psoriasis life

الجمعة، 15 أكتوبر 2010

Water Therapy

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Water therapy is the combination of sea salts and water and is the basis of many powerful therapeutic treatments. There are numerous types of Water Therapy administered at spas, ayurvedic & holistic centers, and health clinics around the world. Sports therapy clinics use Hydrotherapy Baths to help patients recover from joint and muscle injuries. Dermatologists are recommending Bokek Dead Sea Salt baths for patients with psoriasis, eczema and other dry skin conditions. Estheticians emphasize the cleansing properties of a sea salt bath to clean pores and to detoxify the body. Cancer patients use water therapy to help deal with radiation treatments. There are even Water Therapies & therapeutic bath salts you can use on a daily or weekly basis in your own home.

Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, discovered the therapeutic qualities of seawater by noticing the healing affects it had on the injured hands of fishermen. The seawater not only restricted infection risks, but patients who followed treatments involving the use of seawater found that it also promoted pain relief. It is now known that sea salt therapy is an effective treatment that assists in the rejuvenation of the cells and also induces a healthy exchange of minerals and toxins between the blood and the water.

Types of Water Therapies

Balneotherapy - a range of treatments with warm mineral salt water, from bathing or underwater massage jets to plain drinking. Alkaline water helps stimulate the secretion of bile, while hypnotic water has diuretic effects and is often used for treating kidney stones.

Heliotherapy - use of the sun’s creative properties. Despite recent awareness of skin cancers, sun remains an excellent source of energy, boosts immunity and stabilizes mood when used appropriately. Skin treatments combine this with sea salt baths but should only be used together under the supervision of a doctor.

Phytotherapy - treatments with wild-growing herbs, plants, flowers or leaves. Used in salt baths, oils or infusions, their effect can be superior to pharmacological treatments for some medical conditions. Try making your own bath salts by combining these ingredients with sea salts.

Thalassotherapy - therapeutic baths using warm seawater. The application of seawater (which is very similar to the body’s own internal fluids) allows magnesium and potassium to be drawn into the blood stream while toxins are actively eliminated.

Climatotherapy of Psoriasis at Safaga Red Sea - Climatotherapy has become a well-established modality for the treatment of psoriasis. It involves various regimens of seawater bathing and sunlight exposure, combined with application of emollients, rest and relaxation over several weeks

Safaga at the Red Sea was found an ideal area for climatotherapy of psoriasis. Many natural factors and present there: plentiful sunshine due to cloudless sky prevailing at least 350 days a year, warm, clear, non-polluted or dusty weather. These elements constitute the main components of the natural therapy of the disease at this area.

A natural selective ultraviolet phototherapy along with bathing in the sea was utilized in the management of psoriasis at Safaga – Red Sea. In 80 patients with psoriasis, 90% achieved complete clearing or excellent improvement. The results compare favorable with other therapeutic regiments used in the treatment of psoriasis. Since systemic medications are avoided, the advantage of Safaga – Climatotherapy is that the treatment is natural, pleasant and without the serious side effects sometimes associated with other methods.

Dead Sea Psoriasis Treatments - The Dead Sea area has become a major center for health research and psoriasis treatment for several reasons. The mineral content of the waters, the very low content of pollens and other allergens in the atmosphere, the reduced ultraviolet component of solar radiation, and the higher atmospheric pressure at this great depth each have specific health effects. For example persons suffering reduced respiratory function from diseases such as cystic fibrosis, seem to benefit from the increased atmospheric pressure.

Sunlight at the Dead Sea is high in therapeutic UVA rays and low in burning UVB, so extended exposure is safe and low-risk. The filtering effect comes from a thick atmosphere: the Dead Sea is about 1,200 feet below sea level and the ozone layer above it is minimally depleted. The Dead Sea is the only place on Earth where you can sunbathe for extended periods with little or no sunburn because harmful ultraviolet rays are filtered through three natural layers: an extra atmospheric layer, an evaporation layer that exists above the Dead Sea, and a rather thick ozone layer.

