Psoriatic Arthritis

It is not just a source of embarrassment.

 

Apart from the fact that Psoriasis can cause arthritis if it remains for about a decade the more disconcerting feature is that it affects the quality of life. Dry, sore, cracked skin with areas of exfoliation either on visible portions of the body or even the scalp wherein the flaking can be source of embarrassment.

The normal skin cells produced along the lowest layer gradually move up and are flaked off as they dry from the outermost layer and the cycle takes about 25-30 days. But if the production at some areas of the skin seems to speed up and more cells are formed pushing the already healthy layer to be flaked off even as they are useful causes dryness of the affected area. There is usually thickness, roughness and elevation of area of skin when compared to the surroundings and promptly leads to itching. Scratching can lead to chapping and rawness of the skin areas as secondary infection sets in.

As such the cause of this condition is not very clear. It does occur in people in whose families this condition is already there but not necessarily hereditary.

It does not manifest all the time but seems to develop usually in adults when there has been a certain change of life as the mind is more affected. Stress is the usual suspect as it precipitates this condition in the already genetically predisposed individuals. But pertinently, it is found to be more active in people when immunity is suppressed. More often than not psoriasis develops when the immune system tells the body to over react and produce more skin cells as the T cells presume that there needs to be an overt development of skin cells and the message is passed on to the system.

This skin condition appears like red patches of skin covered with silvery scales. Children could have small scaling spots which itch and bleed. The nails could get affected by psoriasis wherein they become thick, pitted or ridged. Later if psoriatic arthritis develops the joints could become swollen and stiff.

Homoeopathy has good remedies which can help remove the scales and smoothen the skin even as the most effective way is to slowdown the cell turnover. Sarsaparilla, Petroleum, Graphites, are remedies which can help in help the scaling surfaces to smooth areas while Sulphur, Psorinum, Bacillinum are remedies which can help correct the production of skin cells while pushing the disease into remission or an inactive phase. Aloe and Calendula help in moisturising the skin.