bursting, ulcers and autoinfection form.
  3. Persistent epidermal disorder or allopo, Setton's or Crocker's acrodermal disorder. Liquid or pustular formations in plaques and papules are sterile and do not present generalized self-contamination. Nails and fingers are usually affected.
  4. Palmar and plantar injuries.. Small ulcers on the palms and soles of the feet that are not self-infecting. It makes it very difficult for the patient to have quality of life when walking and working with their hands.
  5. teardrop shaped. Small purple, pink and gray dots on the body begin to appear more often after suffering from severe sore throat, streptococcus, pharyngitis and other infectious viral diseases.
  6. Arthropathic appearance. Damage to the joints of the fingers, hands, knees and lower legs. Prevalence: 10% of all psoriatic patients.
  7. Other, reverse and unspecified. Smooth patches with a low percentage of peeling that appear in delicate areas of the skin.

According to this classification, which reveals the essence of what this or that type means, what a disease is, what psoriasis is, the pathology is assigned a special code: L40. Different numbers can be added to this code to indicate a specific type of disease.

According to clinical parameters.

The disease can also be classified according to clinical criteria, which are expressed as follows:

  • by location: parts of the body are designated;
  • according to clinical pictures: the nature, texture of psoriasis;
  • by progressive stages: progressive, stationary and regressive disease;
  • according to manifestations in a particular season;
  • by skin area: less than 20% of the epidermis is affected, more than 20% or all of the skin.

According to the American classification.

The United States National Foundation, when defining psoriasis, what type of disease it is, its type, classifies it in the following order:

  • mild skin lesions: less than 2%;
  • average severity of spread: 2 to 10%;
  • severe stage of skin damage - from 10% and more.

According to the PASI index

Another international approach to determining the sore of psoriasis, which is in the arsenal of medical diagnosticians, distributes the types of the disease according to the following principle:

  • the presence of the PASI index ranges between 0 and 72 values;
  • the index shows the severity of the dermatitis;
  • Only specialists calculate the index.

Doctors can use any of these classifications to determine the type of disease, but practice shows that it is the ICD-10 system that is most actively used. Without a precise definition of the type, doctors will find it difficult to understand what type of disease psoriasis is and how to treat it.

An obligatory symptom of psoriasis is scaly plaques on the skin.

General symptoms

All doctors and researchers are sure that psoriasis is not a contagious phenomenon and cannot be transmitted from an affected person to a healthy person. Characteristic pustular and scaly eruptions are called papules if their formation was initially a swelling with fluid, which then bursts and causes a wound that dries out the cover and scales. "Papule" from lat. means "knot. "But if the redness was not watery, its swellings on the surface of the skin compacted, then turned into wounds from constant scratching, suppuration and the formation of scales, then we are talking about plaques.

Note!The disease of psoriasis is something that will always have scaly formations on the surface of the affected skin. "Escama" from lat. means "scales, " so the diagnosis can be written on the line on the exam sheet: "papulosquamous disorder of the epidermis. "

Symptoms of psoriasis

When defining psoriasis, we focus on its symptoms, which can be represented by the following unified list of manifestations:

  1. Papules are inflammations on the surface of the skin that contain infectious or sterile fluid inside.
  2. Plaques are red spots that grow and rot over time.
  3. The plaques can be gray, reddish, yellowish or dotted with purple.
  4. The surface texture of diseased skin varies from moist, pustular to dry, scaly.
  5. Peeling and peeling are characteristic of all types of the disease.
  6. The patient's general condition varies from irritability, nervousness, to drowsiness, fatigue and apathy.

Stages and degrees of development of psoriasis.

The stages show not only the characteristics of what type of disease psoriasis is and its types, but they can also tell the doctor how to deal with the disease. Generally divided into 3 stages.

weak stage

  • papules and plaques are rare and solitary;
  • no unbearable itching;
  • There is no severe swelling yet;
  • It often appears after experiencing stress or a serious infection.

intensive stage

  • defined as Koebner syndromes;
  • lesions appear unexpectedly in different parts of the human body;
  • fusion and growth of papules and plaques into entire "paraffin lakes";
  • Pain and itching are typical during this period.

