Psoriasis Symptoms Can Be Lessened Over Time with Acupuncture and Positive Lifestyle Changes

Psoriasis can be an embarrassing and painful condition. It’s chronic and quite common. Some sufferers are opting for natural and alternative treatments like acupuncture despite the fact that there are numerous conventional treatments such as drugs and creams, available in the market.

What is Psoriasis?

An autoimmune disease, psoriasis occurs when T cells, cells that help defend the body from foreign substances, attack skin cells that are healthy. This leads to an unhealthy rapid production of new skin cells.

This rapid development of new skin cells, leads to lesions and scaly thick patches on the skin that is difficult to deal. The lesions can be itchy and/or painful, and embarrassing especially when the disease is located on an exposed part of the body.

Several factors can set off a psoriasis flare-up. These can include infections, drugs, consumption of alcohol, smoking, cold weather, and stress. Oral or topical drugs can put the condition under control when a flare-up happens.

Being a chronic disease, people with psoriasis have to deal with it all their life. In certain instances, it can cause additional problems such as the potentially debilitating psoriatic arthritis.

Treatment of Psoriasis Using Acupuncture in Bellingham

A component of TCM or traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture is an ancient healing tradition that works especially in the treatment of painful conditions such as headaches and arthritis. This treatment uses filiform needles that are placed at specified points on the body.

There has been very limited studies done on psoriasis treatment through acupuncture, but some that have been performed prove that the treatment is a worthwhile option. In one study, 62 people suffering from psoriasis, was treated with acupuncture. Some of the patients (25 of them) also exhibited psoriatic arthritis symptoms. All were unsuccessfully treated with conventional treatment. They then underwent with nine sessions of acupuncture on average. About half of the subjects at the end of the study experiences almost or total clearance of their skin lesions with only nine showing limited or no improvement.”

Psoriatic Arthritis and Acupuncture

Springing from psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis is a complication that involves chronic pain in the joints which can impair the function of those joints. Almost all proof of acupuncture’s effectiveness can be found in studies connecting it to the removal of pain. This acupuncture effect has made the treatment more popular among psoriatic arthritis sufferers who are more concerned with the pain associated with this type of arthritis than any other symptoms.

Other Treatment Alternatives

Anecdotal evidences abound that prove acupuncture treatment combined with lifestyle changes (daily baths, daily sunlight, a healthy diet, etc.) can benefit people with psoriasis. One of the greatest benefits of this treatment is that is completely safe to use. Moreover, knowing what triggers your psoriasis flare up can help change your lifestyle in order to reduce the severity of your condition or avoid the disease altogether.

Besides acupuncture and lifestyle changes, the Mayo Clinic recommends that taking omega-3 fish oil supplements or using aloe vera and applying it directly several times a day to your skin several times a day can help relieve inflammation.

The Takeaway

If you have psoriasis, there is nothing you can do but learn how to live with it. When the disease is triggered, learn to manage the flare-ups and treat the symptoms as they arise. A more effective way of dealing with the symptoms is to know what triggers them, what exacerbates your condition, and what relieves it, acupuncture is one viable option, and with multiple treatments, your psoriasis can become less disruptive with time.

Psoriasis – Preparing for your Appointment

In your quest for psoriasis treatment, you most likely will be consulting with your doctor first. He then will assess your symptoms and likely refer you to a skin specialist (dermatologist) whom this article will also refer to as doctor. Preparing well for your appointment is one of the most important things you can do in making the most out of your doctor’s appointment.

 

What you can do before your appointment

 

• Monitor and write down in a journal your diet and daily activities as well as the moments (times) when your symptoms are at their best or at their worst. Include also in the journal how you feel physically and emotionally prior to your appointment.
• Appraise and write down all your symptoms in the journal. Include in the journal the description of your symptoms in detailed and clear manner.
• Make it a point to research about psoriasis.   Educate yourself on this disease by reading materials in your local library and/or in the internet.  You only get to gain from knowing as much as you can about your condition as well as the treatment choices you can avail of.
• Include in your journal questions you may want to ask your doctor about your condition and the possible treatments you may be given. You can use this list to prevent yourself from forgetting what you want to talk about and cover other topics more efficiently.

 

At the doctor’s office be open as possible when talking to your doctor about your condition.  During your visit you can:

 

• Make a detailed description of your symptoms especially relating to your doctor how these symptoms affect your life and how they make you feel
• Tell your doctor about the medicines you are presently using. Include also all herbal remedies, steroids, vitamin and mineral supplements and herbal remedies you are taking. Tell the doctor how your body responds to these medications and what side effects each of them give you.
• Tell your doctor about any previous treatments you have undergone
• Tell him about any expectations you have about the treatment
• Besides your skin condition, tell your doctor of any other conditions you might be suffering from. If you have any joint pain make sure your doctor knows about it.
• Talk to your doctor about your lifestyle particularly your diet and exercise.
• Ask your doctor about the treatment choices you have.

