PSORIASIS

A chronic, recurrent disorder. Classic lesion is a well-marginated, erythematous plaque with silvery-white surface scale. Distribution includes extensor surfaces (i.e., knees, elbows, and buttocks); may also involve palms and scalp (particularly anterior scalp margin).

Triggers

• Infections, such as strep throat or skin infections
• Injury to the skin, such as a cut or scrape, a bug bite, or a severe sunburn
• Stress
• Smoking
• Heavy alcohol consumption
• Vitamin D deficiency
• Certain medications — including lithium, which is prescribed for bipolar disorder, high blood pressure medications such as beta blockers, antimalarial drugs, and iodides

Risk factors

1.Family history.

Having one parent with psoriasis increases your risk of getting the disease, and having two parents with psoriasis increases your risk even more.

2.Viral and bacterial infections.

People with HIV are more likely to develop psoriasis .Children and young adults with recurring infections, particularly strep throat, also may be at increased risk.

3.Stress.

Because stress can impact your immune system, high stress levels may increase your risk of psoriasis.

4.Obesity.

Excess weight increases the risk of psoriasis.

5.Smoking.

Smoking tobacco not only increases your risk of psoriasis but also may increase the severity of the disease.

6.Use of INSECTICIDE,PESTICIDE,RODENTICIDE,WEEDICIDE in agriculture

• Organophosphorus  Poison(Op Poison)-Malathoin, Tetron, Parathion,Chlorthoin,Diazion(Tik 20)
• Organo Chlorines-Ddt,Aldrin,Endrin,Endosulfan,Benzene Hexa Chloride
• Paraquat(Weedol)
• Flourides(Sodium Flourides)
• Zinc Phosphide
• Aluminum Phosphide

Symptoms

Sharply demarcated, erythematous plaques with micalike scale; predominantly on elbows, knees, and scalp; atypical forms may localize to intertriginous areas

Types of Psoriasis

1.Plaque-type

Patients with plaque-type psoriasis have stable, slowly enlarging plaques, which remain basically unchanged for long periods of time. The most commonly involved areas are the elbows, knees, gluteal cleft, and scalp. Involvement tends to be symmetric.

2.Inverse psoriasis

It affects the intertriginous regions, including the axilla, groin, submammary region, and navel; it also tends to affect the scalp, palms, and soles. The individual lesions are sharply demarcated plaques

3.Guttate psoriasis

It is most common in children and young adults. Patients present with many small erythematous, scaling papules, frequently after sore throat,upper respiratory tract infection with β-hemolytic streptococci.

4.Pustular Psoriasis

Patients may have disease localized to the palms and soles, or the disease may be generalized.It  cause fever, chills, severe itching and diarrhea. Episodes of fever and pustules are recurrent. Local irritants, pregnancy, medications, infections, and systemic glucocorticoid withdrawal can precipitate this form of psoriasis

5.Nail psoriasis

Psoriasis can affect fingernails and toenails, causing, abnormal nail growth ,punctate pitting, onycholysis, nail thickening, or subungual hyperkeratosis.

6.Psoriatic arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis causes swollen, painful joints that are typical of arthritis.

Causes

Keratinocyte hyperproliferation

T cells normally travel through the body to defend against foreign substances, such as viruses or bacteria.But if you have psoriasis, the T cells attack healthy skin cells by mistake, as if to heal a wound or to fight an infection.

Overactive T cells also trigger increased production of healthy skin cells, more T cells and other white blood cells, especially neutrophils. These travel into the skin causing redness and sometimes pus in pustular lesions. Dilated blood vessels in psoriasis-affected areas create warmth and redness in the skin lesions.

Complications

1. Psoriatic arthritis– It develops most commonly between the ages of 30 and 50 years. There are five subtypes of PsA: symmetric PsA, asymmetric PsA, distal PsA, spondylitis, and arthritis mutilans.
2. Eye conditions-Conjunctivitis, Blepharitis And Uveitis Type 2 diabetes.
3. High blood pressure.
4. Cardiovascular disease. Psoriasis and some treatments also increase the risk of irregular heartbeat, stroke, high cholesterol and atherosclerosis.
5. Metabolic syndrome. This cluster of conditions — including high blood pressure, elevated insulin levels and abnormal cholesterol levels — increases your risk of heart disease.
6. Other autoimmune diseases. Celiac disease, sclerosis and the inflammatory bowel disease called Crohn’s disease are more likely to strike people with psoriasis.
7. Emotional problems. Psoriasis can also affect your quality of life. Psoriasis is associated with low self-esteem and depression. You may also withdraw socially.

Diagnosis

Physical exam and medical history

Skin biopsy

Treatment

Sunlight. Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays in sunlight or artificial light slows skin cell turnover and reduces scaling and inflammation. Brief, daily exposures to small amounts of sunlight may improve psoriasis

Homeopathy medicine