Effective treatment of psoriasis: a set of measures

Psoriasis is a very unpleasant skin disease that brings a lot of inconvenience to the patient who is unlucky enough to get it.In addition to the fact that the skin looks very unaesthetic, the patient constantly experiences many other unpleasant sensations.Yes, the disease is not fatal, but the patient often has to radically change his habits and lifestyle.

Unfortunately, even today it is simply impossible to completely cure psoriasis.However, there are many techniques and treatments that can greatly help and significantly alleviate the patient's suffering.

The best effect can be achieved by using complex therapy, in which they try to influence the disease from different angles.To do this, different treatment methods are combined.In today’s material, we will consider in more detail how to properly carry out complex treatment of psoriasis and what may be included in it, as well as what points should be taken into account.

Factors to consider when choosing treatment

First, let us remind you that you should never self-medicate!Even if you are completely confident in your strengths and abilities, it is still better to consult a professional dermatologist.It will be better this way.

Before prescribing treatment, the doctor will consider the following factors:

• age and gender of the patient - the older he is, the more difficult the disease can be treated;
• hereditary factors - the risk of getting sick increases when parents or close relatives also suffer from psoriasis;
• phase of the disease - the later you contact a specialist, the more difficult the treatment will be;
• severity of the disease - when psoriasis is mild, it is much easier to fight;
• the form of the course and the affected parts of the body - the more severe it is, the more difficult it is to choose an effective treatment;
• possible allergic reactions - in this case, not every drug can be taken;
• place and type of work - some enterprises have very unfavorable working conditions, which has a very negative impact on the general state of health and the development of psoriasis;
• region of residence - if you live in a region with heavily polluted air, this negatively affects the perception of various diseases, and psoriasis develops more intensively;
• the presence of bad habits - regular smoking and drinking alcohol affect internal organs, which increases the risk of psoriasis;
• concomitant diseases - if you suffer from certain diseases of the internal organs, psoriasis may be a complication.

You are unlikely to be able to correctly determine all the factors on your own.If you start self-treatment, this is fraught with serious complications.Therefore, a specialist dermatologist will definitely prescribe the necessary tests for you to determine all other factors, and only after that will prescribe treatment.

Sets of measures for the treatment of psoriasis

In order for treatment of psoriasis at home to be as effective as possible, various sets of measures are often used.Within their framework, different drugs are simultaneously used that affect different body systems.So, the treatment regimen may include:

• external treatment— various creams, ointments to affect the skin and eliminate external signs of the disease;
• systemic drugs- tablets, mixtures that affect internal organs and fight the disease from the inside;
• physiotherapeutic procedures- to reduce inflammatory processes - laser and cryotherapy, acupressure, ultraviolet irradiation;

• spa treatment- therapeutic procedures, for example, leeches, mud baths, as well as clean air, since resorts are usually located in an ecologically clean area;
• special diet- exclude foods that can harm the gastrointestinal tract, for example, fried, spicy, salty and pickled foods.

There are actually many methods of therapy.Let us consider each method of a set of therapeutic measures in more detail.

External treatment

Essentially, how does psoriasis begin to develop?First, the function of the epidermis—the stratum corneum of the skin—is disrupted.Because of this, the skin no longer receives the required amount of moisture and becomes too dry.Gradually, dryness and flaking intensify, and due to the fact that particles of dead skin do not have time to be removed, so-called psoriatic plaques appear.All this is accompanied by itching and inflammation.During periods of exacerbation, they do not subside either day or night.

To eliminate all these symptoms, medications are prescribed for the external treatment of psoriasis.They are also prescribed strictly individually.For what purpose are external preparations used?

1. Eliminate pain, relieve swelling, reduce peeling, and also improve appearance by reducing rashes and reducing the number of psoriatic plaques.
2. Minimize the influence of various external factors.
3. Influence the foci of the disease as quickly as possible and bring quick relief.

External preparations for psoriasis include ointments, creams, lotions, gels and other preparations.All of them are divided into two main groups: hormonal and non-hormonal.Let's look at each group separately.

1. Non-hormonal drugs.The name speaks for itself - the drugs do not contain hormonal components.They act on the epidermis and quickly remove dead skin layers, disinfect damaged areas, have an antiviral and antimicrobial effect, and also qualitatively moisturize the skin and increase its elasticity.Such preparations contain beeswax, natural oils and other natural ingredients, as well as salicylic acid, dithranol, sulfur, urea and other substances.They have a number of excellent properties and act on areas of the skin affected by psoriasis very quickly and effectively.
2. Hormonal drugs.They contain a certain amount of synthetic hormone of the corticosteroid group.Many experts prefer them, because due to the presence of the hormone in the composition, they act almost instantly, literally in a matter of minutes providing the desired effect.But, unlike non-hormonal drugs, such drugs must be used with caution.Firstly, if you delay therapy a little, this can lead to hormonal imbalance and, as a result, serious complications.Secondly, if you suddenly stop taking the drug, a so-called “withdrawal effect” may occur, in which the symptoms not only return, but also intensify.