Exacerbation of the disease.

  • scales are formed;
  • Dry Skin;
  • lesional rashes no longer grow;
  • the scales fall off;
  • the skin hurts;
  • increases the thickness of the skin where the plates are located.

For reference:remission is a separate stage and is considered a calming of the pathological condition.

Causes that cause the appearance of the disease.

Despite the fact that no answers have been found to the questions of what type of disease psoriatic dermatitis is and what are the reasons for its appearance, naturally, certain prerequisites have already been proven that can provoke the appearance of the disease.

These patterns show the following probable reasons:

  1. Hereditary predisposition.
  2. Weak immune system.
  3. Recently experienced severe psychological trauma, exposure to infections, viruses.
  4. Side effects of medications.
  5. A sharp change in climatic conditions for life.
  6. Allergies in humans.
  7. Imbalance of the gastrointestinal tract, endocrine, excretory, cleansing systems.
  8. Slow metabolism (metabolism) due to sedentary lifestyle and poor diet, sleep and wakefulness.

Important!The sore can appear even after a severe sunburn, constant friction from synthetic fabrics on areas of the body where the skin folds. Even excessive consumption of low-quality foods (with an abundance of chemicals, preservatives, synthetic foods), alcohol, drugs (toxic substances) or tobacco can affect an exacerbation. All of this was recorded using the exclusion method; For example, when the patient was stopped from bad habits, her condition improved.

The diagnosis of psoriasis begins with an external examination by a dermatologist.

Psoriasis diagnosis: what is it?

If people asking about psoriasis, what it is and which doctors they should contact, have already discovered similar symptoms in themselves, or in their loved ones and friends, they should first contact a dermatologist. After this, an examination will be scheduled, in which other highly specialized specialists may participate:

  • histologists: in this case they study blood cells;
  • immunologists: identify the cause of the body's weakened resistance to viruses;
  • endocrinologists: if there is suspicion of alterations in hormonal levels and the functioning of the endocrine system;
  • infectious disease specialists: detect the presence of infections or viruses in the human body;
  • nutritionists who will determine the patient's proper nutrition and other specialists.

The diagnosis is carried out through the following mechanisms and techniques:

  1. External examination of the affected areas of the skin.
  2. A blood test will show if the joints are affected by the disease.
  3. A biopsy reveals the stage and verification (diagnoses a specific type of disease).

The Internet alone does not help determine the specific type of psoriasis. In addition, encyclopedic reference books are usually filled out by any Internet user, both knowledgeable about the specifics of the disease and laymen.

Note!A biopsy is one of the main diagnostic procedures in which a piece of affected skin is taken for laboratory examination. Its results show the level of T lymphocytosis, which cells are strong and which are weak.

Difficulties in the life of patients with psoriasis.

When a patient first encounters psoriasis and does not know what type of disease has affected him, he tends to experience the following conditions that accompany the course of dermatitis:

  • depression;
  • inferiority complexes;
  • difficulties in the social sphere: people, out of ignorance, often believe that the disease is contagious and stop communicating with the sick person;
  • cardiovascular disorders, sometimes even heart attacks;
  • pressure imbalance – hypertension;
  • diabetes mellitus: type 2 is especially common;
  • You have to limit yourself in food and drink;
  • it is necessary to adapt to an active lifestyle, which is extremely difficult to do when the psychological mood is depressed;
  • physical discomfort: difficulty wearing clothes, showering, bathing, moving arms, legs, sleeping, etc.

In the same way, all this affects those patients who have not encountered the disease for the first time, but are already mentally prepared to face it and work hard to reduce its intensity.

For reference:remissions (stages of attenuation of the disease) can last several years only with a competent approach to therapy and the prescription of courses, methods and methods of treatment.

Various procedures are performed to treat psoriasis.

Methods to treat psoriasis

When the doctors themselves do not fully know all the reasons for the exacerbation of the disease and how all this can be eliminated forever, this also greatly affects the mood of the patient himself. But you just have to convince yourself that if the disease cannot be cured, then the quality of life can be improved for several years. Therefore, psoriasis should be cured only with an integrated approach of all practices, methods and methods available in nature. Even doctors do not disdain folk remedies, provided that the patient discusses one method or another with the doctor in advance.

