Psoriasis is a genetic disease with no cure that is characterized by periods of remission and exacerbation. This pathology often leads to intense itching, pain and excessive peeling of the skin, which is why it is important to know how to reduce psoriasis exacerbations and alleviate your condition.
Signs of psoriasis exacerbation
Psoriasis relapses begin quickly and are profound. New rashes form on the body after a long period of remission. Particularly affected are the areas of the body with the driest skin: the sacrum, feet, palms, scalp. The patient's condition deteriorated significantly and the following signs appeared:
- Terminal membrane formation at the site of scale removal, especially with guttate psoriasis;
- Intense, sometimes unbearable itching;
- Peeling and redness of the skin at the affected sites;
- Skin feels tight.
The papules appear after remission in a red or light pink tone with clear, rough borders. Gradually, the rash develops into patches, the diameter of which can reach more than 10 cm. The scales covering the affected skin area peel off well and blood may appear underneath.
The best time to relapse
The best time for psoriasis to get worse is the cold season (winter, autumn), when there are many viruses and bacteria circulating in the air. This has a few reasons:
- During the sunny season, the rays have a beneficial effect on the entire skin and human body. Vitamin D3 deficiency often leads to relapse.
- In winter, immunity is reduced and this is the cause of exacerbation of psoriasis.
At the same time, there is a possibility that psoriasis will worsen in the summer. The reason is that too much ultraviolet rays also have a negative impact on the skin, causing inflammation and new plaques to appear.
What causes the condition to worsen?
To this day, the reliable cause of psoriasis exacerbation remains unknown. What can lead to recurrence in some patients is absolutely safe in others. Let's name some factors that often lead to psoriasis returning:
- Stress, chronic fatigue, constant mental stress;
- Any damage to the skin, both mechanical and chemical;
- Not following the recommended diet. Recurrence is possible if the body lacks the necessary minerals and vitamins;
- Decreased human immunity due to exposure to various factors;
- Sudden climate change;
- Drink too much alcohol and even smoke;
- Hormonal imbalance due to hormone medication or thyroid malfunction;
- Pregnancy, menstruation, and menopause are conditions where hormone levels in the body also change;
- The use of new cosmetics can be applied directly to the skin affected by psoriasis and aggravate the course of the disease.
All of the above are just the most obvious and common causes of psoriasis exacerbation. In this case, relapses can occur even after taking many of the simplest and most harmless drugs. In view of this, doctors advise taking only those drugs that are necessary for health reasons.
How to quickly reduce aggravation
Since the symptoms begin to increase rapidly and sometimes become unbearable, the question of how to quickly relieve exacerbations of psoriasis is the most urgent. The reason is that the disease has severe and painful symptoms, the patient not only has acne but also has severe itching. All this worsens the quality of life.
People with psoriasis note that the most effective means that can make life easier during this period are:
- Shower sequentially for severe lesions or apply topical medication for small, minor lesions. Such solutions relieve itching, but tighten the skin. Accordingly, it is better to use them in combination with Vaseline or baby cream.
- Sodium salt and thiosulfuric acid in ampoules. Pharmaceutical preparations can be replaced with natural remedies such as prunes, senna grass, dried apricots or raisins.
- Bath with pine needles and valerian, can be bathed every 2 days. The proportions are as follows: one bottle of valerian and 50 ml for one bath. pine needle extract.
- The creams contain emollients and add flaxseed decoction. The product promotes rapid healing of cracks and is most effective for psoriasis on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet.
- Rub with vinegar (a spoonful of vinegar per 0. 5 liters of water). Helps relieve itching quickly.
All listed recipes will only help relieve acute symptoms, while traditional therapy cannot be considered a treatment method. If the disease recurs, you should contact a dermatologist, who will prescribe treatment depending on the provoking factor.
The best way to relieve intense itching in case of recurrence
The most effective way to combat severe itching when psoriasis recurs is with medication. 1-2% ointment with salicylic acid combined with topical glucocorticosteroid medications has been shown to be effective. In this case, it is necessary to ensure proper care of the affected skin area. Patients should shower and apply moisturizer to the affected area.
