What is psoriasis, not everyone knows. This disease affects the skin and is chronic. This disease manifests itself as follows: either small spots or rashes occur on the surface of the skin, which occupy a fairly vast area. Psoriasis is not an infectious disease, it cannot be transmitted from person to person and from the affected part of the body to healthy ones. Identification of the disease is not carried out by blood tests, the diagnosis is made by visual examination of the skin. If the rashes are not typical, an additional study is prescribed - a biopsy.
What is psoriasis and how does it manifest?
The very first sign of the disease is the appearance of lichen, which is a flaky rash of red color. This kind of rash occurs mainly on the elbows, knees and head. At first, the spots are almost invisible, but gradually they grow, merging into large plaques, the surface of which over time is covered with dense silvery scales. Rashes can appear on other parts of the skin of the patient. The specificity of this disease is that a person affected by this ailment does not feel pain, he is efficient and can actively move.
Causes of occurrence
Modern medicine cannot accurately determine the factors contributing to the onset of the disease. It is known that heredity and genetic factors play an important role in the occurrence of psoriasis. Therefore, scientists are inclined to argue that psoriasis is a hereditary disease. But do not think that all children whose father or mother were exposed to this disease will also suffer from it later, like their parents. It is just likely that psoriasis will manifest itself in future generations.
It is also believed that the ailment can occur in connection with endocrine pathologies, immune changes, metabolic disorders, due to frequent stress and neurosis. However, it is difficult to determine all the causes of the appearance of a skin disease until the end.
What is psoriasis and what is its danger?
The disease does not cause any complications and does not affect the general well-being and human health. However, with a rash covering large areas of the skin, a feeling of discomfort, an unpleasant sensation on the skin, and emotional stiffness may appear, which can affect work, general mood and lifestyle. But in most patients, lesions of the skin areas of minimal sizes are observed.
In 10% of cases with psoriasis, a specific form of arthritis called psoriatic arthritis may appear . A special medical examination should be performed to confirm this serious diagnosis. Psoriatic arthritis can occur in people of all age groups, but more often it appears with the widespread spread of this disease.
Treatment
It is impossible to completely get rid of psoriasis. However, there are a number of drugs and treatment methods that can reduce the disease and keep it under control for quite some time. Psoriasis can periodically occur and disappear again often for quite long periods.
Having determined what psoriasis is and what its causes are, it should be mentioned that certain factors can aggravate the course of the disease:
- Skin damage. Try to exclude mechanical ruptures of the skin. For the first time, a disease can occur in an area damaged by a scratch or burn.
- Sun and tan.
- Food. It is believed that more often psoriasis occurs in people who are overweight and abuse alcohol.
- Stress.
- Medicines Some medicines, including lithium, gold and beta-blockers, can lead to exacerbation of psoriasis.
- Infections Especially if it is a disease of the respiratory tract and throat.