Psoriasis

Psoriasis runs in phases, hence it calls for a close watch.

 

How do you feel when you extend your hand out to someone and the person recoils at the sight of the dry skin on your hand, or when your barber gets visibly uncomfortable handling your flaky scalp? Due to the cosmetic disturbance it can create on the skin, embarrassment is what psoriasis can assure if someone has been suffering with it.

Psoriasis appears as raised, red patches over the skin with silvery scales. It is often accompanied by irritation leading to itching, which worsens the scaling. The dry and windy atmosphere during winter usually makes such a condition worse as the dryness of the affected area increases.

Moisture is also robbed by air conditioners during summer but generally, hot weather lessens the suffering. At times itching is worse during night or at the end of the day when attention turns towards it. Redness of the affected area is common too.

The prime areas psoriasis affects are the skin over the elbows, knees and the scalp although it can occur in the creases of the skin, like the groins, too. The chance of contracting psoriasis increases if a family member is affected by it. It is not at all contagious.

Our skin is made up of a layer of keratinocytes or skin cells which are replaced once in three to four weeks . It could happen quickly and in unusual amounts in psoriasis, so we can see the flakes and scales on our body, clothing, bedding, etc. Instead of four weeks, the extra formation of skin cells could occur in just three to four days too!

The skin cells are moved upwards to be incorporated onto the surface. Since the immature cells are pushed up too there they accumulate and are scaled off appearing as typical lesions of psoriasis. Certain triggers like stress, anxiety, and injury all lead to an episode of flaring up of skin condition. Psoriasis runs in phases and could remain inactive for various years too.

Homoeopathic medicine has good remedies to see that the lesions are maintained with minimal dryness and scaling with remedies like Petroleum, Sarsaparilla and Kali sulph. Itching would reduce with remedies like Caladium, Acid nit, etc.

To see that the disease is pushed into an inactive phase or remission would be the goal of treatment and Bacillinum, Psorinum, Sulphur, Sepia, Arsenic iod are prescribed according to the symptomatology to achieve the same.

Receding gums

I am 38 and I have been suffering from bleeding of gums and underwent root canal treatment several times since the age of 34. There is also looseness of teeth, which a dentist attributes to receding gums. Can homoeopathy help?

Suman

Apart from the oral hygiene as advised, you can use Carbo veg 30c six pills three times a day for five days every month for the next six months apart from using Kreosote Q ten drops in water as a mouthwash. This will help in preventing further gums decline.

Heaviness of the body

I am 49 and for the past six months menses have been delayed by almost three to four weeks every month. I have swelling of the breasts, heaviness of the body worse in the morning and about ten days before the onset of menses. Which remedy would help me?

Subbalakshmi

Lachesis 30C six pills three times a day for three days would be helpful to start with.

Skin eruptions

I have fluid filled eruptions on my soles with severe pain and due to pressure on those, I am unable to walk. They subside on their own but recur again. It was diagnosed as pemphigus bullae.

Vineet

Ranunculus Bulb 30 six pills every four hours for five days would help get rid of the eruption for now and a proper follow up would be suggested by a homoeopath after taking all your details.

Rheumatoid arthritis

I have pain in the knee joints which started as pain in the toes, later ankles. There is a swelling and severe stiffness when I start to walk in the morning. It was diagnosed as RA after investigations.

abc

More details would be necessary to suggest an appropriate medicine but initially Ledum Pal 30C taken three times a day for three days would give transient relief.