Emotional Problems And Mood Disorders
Psoriasis can have a negative effect on your quality of life. For many people, this leads to problems, such as low self-esteem and depression. Social withdrawal and isolation are also common. Depression and other mood disorders can become life threatening if they lead to suicidal thoughts and actions. Fortunately, it is also true that effectively treating psoriasis can help ease depression and other problems. Joining a psoriasis support group can be a great outlet to share experiences and work through the challenges of living with a chronic disease.
Take Medications As Prescribed
Even with my psoriatic arthritis, I dont just rub anything on my aching joints. Im careful to see whats in it and can it be bad for my immune system.
My take away on this story is to be very careful what you put on your skin and research what medications that you take. We dont want to make a fatal mistake. Medications are nothing to take lightly, dont abuse and misuse the drugs that the doctor has prescribed for you. Take them as your doctor has directed and follow the directions carefully.
What Can You Do To Reduce Cancer Risk If You Have Psoriasis
Psoriasis remains one of the more common inflammatory skin conditions. This study does not suggest ways in which people with psoriasis may reduce their risk of developing cancer. But there are several lifestyle modifications that could help to decrease cancer risk while also benefiting your overall health.
For example, quitting smoking, drinking less alcohol, eating a healthier, well-balanced diet, and moderate physical activity may not only reduce your risk of developing cancer, but also may reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. You should also work with your primary care physician to stay up to date with routine cancer screenings, such as colonoscopies, mammograms, and lung imaging.
Further studies are needed to determine the specific mechanisms underlying the potential link between psoriasis and increased cancer risk, as well as how specific lifestyle factors and medications may play a role.
About the Author
Dominic Wu, MD, Contributing Editor
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Youre Always On A Search For The Next Best Thing
In recent decades, there have been more advances in medications and studies confirming the benefits of certain therapies for psoriatic arthritis than ever before. Doing your own research and following up on it with your rheumatologist will help you and the doctor find and maintain the best treatment plan. Says Dishner, Its important to understand your options and to never give up hope.
What The Data Show About Psoriasis Life Expectancy
Recent research has looked at mortality among people with psoriasis. The aim was to provide an overview of the risk of overall mortality and to look at specific causes of death in people with psoriasis. Researchers found people with psoriasis had a 21% increase in the risk of death from any cause, and the risk increased with the severity of the psoriasis. They also looked at comorbid conditions, which are diseases that occur at the same time. The ones with the highest risk of death were kidney and liver disease.
The mortality research does not explain the link between psoriasis and comorbid conditions or complications, but it shows the need to pursue greater understanding in this area to improve outcomes for psoriasis patients. Here is a look at possible psoriasis complications that could put a patients life at risk. For many of these conditions, the risk increases with more severe psoriasis.
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Articles On Psoriasis With Other Conditions
If you have psoriasis, you already know that it is more than just a skin condition. Beyond the effects psoriasis can have on your body, it can wreak havoc on your emotions and mental well-being. In fact, the same processes in your body that form plaques also can change the levels of brain chemicals that affect your mood.
If you find yourself feeling down day after day, talk to your doctor. There are ways to treat both depression and psoriasis that can help clear up your skin and boost your mood.
Foods With Saturated Fats And Trans Fats
Fats in red meat, cheese, fried food, margarine, fast food and many processed snacks are known to trigger inflammation in the body. These fats increase the amount of low-density lipoprotein in your blood, also called bad cholesterol. Studies suggest there may be a link between excess fat in the body and development of psoriasis and worsening of psoriasis symptoms.
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Can People Die From Psoriasis
This really brings up the question again, can we die from psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis? Yes, we have come a long way from the 1400s, but I believe we can still use some of that logic in todays world.
This queen was in her 50s when she died, which was considered old age back then. Was her psoriasis so bad that the itching irritated her and the ingredients caused her to succumb to death? What I took away from this story that it doesnt matter what year it is, taking the wrong medications can be fatal.
How Can I Get Started With A Psoriasis Diet
If youre going to change your diet to combat psoriasis, Wesdock recommends starting slowly. Jumping into a highly restrictive diet isnt usually sustainable and may deprive you of important nutrients. Instead, start by cutting out some highly processed foods.
Substitute the pastries and cookies with fresh fruit. Opt for herbal tea or water flavored with fresh fruit, mint or cucumber. If you think theres a specific food or ingredient thats triggering psoriasis flare-ups, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian.
Being overweight or obese can also make psoriasis worse, so you may want to start a weight loss plan that includes fewer calories and smaller portion sizes. Any psoriasis treatment diet should be accompanied by healthy lifestyle choices. Get plenty of sleep and regular exercise, and try to reduce stress in your life. If you smoke, talk to your doctor about a plan to quit.
