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Suspecting A Case Of Psoriatic Arthritis? Read To know More

What is psoriatic arthritis?

Psoriatic arthritis is a kind of arthritis that affects people who have psoriasis. Psoriasis is an autoimmune disorder that causes red and scaly rashes on the skin and is more prevalent on the elbows, ankles, feet, knees, scalp and hands. Psoriasis can affect different parts of the body- skin, bones and joints, brain and nervous system, eyes and more.

If you have psoriatic arthritis, your immune system attacks its own healthy tissues and causes stiffness, swelling and pain in the joints. If left untreated, the inflammation can cause permanent damage to the tissues and joints and can be disabling. 

This can affect any part of the body and can be either mild or severe. There is no cure for psoriatic arthritis and psoriatic arthritis treatments are mostly aimed at preventing joint damage and reducing the symptoms. 

Symptoms of psoriatic arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis symptoms include, but are not limited to:

Causes of psoriatic arthritis 

Psoriatic arthritis causes are autoimmune in nature, where the body’s immune system attacks its own healthy tissue and cells. Studies suggest that environmental and genetic factors play a role in the occurrence of psoriatic arthritis. People who suffer from this have a family history of either psoriatic arthritis or of psoriasis. 

Physical trauma or some kind of virus or bacterial infection may also trigger psoriatic arthritis in people who are already susceptible to this disease. An unhealthy lifestyle, smoking and alcohol use also increases the risk.

People who are at greater risk of psoriatic arthritis –

Psoriatic arthritis treatment

Psoriatic arthritis treatment options may include one or more of the following:

Home remedies

There are some home remedies to follow that will ease the psoriatic arthritis symptoms.

Psoriatic arthritis complications

Psoriatic arthritis is linked with other complications and can cause issues like:

If you have been diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, it is not the end of the world. While the disease has no permanent cure, proper treatment can ease the symptoms. The specialist one must consult for autoimmune disorders is a rheumatologist, along with an orthopaedic surgeon and physiotherapist. For any lesions on the skin, reach out to a dermatologist. Proper diagnosis and treatment, along with healthy lifestyle modifications, can help you manage psoriasis with ease. 

Also Read: Glutathione Benefits: Exploring the Research-Based Health Advantages

Disclaimer: The information included on this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional. Because of unique individual needs, the reader should consult their physician to determine the appropriateness of the information for the reader’s situation.

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Everything You Need To Know About Scalp Psoriasis

What is scalp psoriasis? 

One of the most commonly affected areas of psoriasis, scalp psoriasis, is an autoimmune disorder where raised, scaly and itchy plaques are seen on the scalp. 

Scalp psoriasis can either appear in patches or can affect the entire scalp. In some cases, the disorder can spread to the hairline, the upper neck and inside the ear. 

Psoriasis on the head is not contagious and you can’t catch this disorder from someone else. In an autoimmune disorder, the skin cells grow faster than usual and form patches on the head. 

In some cases, scalp psoriasis is mild and unnoticeable, but there are also severe cases where it lasts longer and creates crusted sores. Excessive itching can cause skin infections and hair loss. 

Scalp psoriasis should not be confused with dandruff and ignored. Scalp psoriasis is usually associated with discolouration of skin. You’ll notice red patches with silvery scales.

Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD

Symptoms of scalp psoriasis 

Scalp psoriasis symptoms can range from mild to severe. 

In the case of mild scalp psoriasis, the symptoms are fine but with slight scaling.

For moderate and severe cases, scalp psoriasis symptoms include:

In some cases of hair fall, the hair may grow back once the skin clears up, but in other cases, one may notice a permanent thinning of hair. 

You may need to treat your scalp differently in the morning and evening. This can make treatment more effective and help reduce side effects.

Dr. Ashish Bajaj – M.B.B.S, M.D.

