The skin of the elbows, knees, and scalp are the most common areas affected by psoriasis. Psoriasis is a non-contagious skin condition that causes rapid skin cell reproduction, resulting in red, dry patches of thickened skin. It can affect people of all racial backgrounds and genders. Patients are typically diagnosed in their early adult years.
Due to the condition of their skin, patients with more severe psoriasis may experience emotional distress, job stress, social embarrassment, and other personal problems.
Location
No area of the skin is immune, including the genital area, and the disease may also affect the fingernails and toenails, as well as the soft tissues inside the mouth. About 20 to 25 percent of people with psoriasis have joint involvement and inflammation that causes arthritis symptoms. This condition is known as psoriatic arthritis.
CAUSES OF PSORIASIS
Immune Causes
When our immune system is functioning normally, white blood cells make chemicals that aid in healing and fighting infectious agents, as well as antibodies to fight foreign invaders like viruses and bacteria. However, in conditions like psoriasis and other autoimmune disorders, these white blood cells cause the body to attack healthy skin tissues and cells, as well as occasionally healthy joints.
Genetic Causes
The regulation of Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) molecules, which are designated with the process of presenting the foreign substances to the immune system so they can be destroyed, is the function of these 4 important genes, which scientists and researchers have discovered to be involved in psoriasis. However, in psoriasis, this process is malfunctioning. Patients having a specific HLA genetic factor called HLA-CW6 have a tendency to develop psoriasis at an early age
Weather Triggers
Weather is another important factor in psoriasis; typically, cold, dry weather triggers a flare-up and makes symptoms worse, while hot, sunny, or damp weather makes symptoms less severe.
Stress Triggers
Studies have shown a wide range of stress factors experienced by patients during or before a psoriasis flare up. Another study showed that stress can trigger certain immune factors linked to psoriasis. Stress, suppressed anger, and emotional problems like anxiety and depression are also strongly associated with psoriasis flare ups and can be triggers as well.
Infection Triggers
Psoriasis can flare up due to certain bacteria and viruses, including HIV and streptococcus, which are known to cause tonsillitis and sinusitis. Guttate psoriasis, a type of psoriasis, can be brought on by streptococcus, a bacteria that is also known to cause tonsillitis.
Skin Injury Triggers
The koebner phenomenon, which can happen occasionally after minor skin trauma like cuts or abrasions, can cause an outbreak of psoriasis. This may explain why the elbows and knees are frequently affected by psoriasis.
Drug Triggers
The following medications have a history of causing psoriasis flare-ups or making it worse.
- Chloroquine
- ACE blockers like captopril or monopril
- Atenolol or Lopressor are examples of beta blockers.
- Progesterone
- Lithium
SYMPTOMS OF PSORIASIS
Some common Symptoms & Signs are:
- Skin patches
- Dry or red
- Usually covered in shiny, silvery scales
- Raised patches of skin
- Accompanied by red borders
- Occasionally bleeds, cracks that are painful.
- Usually discrete, demarcated patches
- ordinarily found on the hands, feet, scalp, elbows, knees, or nails
- Lesions on the skin, such as pustules, skin cracking, redness, or inflammation
- In general, itching is worse in the winter or when it is cold.
- Especially in children, there are tiny scaling dots on the skin.
- Psoriatic arthritis is a unique type of arthritis that can cause joint pain or aching.
additional indications that this illness may be present
- psoriatic nails or other abnormal nails
- Genital lesions in males
- eye discharge, stinging, and burning
TYPES OF PSORIASIS
Plaque psoriasis
The most prevalent type of psoriasis, known medically as plaque psoriasis or psoriasis vulgaris (vulgaris means common), is characterized by raised, inflamed (red) lesions covered in a silvery, shiny white scale, which is actually an accumulation of dead skin cells. Plaque psoriasis can affect any skin surface, though the knees, elbows, scalp, and trunk are the most common sites.
The plaques or lesions, also known as lesions or plaques, have a well-defined edge and, while they can appear anywhere on the body, the scalp, knees, and elbows are the most frequently affected areas. The plaques can wax and wane but are chronic, large patches of infected skin that occasionally cover much of the body.
Guttate psoriasis
Small, water drop-shaped sores on the trunk, arms, legs, and scalp are the most common symptoms of this condition, which typically affects individuals under the age of 25 to 30 and is typically brought on by a bacterial infection like strep throat. The sores are covered by a fine scale and aren’t as thick as plaque sores are. There may be a single outbreak that resolves on its own or there may be repeated episodes, especially if there is an ongoing respiratory infection.
pustular psoriasis
Pustular psoriasis is a rare form of psoriasis that typically develops quickly, with pus-filled blisters appearing just hours after the skin turns red and tender. the blisters dry within a day or two but may reappear every few days or weeks. pustular psoriasis can also cause fever, chills, severe itching, weight loss, and larger patches of the disease on the hands, feet, or fingertips.
Inverse psoriasis
Inverse psoriasis is more common in overweight people and is made worse by friction and sweating. It causes smooth patches of red, inflamed skin and is concentrated primarily on the skin in the armpits, groin, under the breasts, and around the genitals.
Psoriatic arthritis
Eythrodermic psoriasis is the least common type of psoriasis and can cause a red, peeling rash that can cover the entire body and may itch or burn intensely.
Psoriasis in finger & toe nails (Psoriatic nails )
Psoriatic arthritis can also cause inflammatory eye conditions like conjunctivitis and pitted, discolored nails in addition to the usual symptoms of inflamed, scaly, shiny skin.
Psoriatic changes in nails range from mild to severe, typically reflecting the extent of psoriatic involvement of the nail plate, nail matrix (tissue from which the nail grows), nail bed (tissue under the nail), and skin at the base of the nail. Nearly 60% of people with psoriasis have psoriatic changes in their fingernails and/or toenails. In rare cases, psoriasis may only occur in the nails and nowhere else on
The nail is discolored from yellow to yellow-pink, most likely as a result of the nail bed being affected by psoriasis. White spots appear under the nail plate, which are air bubbles indicating locations where the nail plate is coming loose from the nail bed (onycholysis). There may also be reddened skin surrounding the nail.
Social Impact of psoriasis
People with psoriasis experience a crisis in self-confidence that is so severe that it can affect almost every aspect of life, including the quality of a person’s love life, issues in marital relationships, performance in the workplace, and day-to-day social interactions. People have also reported feeling like social outcasts and being misunderstood in the public.
HOMEOPATHIC TREATMENT FOR PSORIASIS
The primary goal of homeopathy is to control the itching and burning sensation associated with the eruptions. It is a safe, side-effect-free method of treatment for psoriasis and can be used to treat the majority of cases.
1. KALI ARSENICUM
It is also given to people who have cuts and oozing lesions along the inner side of the elbow and behind the knees because they experience severe itching, especially in warm weather.
2. MEZERIUM
useful for treating psoriasis of the skin and scalp. A thick crust containing thick pus forms on the scalp after an eruption.
3. KALI SULPH
also helpful for skin flaking and peeling. Useful for dry skin that itches.
4. ARSENIC ALBUM
helpful when there is papular eruption along with skin that is dry and rough.
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