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Maintenance Of Regular Follow
According to the Arthritis Foundation, close collaboration with your dermatologist, rheumatologist, or other health care provider is one of the best ways to help achieve low disease activity. These professionals can evaluate your symptoms, examine your laboratory results, and adjust your medication if needed.
Psoriasis Linked To Other Autoimmune Diseases
Not only is psoriasis likely an autoimmune disease, it is also linked with other autoimmune diseases. The most common tie is with psoriatic arthritis .
Some research shows that around 30% of people, when diagnosed with psoriasis, already have PsA, a disease that affects joints and the areas where tissue attaches to bone. Other research suggests that even more people with psoriasis — as many as 40% — will get PsA, usually within 5 to 10 years of skin symptoms.
Signs of PsA include:
- A swollen, sausage-like finger or toe
- Nail changes or problems
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Study Population And Data Source
We performed a cohort study to determine the risk of the most common forms of death in patients with severe psoriasis, using the General Practice Research Database from the United Kingdom. The GPRD was developed as a tool for conducting public health research and is representative of the national population in terms of age, sex, and geographic distribution.1 General Practitioners are responsible for maintaining their patients electronic medical record, including information on hospitalizations, referrals, and deaths. Data quality is monitored, and practices receive an up to standard designation when > 95% of prescriptions and diagnoses are captured electronically. The GPRD has been well validated for psoriasis26 in addition to many other diagnoses.2728
For each severe psoriasis patient, we chose up to four unexposed patients that had no history of a psoriasis diagnostic code at any time. Unexposed patients were matched on practice, date of registration in the practice , and index date. For psoriasis patients, the index date was the first date they received a prescription for a treatment consistent with severe disease on or after their psoriasis diagnosis date, if they were registered with a practice and the practice was considered up to standard. For unexposed patients, the index date was the date of any medical record entry within 60 days of the psoriasis index date.
When To See A Healthcare Provider
You should see a healthcare provider as soon as you first notice signs and symptoms of shingles. The National Institute on Aging recommends that people see their practitioner no later than three days after the appearance of a shingles rash.
Early treatment will reduce your risk for complications, heal the rash quicker, and even reduce the potential for scarring.
It is always a good idea to reach out to your healthcare provider if you notice persistent pain or an itchy rash on your body. This is especially important if you are older because, with older age, the risk of developing PHN after a shingles outbreak is higher than for younger adults.
Even if you have already been diagnosed, you should reach out to your practitioner if the rash spreads to your face, an eye, or an ear. You will need immediate attention if you think your rash or a shingles blister has improperly healed or appears infected. Signs of a skin infection might include swelling, redness, pain, pus, and itching in the affected skin area.
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How Can You Measure Inflammation In The Body
While certain foods are known to cause inflammation, not everyone reacts the same way to these foods. Ive had some patients who felt that wheat was making their psoriasis worse. Another patient noticed more flare-ups when she ate nuts, says Wesdock.
Some tests can measure inflammation with biomarkers, which are substances in your blood that spike when your body reacts a certain way to foods such as fats or sugar. For example, a simple test can check for increased levels of C-reactive protein in your blood. The liver makes extra CRP if theres inflammation in your body. Doctors might use this test to determine how likely you are to develop a chronic condition like heart disease.
As you adjust your diet to ease psoriasis symptoms, be sure to work with your psoriasis doctor to monitor symptoms and inflammation levels.
Life Expectancy And Psoriasis
Moderate psoriasis is defined as having plaques that affect 3 percent to 10 percent of the body surface area. Severe psoriasis involves plaques on more than 10 percent of the body surface area.
One study showed that people who have psoriasis on more than 10 percent of their bodies have a mortality rate or risk of death that is nearly double that of the general population.
Risk factors that are associated with moderate to severe psoriasis include:
- Family history of psoriasis
- Diagnosis before age 30
- Living in an urban area
Some systemic treatments such as biologics and methotrexate have been shown to reduce mortality risk. Biologic treatments were shown to reduce the risk of mortality in as few as three months of therapy. As researchers develop more systemic treatments for psoriasis, mortality rates may decrease more.
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How You Find Out
Severity and body surface area are used together to calculate something called a Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score. It combines the severity and surface area for six regions of your body. Scores range from 0 to 72. A score of more than 10 generally translates to âmoderate-to-severe.â A score of more than 40 is rare.
Usually, the higher your PASI score, the lower your quality of life.
Your doctor may use one of three surveys to figure out how your psoriasis affects your quality of life:
Psoriasis Index of Quality of Life : This tool focuses on how psoriasis changes how you deal with the needs of daily life. Questions cover things like sleep, your social life, and emotions.
Psoriasis Life Stress Inventory : It’s a 15-item questionnaire that asks you how stressful various daily tasks are for you.
Psoriasis Disability Index : The PDI looks at how psoriasis affects your daily activities, including work, leisure time, and personal relationships.
