5 May
Psoriasis is a disease that cannot be completely cured. Therefore, a person has to see a doctor constantly to monitor the condition of the body and how the disease progresses. But not everyone knows who to turn to when symptoms appear for the first time and what signs indicate the need to see a specialist. We will tell you in more detail which doctors to go to if you suspect psoriasis, how and on what basis the diagnosis is made.
Selection of specialized specialists
Having found out which doctor treats psoriasis and how the disease affects internal organs, you need to immediately go to an appointment. The deterioration of the condition sometimes occurs rapidly. Exacerbation leads to metabolic disorders, which affects:
- heart and blood vessels;
- digestion;
- psyche and nervous system;
- immunity;
- liver and kidneys;
- organs of the endocrine system.
Which doctor, besides a dermatologist, to contact for psoriasis depends on the clinical picture and the damage received. In the standard course of the disease, you should contact the following specialists for a preventive examination:
- rheumatologist;
- cardiologist;
- hepatologist;
- therapist.
If the patient himself cannot accurately determine what caused his illness, he should visit a general practitioner to receive referrals. Sooner or later, everyone who suffers from psoriasis needs the help of specialized specialists. Without appropriate therapy, complications progress and lead to death.
Disease prevention
It is difficult to provide for the prevention of psoriasis, however, people predisposed by heredity are advised to avoid stress and excessive nervous strain, since this is what often provokes the development of the disease.
To achieve stable remission, you should completely give up cigarettes and alcohol, choose bedding made from natural fabrics, and avoid visiting saunas and baths. The specialist who is treating you will help you determine which type of prevention is right for you.
In conclusion, I would like to say that no matter what form your psoriasis occurs in, the main thing is to identify it in time and contact a doctor who will prescribe effective treatment.
Choosing a doctor
Not only the health, but also the life of the patient depends on how quickly and correctly the treatment is selected. A professional dermatologist must have the following qualities:
- Specialization in psoriasis and experience working specifically with this disease.
- Knowledge of modern treatment methods: photochemotherapy, selective phototherapy, narrow-wave UVB and others.
- Ability to analyze a patient's condition and determine a treatment strategy based on response to medications. Not every specialist can solve the problem individually, which is why among the patients there are so many who suffer from relapse for many years.
You need to undergo treatment and preventive measures from one dermatologist, then the doctor will see changes in the clinical picture over time.
Advice! You should not change your doctor unless absolutely necessary.
Which doctor treats psoriasis on the head and other areas
Taking into account skin changes, a dermatologist is the same doctor who will be the first to see rashes on the skin and, accordingly, will treat using effective ointments for psoriasis
However, such specialists exist only in centers at the city and district level. In the absence of a dermatologist, the patient is treated by a therapist at the site. In severe cases, a consultation with a dermatologist is necessary so that he can clarify the treatment and develop a further therapeutic complex.
In some patients, the pathology is accompanied by damage to the joints, the so-called psoriatic arthritis, which can act as the beginning of the disease or join existing skin rashes. For arthritis, your primary care physician will be a rheumatologist. Only after finding out the main cause of arthritis with skin manifestations, therapy becomes the responsibility of a dermatologist.
Diagnostic features
A competent specialist can diagnose psoriasis by the characteristic appearance of the skin. But if the disease progresses, the state of the body and the blood picture acquire specific features. For a complete examination you will need:
- inspection;
- general blood analysis;
- biopsy from psoriatic plaque.
A biopsy is an examination method in which a sample of a small area of skin is taken. The doctor prescribes a biopsy on the areas of skin damaged by the disease to rule out other diagnoses. A biopsy reveals:
- accumulation of Rethe bodies;
- an increase in the number of layers of keratinocytes with histological immaturity;
- accelerated angiogenesis in the skin layer under the plaques;
- massive skin infiltration and other signs of this disease.
After the assumption of psoriasis has been confirmed, the doctor gives the first prescriptions for drug treatment and recommendations for prevention.
How does a dermatologist make a diagnosis?
A dermatologist can make a diagnosis based on the external signs of psoriasis. They are called the psoriatic triad. It includes 3 characteristic symptoms of psoriasis:
- The phenomenon of stearin stain. The first sign that confirms the excessive activity of skin cells, and this is what causes excessive peeling. If you try to scrape the surface of the plaque, small scales begin to separate from it, similar to pieces of stearin, a material used to make candles.
- Terminal film symptom. With further scraping of the stratum corneum, a thin film remains. The surface of the plaque becomes red and shiny. This is the last protective layer of skin in the area of the plaque, covering the inflamed area.
- "Blood dew" or Auspitz's sign. It consists in the fact that when scraping off the scales or terminal film that sits tightly on the skin, small pinpoint hemorrhages appear.