Ichthyotherapy ( therapy with theso-called‘ Doctorfish of Kangal’, Garrarufa ) has been shown to be effective inpatients with psoriasis in the Kangal hot springsin Turkey. This treatment was first mentionedin The Lancetin 1989 but the details of the treatment were published only recently by Ozcelik etal. According to the authors two Different types of fish live in the pools of the Kangalhot spring: Cyprinionm acrostomus and Garrarufa. Both fish are members of the carpandminnow family (Cyprinidae). Garrarufa is regarded as the main therapeutic. Garrarufa is normally a bottom dweller ,where it adheres by suction to rocks with its ventral crescent shaped mouth to feed on phyto and zooplankton However , in the hot pools of Kangal , where phyto - and zooplankton are scarce , these fish feed on the skin scales of bathers, reportedly reducing illnesses such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis .Whether this remarkable treatment is also effective outside of the Kangal hot spring in Turkey is unknown . Since there have been many unscientific and misleading names for this kind of therapy , we suggest the term ‘ichthyotherapy’ , in accordance with other so called biotherapy concepts such as maggot therapy (use of sterile fly larvae), hirudo therapy(use of leeches) and apitherapy ( use of bee venom).

Role of the Dermatology Nurse in Managing Hand and Foot Psoriasis

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The dermatology nurse's primary goal with all patients is to improve their quality of life, and this is especially important for patients with hand and foot psoriasis. As nurses, we have responsibility for helping these patients become functional again in their jobs, with families, and in relationships. Meeting these patients' physical, psychological, and emotional needs is a key priority. Patient screening is one important method that dermatology nurses must use in an effort to determine these needs. A sound approach here is designing a quality of life questionnaire that assesses the patient's recent, overall well-being by asking such questions as:

How itchy, sore, painful, or stinging has your skin been?
How embarrassed or self-conscious have you been because of your skin?
How much has your skin interfered with you going shopping, or looking after your home or garden?
Has your skin prevented you from working or studying?

Patient counseling, support, and education are important to achieving therapeutic success. Educating patients about their disease and the prescribed treatment is paramount. For example, dermatology nurses who give patients injection training for biologic agents should also emphasize to them the importance of compliance with that particular therapy. treatment with efalizumab showed statistically significant improvement in patients with chronic moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis involving the hands and feet .

Hand and Foot Psoriasis Special Attention

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Psoriasis is often misperceived as a cosmetic disease. psoriasis as being equal or greater to heart disease or cancer in its impact on a patient's life. It is a chronic and serious condition that must be monitored and managed continuously.

Psoriasis involving the hands and feet affects only about 30% of patients with plaque psoriasis, but is a uniquely problematic form of the disease . The impact of hand and foot psoriasis on patients' quality of life is extremely high. While these individuals may have a relatively small BSA ( body surface area ) involved, the location of the lesions often prevents patients from participating in everyday activities and the visibility of the disease weighs heavily on emotions and self-image. Unlike many other forms of this disease, hand and foot psoriasis is difficult to treat and often refractory to multiple therapies, even those that are effective in generalized psoriasis. Patients with hand and foot involvement are affected to a greater degree by physical aspects of the disease (such as pain, discomfort, cracking and bleeding of the skin) than patients without lesions on the hands and feet .

In addition to the enormous emotional burden, the disease also impairs a patient's basic day-to-day activities. Many patients are unable to wear shoes comfortably or use their hands. One male patient recently lost his job because he could not perform his job responsibilities due to the psoriasis on his hands. A female patient in her 20s lost her mid-level position because she had to wear flip-flops to work. Her feet were cracked and bleeding due to psoriasis on her feet, which made wearing shoes difficult. Psoriasis also impacts other activities of daily living. Simple daily activities such as sewing, using a computer, or walking in the park can be difficult for individuals suffering from the pain and discomfort that accompany hand and foot psoriasis.