Treatments for scalp psoriasis

Consult a dermatologist for the evaluation and treatment of your condition. Based on the overall analysis of your health and severity, your doctor will prescribe you treatment that can include-

Topical creams and lotions– scalp psoriasis treatment may include medicated shampoos, gels, lotions, creams, soaps or ointments that you have to apply directly on the scalp. Some of these are easily available over the counter, but you may require a doctor’s prescription for others. 

Medication for scalp psoriasis

In the case of moderate to severe cases of scalp psoriasis, the treatments can vary. The doctor might prescribe the following:

Corticosteroids are the most frequently prescribed treatment for scalp psoriasis in children and adults, these along with medicated shampoos work quickly to reduce redness, swelling, itch, and scaling.

Dr. Ashish Bajaj – M.B.B.S, M.D.

Natural and home treatments

There are some natural scalp psoriasis treatments that are popular but do not assure improvement for everyone. Some of these popular home remedies to reduce scalp psoriasis symptoms are-

Tips for managing scalp psoriasis

It can be difficult to resist the urge to itch, but there are certain tips that you can follow to manage the effects of scalp psoriasis.

Key takeaways

As the exact causes of scalp psoriasis causes are unknown to us, it is often difficult to prevent the disorder. Hence, it is important to receive the correct treatment as soon as the symptoms appear. 

The disorder affects people differently; hence identifying and avoiding the triggers of scalp psoriasis is the best way to keep this autoimmune disorder at bay.

Also Read: Why Does My Hair Get Greasy So Fast: Unraveling the Causes and Fixes

Disclaimer: The information included on this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional. Because of unique individual needs, the reader should consult their physician to determine the appropriateness of the information for the reader’s situation.

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Everything You Need To Know About Psoriasis!

Psoriasis Skin Disease is a common chronic skin condition that can affect anyone between the age of 15 and 35. Usually, a person suffering from this condition has an unusually fast skin cell growth rate. Such a fast cell growth rate results in dead cell accumulation over the skin’s surface.

The exact cause for this condition is not known but many studies have indicated that a person might be suffering from such a condition due to genetic factors or some abnormality in the immune system.

Psoriasis is a non-contagious disease. The effect of the condition can be easily spotted outside of the elbows, knees or scalp. The chance of it appearing on any other parts of the body is rare but is still a possibility. When suffering from this condition, the skin feels full of itch, burns, and stings. Know the facts about Psoriasis Skin Disease below:  

Psoriasis Skin Disease is associated with other serious health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and depression.

Inverse psoriasis, also called intertriginous psoriasis or skin-fold psoriasis, is an uncommon form of psoriasis, which typically occurs in flexural areas – the groin, axillae, umbilicus, intergluteal cleft and external genitalia, timely treatment with topical and oral medications is found to be very helpful.

Dr. Ashish Bajaj – M.B.B.S, M.D.

Psoriasis Symptoms

The symptoms of Psoriasis Skin Disease may vary according to the severity and type of psoriasis a person is suffering from-

The cause of psoriasis isn’t fully understood. It’s thought to be an immune system problem where infection-fighting cells attack healthy skin cells by mistake. Researchers believe that both genetics and environmental factors play a role. The condition is not contagious. The condition is fully treatable but not curable.

Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD

Types of Psoriasis

  1. Plaque Psoriasis: This is the most common type of condition which causes itchy and red plaques all over the body. It usually appears on the Elbow, lower back, scalp, and knees.
  2. Guttate Psoriasis: This condition typically causes small, pink-red spots on your skin. They often appear on your trunk, upper arms, thighs or scalp. Most often it is triggered by some skin injury.
  3. Inverse psoriasis: The appearance of these kinds of spots are bright red, smooth, and shiny, but don’t have scales. Fungal infections are major triggers for this.
  4. Nail Psoriasis: Half of those who are suffering from any other type of psoriasis suffer from this condition as well. The changes in the nail are eventually inevitable. Some of the symptoms include white chalk-like patches under the nail, pain in the area, separation of the nail from the bed, colour changes and pitting of nail.
  5. Psoriatic Arthritis: Just like arthritis, this condition is also a result of joint inflammation. If a person is suffering from psoriasis for more than 10 years, then they are highly likely to develop this condition. Symptoms include nail discolouration, joint pain and swelling of fingers and toes.