Us Patients With Psoriasis Face 2
Findings appeared this month in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
A new study based on data from a well-known US health survey finds that adults in this country with psoriasis face a 2-fold mortality risk after adjusting for demographics, smoking, and comorbidities.
Authors of the study, which appeared in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, note this risk of early death is higher than what has been reported in Europe and that much of it cannot be explained. The authors, led by Yevgeniy R. Semenov, MD, MA, of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, suggest reasons they say warrant more study.
Psoriasis, no longer considered just a skin condition despite the telltale rash, is now understood to be a complex inflammatory disorder that involves multiple systems of the body. While cardiovascular disease , cancer, and COPD are often cited as leading causes of death for people with psoriasis, this new study used mediation analyses to show these reasons account for only a minority of the overall mortality risk in this population.
These findings suggest that a significant portion of the mortality burden of psoriasis remains unexplained and merits further investigation, the authors write.
Overall, the patients with psoriasis were older, had shorter mean follow-up time, and were more likely to be white than the controls. They also had higher comorbidity rates than controls:
Reference
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What Are The Symptoms Of Erythrodermic Psoriasis
Erythrodermic psoriasis can come on suddenly in a couple of days. More commonly, plaques expand from a pre-existing psoriasis rash. Full development of erythrodermic psoriasis may occur gradually over a few months. You develop redness and inflammation that resembles a severe burn or sunburn on more than 90% of your body. The skin rash is very itchy and may cause a burning sensation. You may also develop peeling skin that comes off in large sheets. Some people lose fingernails and toenails.
Erythrodermic psoriasis symptoms can come and go. Treatments can control the condition and even put it into remission, meaning you have minimal rash and symptoms or, sometimes, no rash or symptoms. However, flare-ups can occur with the diffuse rash and symptoms returning.
A Trip To The Physical Therapist Can Feel More Heavenly Than A Massage
A few months after being diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, Rabe began physical therapy. I went two to three times a week, and the exercises I learned to do helped me cope with the pain, she says. Now any time I feel an ache in a new part of my body, Im right back at the physical therapists office. Exercises recommended by a therapist can help keep your joints flexible while strengthening your muscles and reducing pain.
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How Is Psoriasis Diagnosed
A doctor can diagnose psoriasis by examining the skin, scalp, and nails for signs of the condition.
They may also ask questions to determine if a person has experienced any symptoms of psoriasis, or has a family history of the disorder. Its possible that they may also take a biopsy of the skin to examine it more closely.
There are various treatments that may improve symptoms of psoriasis. A dermatologist can advise you on the best options for a person, depending on where the rashes are on the body and the severity of the condition.
Treatments may include both prescription and over-the-counter medications, phototherapy, and diet.
Foods High In Added Sugar
Added sugars in soda, fruit juices, candy, baked goods and other sweets are different from natural sugars in food such as fruit. Our bodies produce insulin to process sugar, but too much added sugar forces our bodies to store that extra energy in fat cells and inflame the fat tissue. Foods with lots of added sugars can also lead to increased levels of inflammatory proteins called cytokines. Some studies suggest that artificial sweeteners such as aspartame may also lead to chronic inflammation.
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What Should I Ask My Provider
You may want to ask your healthcare provider:
- What caused erythrodermic psoriasis?
- Whats the best treatment for me?
- What steps can I take to prevent a flare-up or minimize symptoms?
- Should I look for signs of complications?
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Living with a chronic skin condition can be challenging. During a flare-up, you may become self-conscious about your appearance. Your healthcare provider can recommend cosmetics, cleansers and other skin products that wont irritate sensitive skin. Its important to follow the prescribed treatment plan to prevent symptoms. Call your healthcare provider when a flare-up happens. Getting the rash under control lowers your risk of serious, potentially life-threatening complications.
Foods That Contain Gluten
Research suggests that people with psoriasis tend to have higher rates of celiac disease. In people with celiac disease, gluten triggers an autoimmune response that causes the body to attack tissues in the small intestine. People with celiac disease need to avoid gluten completely, though some people without the disease have found that reducing gluten in their diet lessens psoriasis flare-ups.
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How Psoriasis Affects Your Immune System
Your bodyâs immune system is supposed to protect you from diseases. When itâs working the way it should, immune cells identify and attack invaders like bacteria and viruses. But when you have an autoimmune disease, cells in your immune system go haywire.
With psoriasis, your T cells become highly active and attack skin cells by mistake. Then other parts of your immune system spring into action. Inflammation happens, and skin cells grow too fast.
Whatâs âtoo fastâ? In healthy people, new skin cells normally travel from deep within the skin to the surface of the skin in about a month. The process is called cell turnover. With psoriasis, new skin cells rise to the surface within days. The rapid cell turnover leads to thick patches of skin.