Socially, the disease can take an enormous toll, causing dysfunction in relationships and sexuality. A female patient stated that her young children were reluctant to hold her hands because of the condition, while a male patient with hand psoriasis told us he had not touched his wife in months.

Hand and foot psoriasis may also be a causative factor in co-morbidities. For example, hyperkeratotic fissured plaque psoriasis on the feet can limit a patient's ability to take part in physical activity, which in turn may contribute to weight gain. A recent study found that 71% of patients with psoriasis became overweight or obese after onset of the disease .

Psoriatic Arthritis of the Foot

When you have psoriatic arthritis of the foot, the pain and discomfort it causes can make daily activities difficult and take a toll on your quality of life. Depending on your psoriatic arthritis symptoms, there are a number of foot care and footwear options to ease your discomfort and get you -- comfortably -- back on your feet again.

Psoriatic arthritis may affect any of the joints in your body. But it is very common for the disease to strike some of the thirty-odd joints in the feet, especially the toe joints closest to the nail. When this occurs, toes often become red and swell into a sausage shape that is characteristic of psoriatic arthritis of the foot. Inflammation in the toe joints may also damage the nail bed, causing nails to be pitted or ridged or peel away from the nail bed.

In some instances, psoriatic arthritis symptoms include soreness at the points where tendons and ligaments meet bones, a condition known as enthesopathy. With psoriatic arthritis of the foot, this may result in soreness in your sole or heel (Achilles tendon) that makes every step a painful proposition. In rare instances, psoriatic arthritis manifests itself as arthritis mutilans, a disfiguring form of arthritis that usually targets the hands and feet and leads to significant bone damage.

Whether your psoriatic arthritis of the foot is mild or severe, it's important to do everything you can to minimize inflammation. Left untreated, it may cause permanent joint damage or deformity. You can help reduce your symptoms by making sure you wear shoes that fit properly, and by keeping your feet in good shape.

Shoes and Psoriatic Arthritis of the Foot

When you have swollen toes caused by psoriatic arthritis of the foot, it may be painful or impossible to wear traditional shoes. If that is the case, look for shoes with extra room in the toe box to accommodate your toes.

Think sturdy and supportive. With psoriatic arthritis of the foot, it's essential to give your feet all the help they can get, and that includes a shoe that will support your heels, arches, and the balls of your feet.

Cover up. When your toes are swollen and sore, you want to protect them from any additional injury. Sandals that cradle your foot in a deep footbed or full-coverage shoes will provide a barrier between your toes and anything that might hit them.

Get the proper cushioning. Try to strike a balance between cushioning for comfort and rigidity for support. Shoes with shock-absorbing rubber soles are a good bet for psoriatic arthritis of the foot.

Not too tight. There should be wiggle room for your toes and about a half-inch worth of space behind your heel.

Stay grounded. High heels may look attractive, but the effect they have on your feet isn't nearly as pretty. Three-inch heels subject your poor, aching feet to seven times more stress than a more reasonable one-inch heel.

Stretches for Psoriatic Arthritis of the Foot

Though it can be difficult to move around when you have psoriatic arthritis of the foot, exercising is one of the best ways to reduce your symptoms and improve the range of motion in your joints.Doing certain stretches on a regular basis may also help increase flexibility and lessen pain:

Achilles tendon stretch. Stand with your back and one foot against a wall, with your other foot slightly in front of you. Keeping both heels on the floor, lean into your front foot to stretch the Achilles tendon of your rear foot. Repeat three times, holding for 10 seconds each time, and then switch feet.

Big toe stretch. Hook a large rubber band around your big toes. Using the muscles of your feet (not your legs), pull your big toes as far away from each other (in the direction of your other toes). Repeat 10 times, holding for five seconds each time.

Five toe stretch. Put a rubber band around all the toes on each foot and stretch the toes apart as wide as you can. Repeat 10 times, holding for five seconds each time.

If you don't see any improvement in your psoriatic arthritis of the foot after doing at-home exercise and stretching, ask your doctor about a referral to a physical therapist. A physical therapist can work with you to improve your flexibility and comfort.

