Psoriasis

Psoriasis Therapies

Alternative Methods The self treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis with unconventional and self administered treatments is a very subjective area and with no scientific studies to support the results it is difficult to get an objective set of results for these treatments. The Net is full of people and sites offering miraculous cures to a condition that has confounded some of the best research brains in the World. It is possible that some of these treatments do genuinely benefit some of the individuals making these claims. Sadly there are more than an average amount of these sites intent on taking money from people driven by a desperate need to rid themselves of a curse on their lives. Having said this There are some treatments and remedies that inexplicabaly do benefit certain but not all individuals The golden rule is always seek medical advice before embarking on a course of alternative treatment and do bear in mind that there is no miracle cure for this condition the channels of communication in our world today are so well developed that transfer of information is instantaneous and the person who found that miracle cure would be instantly and deserved'ly accorded the status of a hero.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese technique involving the manipulation of needles placed in the body. The needles are very fine and are inserted at varying depths at specific;meridians or acupressure points to relieve pain and treat disease. Doctors in China do not generally use acupuncture to treat psoriasis. However, several uncontrolled studies have shown that acupuncture is an effective treatment for psoriasis. Much of the information concerning acupuncture is subjective and largely unsubstantiated by clinical studies.Some people saying they have been helped by it and others not. People who have tried it and have had improvement say it takes many treatments. Acupuncture has no known side effects, so people interested in trying it have little to lose, other than the expense of the treatment. Interestingly it is gaining acceptance in main stream and is offered on the NHS in the UK by many physiotherapy departments as a means of controlling pain in PA and Rheumatism.

Ayurveda

This ancient healing method originated in India more than 5,000 years ago. Prevention rather than cures the key to Ayurvedic medicine. It encourages attention to harmony and balance in one's life through diet, herbs, lifestyle and meditation. Managing disease and restoring health involves assessing the whole person as opposed to a specific complaint. For psoriasis, a specific treatment regimen could involve: topical application of certain oils, fasting and cleansing the reduction of stress; and regular physical exercise.

Manipulation

Several disciplines can be placed into the categorie of manipulation. Osteopathy and Chiropratic are similar types of joint manipulation techniques. They are useful in realigning joints affected by tissue inflamation but care must be taken not to adversely affect an inflamed joint in the process. They can be very useful if there is the appearance of trapped nerves and sciatica type pain but there is little firm evidence to support there use in the condition of PA. Massage of various types is very useful in relieving muscular pain and rehabilitation of joints once inflammation has died down.

Climatic effects

The majority people who get regular daily doses of sunlight enjoy improvement or clearing of their psoriasis. Combined with saltwater bathing in the sea the exposure to natural sunlight can be a very effective short term remedy for psoriasis. The best-known treatment centre is the Dead Sea in Israel, where each year thousands of people with psoriasis and other skin disease go for the extensive safe sun exposure ( the sea is well below sea level and harmful rays are to a degree filtered out) and baths in the highly saline water. This treatment is very effective and safe in most cases, Other sites do exist around the world, but their facilities and reputation do not match that of the Dead Sea. back to top

Diet

There is no specific diet that people with psoriasis should follow. The best diet is the one that makes the individual feel the best, because people with psoriasis benefit from a healthy lifestyle and eating habits, just like everybody else. Still, many people report that certain foods either aggravate or improve their skin. What works for one person will not necessarily work for another.

Dietary Supplements

The category of dietary supplements covers a lot of ground ;from vitamins to minerals to herbal products to a wide range of miscellaneous substances. In most cases, claims that a particular dietary supplement can improve or cure psoriasis have not been proven. Other supplements mentioned in various reference books include: burdock, milk thistle, yellow dock, red clover, mountain grape and sarsparilla. Taken in proper amounts, many supplements are probably harmless, but consumers are largely on their own in safeguarding their health. In addition, dietary supplements can interact negatively with prescription medications, so it is wise for people to inform their physician before they start taking a supplement, even a multi-vitamin. back to top