When and how to choose the right group of drugs?What medications are best to use?

1. At the progressive stage, ointments containing salicylic acid, as well as anti-inflammatory hormonal ointments, are most often used.Naturally, at first, attempts will be made to achieve the desired effect with medications with a weaker concentration of the active substance.If there is no effect, then stronger ones are used.These medications contain a higher dose of fluoride.For the most part, patients experience positive dynamics within two weeks after starting regular use.
2. For the treatment of elderly people and children, medications are used that do not contain chlorine and fluorine, which significantly reduces the number of possible allergic reactions.These drugs are relatively new, they appeared on the pharmaceutical market just a few years ago, but are gradually becoming more and more popular.
3. Ointments and creams based on dethranol have a quick and long-lasting effect when used.Starting treatment involves prescribing minimal doses with a gradual increase.The drugs are aimed primarily at reducing inflammation.However, other adverse reactions may occur, such as swelling, itching and redness, which, against the background of similar symptoms of psoriasis, somewhat limits the scope of use of drugs in this group.
4. One of the new drugs is a drug that directly affects the causes of psoriasis.Its main active ingredient is calcipotriol, which suppresses the development of pathogenic processes.After just two months, the overall condition of the skin significantly improves, the number of inflamed and damaged areas, as well as peeling, decreases.It is noteworthy that in most cases there are no side effects characteristic of other drugs for psoriasis.There are cases where one course of treatment was enough for remission lasting up to a year.The strongest effect is achieved when treatment is carried out using an integrated approach, and the effect occurs in conjunction with other means, most often physiotherapeutic procedures.

We would like to draw your attention to the fact that long-term use of drugs is not recommended, as addiction may develop.As a result, the effectiveness of treatment decreases significantly.

Systemic drugs

As already mentioned, one of the possible causes of psoriasis is diseases of the internal organs.Accordingly, to get rid of psoriasis, you need to take medications that can help in the treatment regimen for diseases of the internal organs.These can be tablets, injections, IVs and other medications, which must be selected individually.What therapy can be prescribed for psoriasis?

1. Anti-inflammatory drugs will relieve inflammation and reduce the influence of various viruses and microbes.A comprehensive treatment regimen for psoriasis is often used.
2. Antiallergic drugs.Since allergies often worsen the symptoms of psoriasis, these medications can help significantly.
3. Antipsoriatic drugs.They act on the skin restoration process, normalize the life cycle of its cells, and also eliminate the side effects of the disease.
4. Antifungal drugs.Since fungal infection significantly complicates the course of psoriasis, it is very important to combat it effectively.
5. Drugs to combat the pathological formation of new cells that do not have a specific purpose.Over time, in the absence of a treatment regimen, such cells can accumulate in the body in huge numbers.

Depending on the complexity of the condition and the degree of damage to other organs, other, more powerful drugs may be used.However, despite the good effect, you should not abuse them, since the side effects can be very serious.

Physiotherapeutic procedures

Although it is impossible to cure psoriasis with physiotherapeutic procedures alone, with proper selection they can both enhance the effect of medications and speed up the recovery process at the final stage of complex treatment.What procedures are prescribed for the complex treatment of psoriasis?

1. Ultraviolet irradiation, or phototherapy.A special agent is prescribed that enhances the body's perception of ultraviolet radiation, after which the surface of the skin affected by psoriasis is irradiated with ultraviolet waves of a certain length.
2. Laser therapy.It is noteworthy that laser waves act only on diseased skin, without affecting healthy tissue.
3. Cryotherapy.Liquid air, nitrogen or helium, having a temperature of up to -296 degrees, is briefly applied to the damaged areas of the body surface.
4. Ichthyotherapy.The affected areas are treated with a special type of fish.
5. Hirudotherapy is treatment using leeches.

6. Therapeutic baths using soothing and anti-inflammatory herbs such as chamomile or celandine, as well as starch and flax seeds.
7. Acupuncture.True, you should be careful when choosing a specialist, since an incorrectly performed procedure can have unpredictable consequences that may take a long time to treat.

Spa treatment

A visit to a sanatorium or resort can significantly improve the patient’s well-being.True, they are sent there only at the final, regressive stage of the disease, as a final means of complex therapy.In addition to the fact that in such an institution the patient is prescribed various procedures, the opportunity to take a break from everyday worries and a more favorable environmental environment further contribute to recovery.

In addition to the prescription of conventional medications, the sanatorium or resort will necessarily provide dietary nutrition, physical therapy, as well as medicinal baths and procedures.Depending on the location, the sanatorium may offer hydrogen sulfide, silicon, radon, iodine-bromine and other baths.A good sanatorium will fill you with energy for many months.

Conclusion

Complex therapy is most often used to treat psoriasis.Only an integrated approach can achieve good results, since any individual type of treatment will be ineffective, especially at a later stage of treatment.