Psoriasis is one of the major skin conditions affecting about 2-3% of the population. It is a chronic skin disease causing years of suffering to the patient as it not only manifests physically in patients but also shows symptoms of anxiety, low self-esteem, and depression in patients suffering from it.
What is Psoriasis?
Understanding Psoriasis helps the patients choose wisely the treatments
they seek. Psoriasis is an auto-immune condition in the body, which causes the skin cells to proliferate and build up faster and more aggressively than in normal skin. This leads to a dry scaly flaky appearance of the skin. The lesions of Psoriasis can vary from being small round lesions to major lesions covering large areas of the body. They can appear over the
elbows, knees, trunk, scalp, and sometimes specifically on the palms and soles.
Symptoms of Psoriasis:
- Dry flaky scaly patches of skin that are reddish or silvery in appearance.
- Severe itching or burning sensation over the affected areas.
- Cracked or pustular skin that might bleed.
- Pitted, thickened, or ridged nails.
- Stiff swollen joint
Ayurveda lists the causative factors of Psoriasis in detail. Consuming food in a wrong combination like fish with milk can lead to Psoriasis. The habit of binge eating frequently or eating at odd times during the day and night, excessive consumption of certain food items like Urad dal, Radish, Sesame seeds, Jaggery, Curd, Fish, salty and sour foods are specifically enumerated as causes of all skin diseases in general. Exercising after a heavy meal, suppression of natural urges are some of the lifestyle causes
listed as causes of Psoriasis. Family history of Psoriasis is another important factor that can lead to the appearance of the lesions. Psoriasis manifests differently in patients and hence we can see different types of Psoriasis.
There are majorly 5 different types of Psoriasis to be found. Plaque psoriasis, Guttate psoriasis, Inverse psoriasis, Pustular psoriasis, Erythrodermic psoriasis. Other than these we can also see Nail psoriasis, Palmar psoriasis, and Scalp psoriasis in patients.
Ayurvedic line of treatment starts with a full-body bio-cleanse of accumulated toxins in the body by the means of purificatory therapies like Vamana, Virechana, Rakta mokshana. Other therapies like Kaya seka, Takradhara, Lepa also help in alleviating the symptoms in the patient. Internal medicines are also an integral part of the treatment that would go on for 12-16 weeks. During the course of their treatment, each patient is given a diet chart customized for their need, to accelerate their recovery.
Psoriasis episodes are triggered by certain common trigger factors and some that are very specific to each patient. Some of the most common trigger factors include stress, cigarette smoke, heavy consumption of alcohol, gaining weight, an episode of infection, or just the onset of winter. There are also certain specific food items that act as triggers and they are
specific to each patient. Patients are generally advised to maintain a journal to become aware of their triggers.
During the course of the treatment, once the patient is lesion free and the skin has cleared up, they are asked to avoid their trigger factors, so that they remain symptoms-free.
Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition. The treatment involves helping the patients’ body adapt a better response to the triggers and keep the lesions at bay. The response of the Ayurvedic line of treatment towards chronic skin conditions like Psoriasis has proven to be the most efficient and long-standing. At Siddhanta Ayurveda, an efficient effective research-based protocol for the treatment of Psoriasis is prescribed to the patient which is customized to each patient as per their symptomology.
The most important information for any patient is to know when it is time to visit the doctor. When the lesion is no longer small, is growing bigger and to multiple areas, is causing discomfort with regards to itching or burning, is affecting one’s lifestyle, and is no longer responding to topical application, it is time to visit a Vaidya and seek treatment and relief.