Homeopathy

This is a school of medicine based on the premise that like cures like. Practitioners believe that substances that produce certain symptoms in a healthy person can cure diseases that have similar symptoms. As an example, homeopathic Doctors might use a natural product known to cause stomach irritation in a healthy person and administer it in a greatly diluted form (from three to 100,000 times) to treat a stomach ulcer. Homeopathic remedies are usually so diluted that they will not cause any side effects if they are tried.There are many GPs in the UK that practice Homeopathy.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

Is an ancient health care system that involves many different practices. The administration of many herbs, combined in unique formulations for each individual patient, is one of the primary treatments. TCM can come in oral, topical and injectable forms. In China, many herbal preparations, both oral and topical, are available for treating psoriasis. Some of these make the skin more sensitive to ultraviolet light and are combined with traditional phototherapy. There is no doubt that the centuries of development that have resulted in these preparations must be respected TCM may be able to help some people. Please be aware that Natural is not necessarily best there are some extremely potent drugs which exist in natural form and are promoted as a natural alternative. Remember production of these products is not clinical and huge variations in quality can exist. There are some traditional Chinese herbal preparations which when misused have resulted in liver damage.

Meditation/Relaxation

There is clear scientific evidence that stress can trigger or aggravate psoriasis in some people. Therefore, practices that promote relaxation and stress reduction are often recommended for people with psoriasis. Hypnosis, both on its own and as an addition to other psoriasis treatment, was cited as being helpful in clearing psoriasis in several published case reports. One study examined the use of meditation-based relaxation tapes in patients undergoing ultraviolet light (UV) treatments. Patients who listened to the tapes during the treatments cleared faster, in some cases, twice as fast as patients who had the light therapy alone. Along those same lines, an upublished study found that PUVA (a type of UV therapy) patients who had some type of psychological intervention or relaxation training/guided imagery improved much faster than patients who had no intervention. The mind can be a powerful tool for healing. Any technique that can help people with psoriasis learn to manage stress and give them a better sense of control over the mental aspects of the disease is potentially worthwhile. These techniques, however, seem to work best when used to supplement traditional medical treatments.

Herbal therapies

When looking at arthritis and rheumatism from a natural point of view one has to take into account the body as a whole. There are a variety of different factors which need to be taking into account . Genetics plays an important role in the occurrence of these maladies also psychological imbalances play their part. In taking a natural approach it is usual to make an assumption that there is some kind of toxic buildup in the system and many remedies are intended to cleanse the system.

The following natural products have been found to be useful in treatment of arthritis and rheumatism.

Bog bean
Guaiacum
Black cohosh
Cellery seed
Meadowsweet
Yarrow
Jamaican dog wort
Valerian
Passion flower
Capsicum

These products are well known to herbalists and having been used over the centuries in the treatment of these maladies. They are compounded together to give the best results and it is wise if you intend to use these products to purchase a ready made compound from either a pharmacy or a herbalist. This is because many naturally occurring compounds are essentially very potent and potentially toxic and getting the right balance is a process of trial and error. The mistakes have already been made and documented so experiment at your own risk.

Topical Moisturizing Products

The skin is an important part of treating psoriasis, and the market is full of moisturizing products that could fall into the "alternative" or "natural" category. Aloe vera was shown in one study to be effective in treating psoriasis. Neem oil, emu oil, jojoba and other substances have no evidence that they help psoriasis, but they may because of their moisturizing properties. Bath and moisturizing products containing oat derivatives are known to be soothing to the skin. Other topical products may have more medicinal effects, such as witch hazel, tea tree oil, mahonia aquifolium, capsaicin and evening primrose oil. Capsaicum (a natural ingredient in hot peppers) helps to relievescaling, redness and itching, and it is also well known as a topical pain reliever.

Magnets

Promotion and use of therapeutic magnets for relieving pain has become more and more popular in recent years. While there are several theories as to why they might be effective, no one is absolutely sure how magnets work. It's easy to find positive testimonials about magnet therapy, but scientific studies are not available. Still, they may be worth a try for a person suffering with chronic pain from psoriatic arthritis. Magnets are not guaranteed to be safe, neither are they guaranteed to work so people should talk. They also tend to be expensive So with the profit motive being present please do not take exaggerated claims too seriously.