 

After you and your doctor have chosen an effective treatment plan, make sure you fully comprehend everything about it. If you have prepared specific questions to your doctor, now is the time to ask them. Some of your questions may be like these:

 

• How does the plan (treatment) work?
• How is the medicine administered?
• What benefits can I expect from the treatment plan?
• How fast will the treatment work?
• What side effects does the medication have? What side effects should I watch out for?
• Will the side effects disappear after I stop treatment or will they be permanent?
• Do I need to be examined regularly? If yes, what kinds of exams and tests do I need to undergo and how regularly do I need to be tested?
• Will the medicine cause my skin to be more sensitive to sunlight?
• If treatment needs to be done in the doctor’s office, how often do I need to go?
• How long will I need to take the medication?
• Can I mix my medication with another medication to make it more potent or to lessen its side effects?
• Can I abruptly end my treatment or do I need to slowly wean myself out of it?
• If the treatment is effective but I may need to stop taking it for some reason or another, will it be still effective if I want to resume taking it a later time?
• What options for treatment do you have for me if I am planning to get pregnant?

 

Before ending your appointment, be sure to know the number to call if you have an emergency and to make a schedule for the next appointment.

 

Your doctor for his part will also ask you important questions to better assess your psoriasis and how it is affecting you and your life on a daily basis. Some of the questions your doctor will ask may be like these:

 

• When did you first notice your symptoms?
• How often do you develop these symptoms?
• Are you symptoms occasionally appearing or have they been continuous?

• How do you rate your psoriasis? Is it mild, moderate or severe?
• How does your psoriasis affect you?
• Can you describe your symptoms? Is it inflamed, itchy and/or painful?
• How frequent do you experience flare-ups?
• What do you think triggers your flare-up?
• Can you describe your affected skin during a flare-up?
• Has your psoriasis prevented your from doing things you normally do? Has your daily routines been affected by it?
• How do you feel about your psoriasis? Does it make you self-conscious and/or less self-confident?
• Has psoriasis impacted your relationships?

 

Brent Keime is a licensed acupuncturist and the founder of Brent Keime, LAc, MSTOM in San Diego, CA.

 

Causes of Psoriasis

Psoriasis has a tendency to accelerate about five times faster the age of your skin. Moreover, the skin affected by psoriasis accumulates on the skin’s surface unlike healthy skin that sloughs off when it dies.

Scientists still have no answer as to what really causes psoriasis. They suspect, however, that genetic factors and triggers for psoriasis play a major role in its development. Scientists think that psoriasis happens when something inadvertently triggers the immune system. Environmental factors and genetics are the major reasons for psoriatic arthritis, a condition that affects the joints of the body.

Immune System Dysfunction – The Underlying Reason for Psoriasis

Doctors now know that a malfunction or an abnormality of the immune system can cause the occurrence of psoriasis. T cells, which are one form of white blood cells become abundant and attack the skin part where psoriasis has developed. The immune system rather than protecting the body from the effects of psoriasis worsens it by inflaming the affected skin area and causes accelerated skin cell growth.

When the immune system dysfunctions, the cytokines the body produces signal skin cells to reproduce and mature skin at a faster than average rate . This causes other negative reactions like inflammation and the production of more cytokines. This leads to a cycle where skin cells develop very fast, traveling to skin surface and accumulating as dead skin cells (white scales). The epidermis thickens up and blood vessels multiply and expand leading to the redness of the affected skin.

About one in 10 individuals carry genes that increase their likelihood for developing psoriasis. Interestingly in spite of psoriasis being suspected a genetically passed-on disease a lot of people with psoriasis say they don’t have a relative living with the disease. Scientists say psoriasis is not a genetically acquired disease per se but some people have problems in DNA chemicals that may result in misplaced, misshapen or missing proteins that can lead to immunological reactions that eventually lead to psoriasis symptoms.

A large number of the US population has the genes that can cause psoriasis; however, only about 3% of the population at the most will end up with psoriasis. Doctors think the predisposition toward psoriasis need involve specific triggers to fully develop this condition.

Psoriasis Triggers

A broad scope of triggers is associated with the flare up or development of psoriasis. These triggers can differ from person to person and can involve:

• Injuries
• Infections
• Medicines
• Stress

Injuries can generate psoriasis at the injury site. Even surgery can lead to psoriasis along the scar line. This development is termed the Koebner phenomenon and it can arise following cuts, sunburns, bug bites or vaccinations. About 50% of psoriasis sufferers experience this occurrence and it serves as a stern reminder to properly care for the skin particularly during the months of summer.

Certain drugs can contribute to a flare up of psoriasis. They can include:

• Indomethacin – An anti inflammatory nonsteroidal medication
• Quinidine or Inderal – These and other heart and high blood pressure medicines can trigger psoriasis flares.
• Antimalarial drugs
• Lithium – Utilized for different kind of psychiatric issues

Diseases like strepcoccal infection in the throat can also trigger psoriasis flare ups.

Other psoriasis triggers can include:

• Heavy alcohol intake
• Cigarette smoking
• Cold and dry weather
• Diet
• Allergies

 

Galina Semyonova is a licensed acupuncturist and massage therapist in New York City. She has studied extensively in the fields of biofeedback therapy, SCENAR therapy, Chinese herbal treatments and Chinese and Western nutrition.