What is Psoriasis and how is it diagnosed? What to look out for while diagnosed with psoriasis?
Psoriasis is a chronic common skin condition. The condition speeds up the life cycle of skin cells hence they build up on the surface of the skin. They go on to form inflammations and red patches which can be itchy and painful. Psoriasis can be diagnosed without a test as the inflammations are visible on the skin (skin, nails, scalp) itself. Sometimes, in very rare cases the doctors might ask you to submit a skin sample to detect what type of psoriasis it is. They also want to be sure that you do not have other skin disorders.
Treatment:
For mild Psoriasis creams and ointments that you can directly apply to your skin are enough to effectively treat it. When the disease gets more serious, doctors may suggest oral medications or light therapy. There are several treatment options for psoriasis, they include:
Topical treatments: Topical corticosteroids, Topical retinoids, Anthralin, Vitamin C analogues, Salicylic acid, Calcineurin inhibitors, Calineurin inhibitors, Coal tar, Moisturizers.
Light therapy: Sunlight, UVB phototherapy, Narrowband UVB phototherapy, Goeckerman therapy, Psoralen plus ultraviolet A, Eximer laser.
Oral or injected medications: Retinoids, Methotrexate, Cyclosporine, Biologics.
Other ways to cope with psoriasis:
1. Diet: Making sure you have a healthy diet can go a long way in not just helping with psoriasis but also with your overall health. Make sure your immune system is intact as it is the major cause of the condition. Maintaining a healthy diet can help you reduce the symptoms and triggers.
2. Stress: Stress can also be a trigger for psoriasis. Hence, one must learn to cope with stress in order to reduce flare-ups and symptoms of psoriasis. Some ways to keep stress under control is:
3. Meditation
4. Yoga
5. Running/Jogging
6. Talking to your trusted ones about your life difficulties
Self-esteem issues tend to be attached with psoriasis since there is a lot of pressure by the society to look good on the outside. Talking to your loved ones about the difficulties might help cope with that since they will reassure you that you are still loveable. Finding a psoriasis support group might also help with the same since they know what you are going through and you will be able to relate and feel less alienated.
Hence, one must make sure to follow these steps in order to best cope with the condition. One must also make sure to avoid triggers that can worsen the condition. These triggers include alcohol, stress, unhealthy diet, excess exposure to sunlight, cold or dry weather, smoking, medications which interfere with your body’s autoimmune system. It is important to inform yourself about the condition and not to believe every myth that people tell you. In the end, it is important to remember that you are more than your condition and hence, not let it take over your life. Try maintaining a positive outlook as this again is just a part of your life and can be controlled with the right kind of care and effort.
Watch video on Psoriasis: Homeopathic treatment for Psoriasis – Dr. Tejaswi K.P.
Dr. Azim Ahamed Roy
Ayush Health Clinic
#15, 2nd Floor, 2nd Block,
2nd Stage 12th Main,
Opp. Rajajinagar RTO,
2nd Block,
Rajajinagar, Bengaluru – 560010
Ph : ++918970934699
