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“When you hear a psoriasis diagnosis, the most important thing is not to give up, dare and actively cooperate with your doctor. In this way, it is possible to successfully overcome the symptoms of a complex disease, ”says Iveta Gylienė, a doctor at the Center for Dermatovenerology at Vilnius Santara Clinics University Hospital, coordinator of the educational project“ Skin Academy ”, in a press release.
It encourages you to learn about psoriasis in the first place, not to hide the disease, but to control it and have healthy skin.
According to the doctor, although it is estimated that only in Lithuania, about 120 thousand people suffer from psoriasis. people, not everyone goes to the doctor. However, the first visits of those who are determined to speak with a dermatologist are very similar: patients ask the same questions. The specialist named five of the most common.
Why do I have psoriasis?
Probably the most common question for people with psoriasis during a conversation with a doctor is, “Why did I get sick?” This is important, but not always easy to find out. According to the doctor, finding the cause of the disease requires a frank conversation between the patient and the specialist.
It is important to take the first step: contact a specialist, not be afraid to tell them.
“The purpose of the first meeting with the patient was to talk and listen to the patient’s story: if their parents and grandparents had psoriasis, how the disease affected them. Because in one case, psoriasis can be inherited and its first symptoms (rashes, dandruff ) can appear up to 40 years.
However, the disease can also begin at a later age, when relatives did not suffer from skin diseases. In this case, it is important for the doctor to listen to how the patient lives, how he feels or how often he experiences stress. When it is discovered that psoriasis is not inherited, it is often difficult to identify what caused the first symptoms, so an open conversation saves when determining the causes of the disease, ”says I.Gylienė.
Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease with ripple signs: rashes may appear less or more frequently, depending on several factors: stress, nervous tension in family or work, harmful habits, diet, being overweight, infectious or viral diseases, seasonality , etc. Therefore, it is important that patients know themselves and the disease, monitor its condition, when and why new rashes appear, and tell the doctor so that he can look for ways to control the symptoms.
Is it possible to have healthy skin with psoriasis?
Psoriasis, while incurable, is by no means a verdict, says the doctor. According to her, there is no need to be pessimistic, because by taking action and applying the right treatment, healthy skin can be restored.
We often advise patients to eat healthier, spend more time resting, and adjust their sleep regimen.
“The discoveries of modern science and the cooperation between a doctor and a patient can lead the patient to times when psoriatic rashes and dandruff did not bother him. It is important to take the first step: contact a specialist, not be afraid to tell him.
The severity of psoriasis is determined not only by the area of damaged skin, but also by the impact of the disease on the patient’s quality of life: emotional and psychological well-being. After examining and listening to how the patient is feeling, the dermatologist prescribes a treatment with local remedies or a systemic treatment with traditional chemical drugs or biological therapy, which is currently the most innovative and effective way to control psoriasis ”, says I.Gylienė.
Photo from personal archive / Iveta Gylienė
What is the treatment with the latest biologics?
In patients with moderate to severe psoriasis, the disease is the one that complicates life the most: the broken body makes patients feel uncomfortable, ashamed of themselves. It often affects several areas of life: psychological well-being, career, intimate life, notes the doctor. Therefore, patients are treated with traditional chemicals or biological therapies to restore a quality daily life. According to I.Gylienė, it is natural that the latest treatment method raises the most questions:
“The main difference between biological and chemical drugs is that biological drugs, unlike chemical drugs, are similar to proteins found in the human body. Its effects are selective and target specific pathological processes in the body that cause the symptoms of the disease.
Biologics themselves also differ depending on the components of the immune system that they affect. As science and biotechnology evolve, the newer and more advanced a drug is, the more it is expected to work faster and more efficiently, and the safer it will be. As a result, biological therapy is considered a breakthrough in treating not only psoriasis but also other chronic inflammatory diseases. “
Regardless of the method of treatment given to control the disease, doctors do not leave patients alone: they monitor the course of treatment, adjust it if necessary, and assess the patients’ well-being, says the doctor.
In which case, which treatment method is the most appropriate?
Psoriasis affects each patient very differently, says I. Gylienė. Some suffer only mild rashes, others develop a more severe form of the disease that affects their physical and psychological condition. Therefore, the treatment plan is individual for everyone.
“It is important to evaluate treatment in many ways, and this can only be done through honest and open communication between the patient and the doctor. There are a number of things that are important for a specialist to see and hear: disease lesions, their location, prevalence, previous treatment, age of the patient, comorbidities. A special questionnaire also identifies the impact of psoriasis on quality of life. Therefore, the patient should not assess the form of the disease in comparison with other patients. It would be much better to decide to speak with a doctor ”, advises I.Gylienė.
How does your lifestyle change with psoriasis?
When they learn that the course of psoriasis can be determined by lifestyle, patients are often willing to change their daily routine to relieve symptoms and eliminate the rash, and dermatologists advise how to do this, says the doctor. According to her, the first task of the sick is to love themselves.
“Almost the main life change that needs to be addressed in psoriasis is a greater investment in yourself and your health. We often recommend that patients eat healthier, spend more time resting, and adjust their sleep regimen. Fatigue can be non-exhausting. only the nervous system but also the immune preparedness in the fight against various infections. Conflicts, disagreements in the family or at work can cause the spread of psoriasis, says I. Gylienė. “It is important that you take care of yourself and your body, otherwise it can be difficult to control the disease with just medications. “
Leather academy – A free educational project for the public on skin diseases and their prevention organized by dermatovenerologists and residents of this specialty at the Santara Clinics of the Vilnius University Hospital. The last section of the website for this project is devoted to current issues in psoriasis treatment, so that patients and their families can find the latest useful information.
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