The following medications will help eliminate severe itching:
- Antihistamines will help reduce itching when psoriasis symptoms become bothersome.
- ointment made from tar, salicylic acid, zinc oxide, a synthetic analogue of vitamin D - the ointment helps relieve inflammation, itching, softens the skin and disinfects. Apply to rash 2-3 times a day.
Reduces inflammation and redness in psoriasis
In addition to systemic therapy, during the period of exacerbation of psoriasis, drugs are also prescribed that help reduce the external manifestations of the disease. Ointments, creams, gels, mashes, including sulfur, tar, thick oils or salicylic acid, help reduce inflammation and redness. The following medications have been shown to be effective:
- ointment created on the basis of naftalan oil;
- zinc oxide ointment;
- ointment based on salicylic acid;
- products containing tar;
- Products containing snake oil.
Such products have antibacterial and antiseptic effects. They dry the skin, accelerate the healing of plaques and stimulate exfoliation.
If the recurrence is extremely acute, your doctor may prescribe hormonal steroid ointments to reduce inflammation. It is strictly forbidden to use such means on your own because they cause many bad consequences.
How to relieve aggravation on the head
Exacerbation of psoriasis on the scalp brings with it perhaps some of the most unpleasant symptoms. Here you cannot do without complex therapy, which includes:
- Use medications for a variety of purposes: nonsteroidal drugs that help reduce inflammation, regulate the immune system, sedatives, and antihistamines. It is also recommended to take vitamins B, A and D as part of a vitamin complex.
- Drugs with local action will help cope with itching and inflammation of the scalp. They have restorative, antibacterial, and exfoliating effects. Ointment is applied to the affected areas of the scalp 2-3 times a day.
- Shampoo for psoriasis.
Before using any of the above remedies, you should consult a professional. Truly effective therapy can be prescribed only if the factors that caused the exacerbation of the condition are taken into account.
How to ease psoriasis worsening during pregnancy
Changes in hormone levels during pregnancy are the cause of psoriasis recurrence. During an exacerbation, a woman suffered from severe intoxication and allergies. Red patches form on the body causing itching and pain. Body temperature increases, appetite disappears.
An exacerbation of psoriasis in pregnant women is a dangerous condition, threatening the health and even the life of the child. Miscarriage, premature birth, premature birth - all these are disastrous consequences of such a disease in pregnant women. It is for this reason that when you have the first symptoms, you should go to the hospital immediately and not self-medicate.
Methods of treating exacerbations of psoriasis
Since most of the factors that trigger psoriasis exacerbations are still unknown, complex treatment is indicated. Using just one treatment may alleviate a patient's condition, but will not alleviate all recurring symptoms. Therefore, comprehensive therapy is used, designed to solve a number of problems:
- Prevents plaque growth and restores skin;
- Eliminate provoking factors;
- Eliminates the possibility of the patient falling into a stressful situation;
- Cleanses the body and improves the function of the digestive tract.
The choice of method and treatment regimen directly depends on the stage and form of the disease, the nature and location of the plaque as well as the patient's general condition.
Medication for relapse
It is impossible to do without medication in the fight against exacerbation of psoriasis. The treatment regimen is selected individually and depends on many factors. However, as a rule, treatment includes taking the following drugs:
- Sedatives have a calming effect on the nervous system. The most commonly prescribed tinctures are valerian and motherwort.
- Antihistamines.
- Tablets that improve the function of the digestive tract and cleanse the body: activated carbon.
Affected areas of the body are treated with topical medications. These include ointments and creams:
- Zinc and salicylic acid have a beneficial effect on damaged areas, such components should be present in the ointment;
- Snake oil base;
- With tar as the main ingredient;
- Sulfur ointment.
Since the patient's immunity is weakened during an exacerbation, the doctor may prescribe lipoic or folic acid, vitamin complexes or fish oil for additional treatment.