You may also find that using cold packs on your feet reduces swelling and helps maintain and improve flexibility and range of motion.

الخميس، 14 أكتوبر 2010

Winter and psoriasis

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Winter brings dry air, colder temperatures, and reduced exposure to sunlight – all of which can worsen the symptoms of psoriasis. What about people who affected with psoriasis to prevent a flare-up of symptoms. What will you do in the winter ?

Think Twice About Long, Hot Showers

Make your showers short, sweet, and lukewarm, Avoid hot water, Hot water feels good at the time, but the itching can rebound when you get out . Use soaps for sensitive skin.

Use Moisturizer After Baths and Showers

Dermatologists and other health professionals who care for psoriasis patients recommended using Moisturizer and One of the best times is after a shower. Put moisturizer on your skin 3 to 5 minutes after you towel off after a shower . It helps seal in moisture so the skin doesn't get as dry . Lotions are easiest to apply all over. But creams and ointments are more moisturizing than lotions .

But you can ask your self what your body need ( which is more dry in your body ) , creams can used in acute irritant state then complete with ointment, what about the time of application in evening or night . You can use it at night or after a shower, and wear old sweats or pajamas. It will soak in after an hour or two.

Look to the Light for Therapy

The use of light therapy can help clear up patchy, scaly skin. phototherapy, light therapy has been a standard of psoriasis treatment for a long time. The beneficial effects of a sunny vacation in the middle of winter could help ease psoriasis symptoms for a few months . One option is called psoralen UVA, or PUVA. "It is a type of photo chemotherapy, in which the patient takes a light-sensitizing medication, psoralen, by mouth, then an hour and a half later is exposed to long-wave, ultraviolet light in the office . according to the National Psoriasis Foundation, and there are long-term risks of skin cancers with light therapy, so that risk must be weighed.narrowband UVB or ultraviolet B. This type emits the part of the UV light spectrum most helpful for psoriasis and laser therapy .

Get a Winter Tune-Up on Your Psoriasis Medications

If your psoriasis is getting worse, or usually does in the winter, it is a great time to check-in with your physician for a medication tune-up. Your doctor can assess whether the psoriasis medications you are using -- topical, systemic, or a combination are working as well as possible.

Common topical psoriasis treatments that you rub on your skin include over-the-counter products such as salicylic acid and coal tar such as Psorent, and prescription topical creams such as Dovonex (synthetic vitamin D3), Tazorac, and corticosteroid medications.

Systemic psoriasis medications include methotrexate, which you can take as a pill, and new injected drugs called "biologics," such as Enbrel and Humira. Remicade another biologic, must be infused at the doctor's office. By adjusting doses or medicine types, you may get more psoriasis relief in winter.

Check your Stress

Stress plays a big part in making psoriasis condition worse, The stress can be emotional or physical . Take time to eat healthy, exercise, and do whatever you think is stress-reducing . Most people who have lived with psoriasis for a long time are aware with stress .

Flu Vaccination / flu shot for Psoriasis Patients

There are some special considerations for psoriasis patients regarding flu vaccination. Flu vaccination is especially important for people whose immune systems are suppressed. So for psoriasis patients who are on methotrexate, cyclosporine, or other immune-suppressing drugs, a flu vaccination is a particularly good idea. Vaccination could make psoriasis worse in some patients, but this effect is not usually a strong one. Psoriasis patients also sometimes develop psoriasis lesions at sites of injury (Koebner phenomenon) and thus could develop a lesion at the site of a vaccination injection.

Flu vaccine uses killed virus. Thus it doesn't cause infection. Vaccines that involve "attenuated" live virus are risky in immunosuppressed patients. This is a problem with smallpox vaccination, and patients who are on immunosuppressive drugs should avoid such vaccination. Also, the family of immunosuppressed people should avoid the vaccination because of the potential for transmission of the virus to the immunosuppressed person. Finally, smallpox vaccination is not recommended for anyone with inflammatory skin disease for fear that the virus will spread over the irritated skin areas. This is not a problem with the flu vaccine because the flu vaccine does not contain live, infectious virus.