Traditional methods

As soon as they determine the type of dermatitis (psoriasis is also dermatitis), what kind of disease it is, its type, doctors immediately begin specific procedures that supposedly give a positive effect in the end.

Treatment begins with the following procedures:

  1. Affected areas are disinfected to avoid self-infection.
  2. Mandatory relief of inflammatory processes with medications.
  3. The plaques must be removed and special medications are prescribed for this.
  4. The same applies to scales: so that they do not fall off painfully, they are softened with lotions, applications with various softening ointments, tinctures and mixtures.
  5. Injections and tablets are prescribed, for example, an immunosuppressant, which restores the functioning of the immune system and improves psychophysical condition.
  6. They use irradiation with ultraviolet rays, purify blood using plasmapheresis and other methods.
  7. Sanatorium-resort treatments with mud and salt water. For example, Israel's Dead Sea resorts. The method is not cheap, it should take 28 days, but it is 100% effective.
  8. Take salt and herb baths.
  9. Special diet, exercise.

In addition to the above methods, operations are also performed on the valve of the small intestine, which is responsible for cleansing the system. Typically, after these types of operations, patients feel better 5 or 6 years beforehand.

Important!The base drug will always be an antimetabolite from the group of structural analogues of folic acid, which is supplied to the body by intramuscular injection.

Traditional medicine for psoriasis.

The disease can also be treated with traditional methods, because some plants, seeds and fruits have their own medicinal properties. This is an affordable option for those who can't take advantage of resort trips. At home, you can prepare medicinal baths for yourself, make various ointments with Kalanchoe, honey and other ingredients. Only the patient should always consult with his doctor first. Here you must also follow a strict diet, sleep, work and physical activity.

Additional measures

Any treating doctor will always prohibit the patient from being in the sun for more than 6 hours a day for 2 sunbathing sessions. At the same time, the sun should not be at its zenith and burn strongly, otherwise it can only cause burns and worsen the condition. In addition to sun exposure, psoriasis can also be cured temporarily by adding a special diet. The most common system now is the Pegano diet. In addition, it is advisable to eliminate all habitual indulgences, such as tobacco, alcohol, an abundance of sweets and other hobbies.

Additional Information:It is not recommended to go on a crash diet. Also, you should always remember about your intestine, which needs to be helped by the presence of fiber and sunflower oils. Therefore, you can eat sunflower seeds and also add several permitted fiber-rich foods to your dishes.

5 preventive measures for people predisposed to psoriasis

So that a person does not have questions about psoriasis: what kind of disease it is and how to treat it, he should also listen to several expert recommendations on how to protect himself as much as possible from such a disease. Pay attention to this list of 5 basic recommendations, even if you are not predisposed to this type of disease:

  1. Protect yourself from various infections, dress warmly, do not catch a cold, create the most positive attitude in life.
  2. Move actively, maintain a normal diet, sleep and wake up.
  3. Give up all bad habits or hobbies like baking and eating sweets, which contain a lot of sugar.
  4. Wear clothing made primarily of natural fiber fabrics.
  5. All pain relievers or other medications should be taken after consulting a doctor and not self-medicated.

For reference:Metabolism at a slow rate leads not only to psoriasis, but also to obesity, liver, kidney, heart diseases and other dysfunctions. Therefore, reducing carbohydrates in your menu, more walks in the fresh air and physical exercise will help anyone to always stay healthy.

There is still no complete cure for this disease, specialists are identifying the causes as certain cases of psoriatic disorders are recorded. Therapeutic procedures are very long, long and difficult. The patient will need not only a change in her lifestyle, but also self-observation and keeping his diary, where he will write down all his conditions. Therefore, any delay in contacting doctors will only aggravate the situation. Patients should not torment themselves like this, be afraid to show themselves to doctors, it is better to immediately start looking for a solution to the problem than to accumulate it like a snowball.