A variety of factors could trigger a psoriasis episode right from stress to an infection. In 70% of the cases, an external trigger is a cause behind awakening an inherited gene for psoriasis.

Also Read: 18 Simple Home Remedies For Fungal Infections!

As in many cases, Psoriasis Skin Disease might be very embarrassing and confidence draining due to its evident effects on the appearance. Most of the outbreaks are relatively not severe or harmful. With appropriate treatment, the symptoms will go away or subside within a few months.

Also Read: What Causes Thick Toenails: Understanding the Possible Underlying Conditions

Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.

Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.

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All About Eczema – Symptoms, Causes & Cure

Eczema is an extremely common inflammatory condition of the skin. It may start at any age but is most common in children, affecting 1 in every 5 children at some stage.

‘Eczema’ is a term that comes from the Greek word ‘to boil’ and is used to describe red, dry, itchy skin which can sometimes become weeping, blistered, crusted, scaling and thick. The words eczema and dermatitis mean the same thing and thus atopic eczema is the same as atopic dermatitis.

Symptoms of Eczema

Eczema can affect any part of the skin, including the face but the areas that are most commonly affected are the joints at the elbows and knees as well as the wrists and neck. Other common appearances of atopic eczema include coin-sized areas of inflammation on the limbs and numerous small bumps that coincide with the hair follicles.

Affected skin is usually red and dry and scratch marks (accompanied by bleeding) are common. When the eczema is very active, it may become moist and weepy (during a ‘flare-up’) and small water blisters may develop, especially on the hands and feet. In areas that are repeatedly scratched, the skin may thicken (a process known as lichenification) and this may cause the skin to itch more. Sometimes affected areas of the skin may become darker or lighter in colour.

Eczema is a skin condition that causes dry and itchy patches of skin. It’s a common condition that isn’t contagious. Symptoms of eczema can flare up if you contact an irritant or an allergen. There are treatments available to help you manage symptoms, but there isn’t a cure.

Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD

Causes of Eczema

The exact causes of atopic eczema are unknown but it seems to be a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

a) Genetic Factors

Research suggests that atopic eczema is largely an inherited condition. If one parent has eczema, there might be a 60% chance that the child will develop the condition. If both parents have eczema, the chances of inheriting the condition leap to 80%.

b) Environmental Factors

If a person is genetically susceptible to developing eczema, then they are likely to develop the condition when exposed to certain allergens in the environment. These can include:

Food allergens  such as eggs, milk, nuts, soya, fish and wheat may also trigger the development of eczema.

Also Read: Baking Soda Bath: Research-Based Benefits and How to Do It Properly

Treating Eczema

These should be applied several times every day to help the outer layer of skin function better as a barrier to the environment. The drier skin, the more frequently one should apply a moisturizer. You can also try aloe vera for the skin to keep it hydrated and moisturized.

If eczema becomes wet, weepy and crusted, it may be infected and a course of antibiotics may be needed. Antiseptics, when applied to the skin alone or as part of a moisturizing preparation, can be helpful in stopping the growth of bugs.

Doctors may recommend antihistamine tablets, which in some patients can be helpful. Those antihistamines that make people sleepy (such as chlorphenamine and hydroxyzine) might be the most useful and are generally given at night. They have no effect on the inflammation of eczema and are helpful largely as a result of their sedating effects, reducing sleep disruption.

Some people with chronic eczema benefit from ultraviolet light treatment, which is usually given in a specialist hospital department and supervised by a dermatologist. This is rarely used for children.

People with eczema will benefit from a psychological approach to their condition in addition to the use of creams, ointments, etc. With constant care, eczema does not have to be an impediment to living a happy, normal life.

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Also Read: Coping Strategies For Stress-Related Eczema On Hands: An Overview

Disclaimer:  The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.

Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.

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