I tend to eat more and drink more alcohol in the fall and winter months. Will this affect my psoriasis? Alcohol and key foods certainly could trigger a psoriasis flare. Though medical researchers have yet to prove that certain foods cause psoriasis flares, many patients report that eating certain foods seems to worsen their psoriasis. If you notice a regular connection between eating certain foods and increased skin symptoms, ask your doctor whether you can safely eliminate the suspect foods from your diet to assess any changes in your psoriasis . If you tend to smoke when you drink, you might be dealing yourself in serious problem . Evidence indicates that people who smoke tobacco products may be more likely to develop a form of psoriasis. Researchers have also found a correlation between smoking and more serious forms of psoriasis.

Could strep throat and other winter illnesses affect my psoriasis? If you suffer from psoriasis, an infection by bacteria and viruses can cause symptoms to flare. A strep infection, specifically, is a known trigger for guttate psoriasis, a form of the disease that causes red, droplet-shaped lesions to develop on the abdomen, back, arms, and legs.

Although researchers don’t know the exact cause of psoriasis, the immune system seems to play a key role in its development. Germs, illness, viruses or bacteria – anything that dampens your immune system -- may cause your symptoms to worsen. Even something as simple as a common cold or respiratory virus may trigger a psoriasis flare.

What types of clothing are best for people with psoriasis in cold weather? Wool sweaters are synonymous with winter for some people with psoriasis, but the itchiness of the fabric may make your already irritated skin feel worse

Consider dressing in layers made from natural plant fibers, such as cotton, to keep you warm and comfortable. If you suffer from scalp psoriasis and find that flaking is a problem, choose lighter-colored clothes to hide dandruff.

To make your holiday season an enjoyable one, make every attempt to enjoy the time spent with family and friends and follow as healthy a lifestyle as possible. It’s the best present you can give to yourself.

Stress and psoriasis

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Studies have shown that stress and psoriasis go together. And while stress is known to make psoriasis worse, psoriasis can make you more stressed out. some particular stress-induced effects on circulating lymphocytes with implications for the cutaneous inflammation in this chronic relapsing skin disease.

Stigma. People living with psoriasis can become self-conscious and ashamed. Everyday social interactions can become stressful, from going on a date to merely shaking someone's hand.

Finances. Lots of psoriasis treatments can be expensive. A year's worth of biologic medicines can cost over $25,000. And the costs of even the cheaper treatments can add up.

Pain. Psoriasis can cause chronic pain, which adds a constant level of stress in your life. Sometimes, that pain -- especially with psoriatic arthritis of the hands -- can seriously interfere with your ability to do day-to-day activities.

Treatment. Unfortunately, treatment itself can be stressful. Some therapies require a lot of commitment -- phototherapy sessions might be five times a week for up to a year. Trying to fit that into your schedule isn't easy. Coping with the side effects of a drug can be stressful. And of course, there's nothing more frustrating than trying a treatment for months that doesn't end up working.

Life with disease. Psoriasis is a chronic condition. There is no cure. When it's bad, psoriasis can wear you down. Even when you're doing well, you might still find yourself anxious about the future. What if it gets worse again?

Tips for Coping

Use relaxation techniques. Many practices -- like deep breathing, meditation, tai chi, and yoga -- can make a big difference for people with psoriasis. In some cases, it may actually help with treatment. One study found that people receiving light therapy while listening to meditation tapes did twice as well as people who just got the treatment. Obviously, simpler stuff -- like long walks or long baths -- can help relax you too.

Benefits of relaxation technique

Get a massage. Many people suffering with stress and psoriasis find that massage is a good way to ease tension. Massage includes specific techniques like acupressure and reflexology. When looking for a masseuse, you might want to find one who has previously worked with people who have psoriasis.