Physical therapy
After remission of acute symptoms of the disease, the patient is prescribed physical therapy. The following methods of acting on the body have proven to be the most effective:
- UF rays- Promotes rapid recovery of damaged skin.
- Hydrotherapy.Bathing with real salt from the Dead Sea helps clean the skin well.
- Cryotherapy- a method, the essence of which is the impact of low temperatures on the affected areas. In addition, it also stimulates the immune system well.
- Selective phototherapy.During the procedure, inflammatory foci are impulsively affected.
- Shock wave therapyPromotes rapid skin healing.
- Climate therapy.Patients are often advised to undergo a full course of treatment at seaside resorts.
How to ease exacerbation at home
You can relieve the most painful manifestations of psoriasis at home. The most commonly used recipes are those that have been tested by time and hundreds of patients:
- Avocado and propolisin the ratio of 500 g to 50 g, put all the ingredients in a pot and cook over low heat. After the mixture has cooled, add 2 tablespoons of sea buckthorn oil. This ointment is applied to the skin 5-6 times a day. After just 6 treatment sessions, people with psoriasis noted that the manifestations of the disease practically disappeared.
- Compressed onions. To prepare it, the onion is ground into powder, placed in gauze and applied to the affected area. This method helps reduce inflammation and soften the skin.
Traditional method
It often happens that you urgently need to stop the attack, but the necessary drugs are not available. In these cases, cream will help a lot. To prepare you need:
- Mix rattan leaves, string, licorice, burdock and nettle in equal quantities.
- A large spoon of this mixture is poured into a glass of water.
- The infusion is heated over low heat for five minutes, then infused for another hour.
The following remedies have proven good in the fight against psoriasis exacerbation:
- Ointment made from birch sap.To prepare it, you need to mix alcohol, natural sea buckthorn oil and birch tar in equal quantities. The product is applied to the affected area, covered with polyethylene and left for 1-1. 5 hours.
- Celandine oil.Pour 5 tablespoons of chopped herbs with a cup of vegetable oil (unrefined) and keep over low heat for 5-10 minutes. The finished liquid is infused for 5 days and only then used to treat psoriasis.
Diet for relapse
Compliance with nutritional regulations is an important and indispensable point in the treatment of recurrent psoriasis. It is also important to consume enough vitamins. To prevent the appearance of new plaques and get rid of unpleasant symptoms, the following are strictly prohibited:
- Foods rich in carbohydrates (fatty milk and other dairy products, fatty meat and fish).
- Spicy, smoked, sour and salty food.
- Sauces and pickles.
- Semi-finished product.
Dishes must be prepared by baking, stewing, or boiling. It is better to eat vegetables and fruits, cereals, vegetable broths and soups.
Nutritionists and dermatologists advise that when the first symptoms of an exacerbation of psoriasis appear, limit your diet. During the first three to five days, you can drink sweet tea or purified water in any quantity, and at the same time eat black bread (a little).
How to prevent exacerbation of the condition, preventive measures
If you follow quite simple rules of prevention, you can significantly prolong the period of remission and prevent exacerbation of the condition. It all boils down to:
- Rules for skin care and hygiene.Patients with psoriasis should regularly perform water treatments to avoid drying out their skin. Only tested and non-reactive cosmetics and hygiene products may be used.
- Proper diet and nutrition.Not only harmful foods need to be excluded from the diet, but also bad habits such as alcohol and smoking. Experienced experts will help you create the right menu.
- Moderate training.Exercising or swimming is not only good for the nervous system but also helps strengthen the immune system.
- Maintain a sleep schedule.Sleep should last at least 8 hours and excessive stress at work should be avoided.
- Take lecithin in granular form.This medicine improves skin condition and normalizes liver function. Doctors also recommend a drug based on birch mushroom extract and cobalt chloride, which improves immunity, restores hematopoiesis and improves the function of the digestive system.
Compliance with preventive measures makes it possible to forget about exacerbations of psoriasis for a long time. In addition, doctors advise avoiding stressful situations and supporting your body in the fight against psoriasis with vitamin complexes.