If all three signs are present, there is no doubt about the diagnosis. After this, the dermatologist determines the form and stage of the disease, which will help create a competent treatment plan for psoriasis. For this purpose, additional studies, instrumental and laboratory, can be carried out:
- radiograph;
- blood test for allergens;
- rheumatic tests;
- blood chemistry;
- Ultrasound of internal organs;
- skin scraping.
Full medical support for psoriasis
The ultimate goal of medical work is to prevent disability and maintain the working capacity of a person suffering from psoriasis. If the patient is already in serious condition, hospital treatment is required. If the condition is satisfactory, clinical observation with periodic visits to the doctor is recommended to monitor the dynamics of the disease. Many patients do not refuse treatment in a sanatorium or specialized rest homes. The path to remission and getting rid of skin defects begins with a visit to the dermatovenerology clinic.
Ambulatory treatment
Patients with mild to moderate psoriasis can undergo outpatient treatment. At the same time, they are registered at the dermatovenerological dispensary to receive the necessary medications for therapy.
It is also possible to immediately contact a specialized institution for an initial appointment and diagnosis. Appointments are possible on a paid basis, since any medical organization can conduct commercial activities.
Outpatient medical care can be received both in a public clinic and in paid medical organizations.
Psoriasis is a serious disease, so successful treatment requires contacting specialized medical institutions.
Advantages of observation in dermatovenerological clinics:
- Reception is carried out only by narrow specialists;
- doctors have special training and extensive experience in treating such diseases;
- such institutions receive federal and regional funding;
- Dispensaries provide treatment using the newest and most modern methods;
- To clarify the diagnosis, an inpatient examination is possible;
- there is an inpatient department, hospitalization of patients is practiced;
- the possibility of using various methods of therapy within one medical institution.
During outpatient treatment, the patient must come for routine medical examinations so that the attending physician monitors the dynamics of the disease. With a noticeable improvement in the patient's condition, the patient is transferred to maintenance therapy.
The advantage of observation in a specialized dispensary is the opportunity to undergo complex therapy. It is known that physiotherapeutic methods of treatment in combination with psychological help give good results.
Causes and symptoms
A disease is a pathological condition during which the human body shows a reaction to stimuli. This process provokes accelerated regeneration of epithelial cells. Natural cell division occurs within a month, but with psoriasis, the death of old cells occurs within four days.
It is believed that the development of the disease occurs not for one reason, but for several. Most of them are still being researched and have no confirmation, but there are some that have been proven.
One of the suspected causes is a hereditary predisposition, which corresponds to the first type of the disease. Doctors say that this cause was found in half of patients suffering from psoriasis aged 20 to 24 years.
In older age, the development of the disease is facilitated by changes in the immune system.
The second type of disease often appears in people over 40 years of age, and here it is difficult for doctors to talk about possible causes. The triggers of psoriasis are:
- stress,
- cold and humid climatic conditions (people who previously lived in a warm region but have moved are especially susceptible),
- alcoholic drinks,
- neglect of proper diet, abuse of fatty, fried, salty foods,
- infections are more common in children.
Types of scaly lichen
The treatment of psoriasis is carried out by a dermatologist, who distinguishes psoriasis according to the characteristics of the clinical course and the localization of the pathological process. According to the characteristics of its manifestation in the human body, psoriasis can be as follows:
- a rash in the form of small droplets, distributed throughout the body, with characteristic peeling and itching, is called teardrop-shaped, which affects mainly young people,
- Doctors consider the most common form of psoriatic rash to be the plaque form of psoriasis, which manifests itself as convex plaques with a large number of scales localized on the head, elbows and knees,
- psoriasis, which manifests itself purely on the head, in the scalp, behind the ears and on the forehead, is considered an extremely unpleasant form that spoils the aesthetic appearance of a person, therefore a dermatologist, and together with him a trichologist and cosmetologist, deal with persistent treatment of scalp psoriasis,
- nail damage can occur without skin episodes, which requires additional types of examination for a correct diagnosis and the doctor’s selection of a subsequent treatment plan,
- psoriasis can affect human skin, exclusively localized in skin folds (armpits, perineal area),
- mechanical and chemical damage to the palms and feet can provoke premature death of skin cells in these areas, which manifests itself in rather painful symptoms,
- damage to the articular surface by disease is one of the causes of the development of arthritis and deforming arthrosis, which is treated not only by a dermatologist, but also by an orthopedist, traumatologist and rheumatologist,
- An extremely common psoriatic rash causes damage to the entire human skin, which doctors consider the most severe form, which is epidemic in nature.
Whatever the form of psoriasis, the patient should promptly consult a dermatologist for advice in order to prevent progression and relapse of the disease. It should be noted that forms of the disease can transform from one to another, more complex.