Have trust in your doctor. To reduce stress, you need to have confidence in your treatment -- and that means faith in your doctor. You must have a good working partnership. If you don't, or if you have doubts about your treatment plan, don't hesitate to get a second opinion.

Get professional help. If you're finding the stress and psoriasis hard to handle -- or are worried that you're developing clinical anxiety or depression -- schedule an appointment with a therapist. Therapists can help you cope with some of the intense emotional issues that stem from life with psoriasis. But he or she can also give you more practical tips on ways of reducing stress.

Get better treatment. Yes, treatment can be a cause of stress for people with psoriasis. But it can also be the best cure for both your stress and psoriasis. If you have good control of your condition and can resolve the symptoms, you're removing the core cause of your stress.

If you're in severe depression or stress you can use antidepressant drugs after taking your doctor advice about these drugs . It has been published reports of improvement of atopic dermatitis with topical application of the strongly antihistiminergic tricyclic antidepressant doxepin and of psoriasis with oral administration the tricyclic antidepressant imipramine ,with the monoamine oxidase inhibitor moclobemideand with bupropion-SR .

Antidepressants have neuroendocrine and immunologic effects including decreasing natural-killer cell activity and inflammatory response in mice; decreasing macrophage migration and hypersensitivity reactions in rats; and in humans, altering concentrations of opioid peptides and beta-endorphin concentrations in lymphocytes, suppressing natural-killer cell activity altering interferon/interleukin production ratios normalizing the chronic hypothalamic-pituitary adrenocortical (HPA) axis overactivity in patients with depression , and inhibiting the substance -P inflammatory response in skin . the skin and brain are derived from embryologic cell populations adjacent to the neural crest there is enough commonalty between these tissues that bupropion may have specific effects of its own on adrenergic receptors in dermal or epidermal tissue.

It's reported that Pharmacological treatment of depression secondary to cytokine administration has included antidepressants, opiate antagonists, stimulants and corticosteroids. Serotonin selective reuptake inhibitors as well as tricyclic antidepressants have been used to treat and prevent IFN-α induced depression .

Administration of anti-depressant drugs is reported to result in immune system changes (i.e., decreasing expression of inflammatory mediators) suggesting a link between increased inflammatory mediator expression and disease. In support, cytokine antagonists have been administered to patients with chronic inflammatory disorders to alleviate physical illness as well as symptoms of concurrent depression. Administration of anti-cytokines (e.g., TNF-α) is reported to clear up psoriatic lesions and relieve symptoms of fatigue and depression in patients with psoriasis. Although speculative, this suggests an association between increased pro-inflammatory cytokines and pathogenesis of depressive disorder.

الجمعة، 15 أكتوبر 2010

Water Therapy

Types of Water Therapies

Role of the Dermatology Nurse in Managing Hand and Foot Psoriasis

Hand and Foot Psoriasis Special Attention

Psoriatic Arthritis of the Foot

See also tips to keep your joints healthy

Shoes and Psoriatic Arthritis of the Foot

Stretches for Psoriatic Arthritis of the Foot

الخميس، 14 أكتوبر 2010

Winter and psoriasis

Think Twice About Long, Hot Showers

Use Moisturizer After Baths and Showers

Look to the Light for Therapy

Get a Winter Tune-Up on Your Psoriasis Medications

Check your Stress

Flu Vaccination / flu shot for Psoriasis Patients

Stress and psoriasis

Tips for Coping

Daily tips for psoriatic patient

Moisturize

moisturize -- this is one of the simplest and most effective things you can do for your skin when you have psoriasis. Keeping skin moist helps reduce dryness, itching, redness, soreness, and scaling.

Good psoriasis skin care means avoiding harsh products that can irritate it even more, such as lotions containing alcohol, deodorant soaps, and even some laundry soaps. Scratchy, rough clothes can also aggravate your skin, so try switching to softer, less irritating cotton-based clothing (cotton).

Daily Baths

Sunlight

Reduce Stress

Quit Smoking and Drinking

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