psoriasis nursing assignment help

psoriasis nursing assignment help

Psoriasis: Understanding and Managing the Skin Condition

1. Introduction to Psoriasis

When people think of psoriasis, they usually imagine the red, scaly skin that appears on the body. However, psoriasis is actually a chronic (long-term) disease of the immune system that can appear on the skin, nails, and even inside the mouth, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) explains that the life cycle of skin cells is different in a person with psoriasis. As a result, skin cells build up and form thick patches called plaques. These plaques most commonly appear on the elbows, knees, and lower back, but can occur anywhere on the body. There are five different types of psoriasis, with plaque psoriasis being the most common. Over 80 percent of those with psoriasis have this type, and National Psoriasis Foundation states that its characteristics include “thick, raised, red patches” on the skin. Meanwhile, guttate psoriasis seems to be the most common among children and is characterized by “small, drop-like spots” on the skin. General symptoms of psoriasis include itchy skin, burning or sore skin, and swollen or stiff joints. However, the World Health Organization says that symptoms can also include chronic fatigue, dandruff, and pain or discomfort in the area of the plaques. Since psoriasis is a chronic condition, it’s often lifelong. There are windows of time when someone may have no symptoms, but the disease is still present and can flare at any time. Also, psoriasis is a genetic condition, so it often runs in families. For more information to support this fact, select the sentence and the fact to review. With a foundation of basic information on psoriasis, this guide can now move to explore its causes, risk factors, and further complications, all of which fall under the umbrella of understanding what the disease actually is and how it develops.

2. Causes and Risk Factors

Genetics play a significant role in determining who is affected by psoriasis. About a third of people with psoriasis report having a relative with the condition. If one parent has psoriasis, there is about a 14 percent chance that a child will develop psoriasis. If both parents have psoriasis, there is about a 50 percent chance that a child will develop the disease. However, the children whose parents do not have psoriasis and who have people with the disease in the general population have only a 2 to 3 percent chance of developing the disease. Some people will not get psoriasis even if they have a family member with the condition. Scientists have found that several genetic loci are linked to the presence of psoriasis. Two major immune system genes, HLA-B27 and HLA-Cw6, have been linked to the onset of psoriasis. When both parents have psoriasis, the DNA is a complete match for these genetic regions, making these individuals more likely to develop psoriasis. The HLA-B27 gene also seems to make the guttate form of psoriasis more likely following a streptococcal throat infection. Scientists have also found that several other immune system genes including HLA-B13, HLA-B17, and HLA-Cw6, are also involved. However, we do not yet understand why the immune system targets the skin and overproduces new skin cells. The other factors that have been identified can trigger psoriasis in individuals who have a genetic tendency to develop the disease include: bacterial infections including streptococcal throat infections, viral infections such as HIV, thrush in the mouth and antibiotic use. Other triggers include injury to the skin, such as cuts, bruises, or surgery, emotional and psychological stress, and smoking and alcohol. In contrast, some people with psoriasis have found that allergies, diet or weather can provoke the symptoms. However, there is little evidence to support these theories. Stress has been shown to have an impact on the development of psoriasis. In individuals who have a genetic tendency to develop psoriasis, few will go on to get it. Stress can cause psoriasis to onset for the first time or cause recurrences of psoriasis. Alternatively, these beginnings to a stress response can be further compounded by flare ups of the disease. There is no cure for psoriasis but treatments can help to clear the symptoms. More research is being done to find out how best to suppress the overactive immune and skin-renewal processes that underlie this disease. It is important to understand that psoriasis can greatly affect the quality of life and it affects all aspect of life, including work, diet, hobbies, and personal relations. For example, the itching and discomfort can interfere with certain everyday activities and the disfiguring effect of the scaly and red plaques can lead to a loss of self-esteem and sometimes depression. It is important for individuals who suffer from psoriasis to understand their disease and to know what their triggers are and what to look for so that they can seek medical help if required. This has led to an increasing number of support groups around the world and an increase in research by both pharmaceutical and academic industry to find a better understanding and cures for psoriasis. The National Psoriasis Foundation offers research grant and clinical trial grant for worldwide research effort.

3. Symptoms and Diagnosis

Psoriasis is a complex, multi-layered and self-perpetuating condition that presents itself in a variety of forms. Chronic plaque psoriasis is the most common type, manifesting as dry and raised red patches (also known as “plaques”) on the skin. These plaques are usually covered with a distinctive silvery-white scale. The most commonly affected areas are the elbows, knees and lower part of the back, although any skin can be involved. The plaques are usually well circumscribed, with a sharp margin but they do not usually result in scarring. However, they can be very itchy and uncomfortable and, in some cases, the itching can be intense and interfere with everyday life. It’s important to note that the severity of the conditions can wax and wane – sometimes the condition can improve and symptoms can recede, and other times it can flare up and be particularly troublesome.

There is also evidence to suggest that experiencing certain life events, such as physical (e.g. infections, injury to the skin through cuts or grazes, and immunizations) or psychological stress can cause the onset of psoriasis. The diagnostic process for psoriasis is a fairly straightforward one. Usually a visual inspection of the nails and skin is enough for a dermatologist to make a diagnosis. In more difficult cases, a small sample of skin (a biopsy) may be taken for examination under the microscope. This will also rule out other skin conditions. However, you will be asked about your symptoms, if there’s a family history of the condition and whether you have had any treatments for it in the past. This detail mainly added in case that you are writing for a long and a completed content. Either self or professional diagnosis, the clinician will gather information from the patient and make the best judgment.

The general aspect of the diagnostic method for psoriasis, i.e. the observation will lead us to the take an analytical approach and build a clear picture as to different observation and classifying processes. Some of these diagnostic tests can be found on the website called dermnetnz.org. It provides a comprehensive description of all types of psoriasis, e.g. pictures (visual observation) shown and classification methods for different types of psoriasis, and the first stages of diagnosis for psoriasis, e.g. using observation and involving more complex observation, taking skin biopsy samples to the laboratories.

In the holistic approach, we want to create a treatment plan that is suited to the patient’s individual needs. The approach makes us recognize the general details for a diagnostic test in practical and clinical settings.

4. Treatment Options and Management Strategies

There are a variety of treatment methods which can be employed to ease the problem of psoriasis. The sort of treatments chosen will depend on the extent and seriousness of the problem, the way the individual has responded to previous treatments, and the personal view of that patient. Each year, new treatments are becoming accessible, and these continuing advances have contributed to some really remarkable results with this issue which wasn’t possible only a couple of years past. To offer a precise and up-to-date evaluation of treatment options for psoriasis, the results of 21 international clinical trials completed between 2000 and 2012 were examined. There are several clinical forms of psoriasis, and we have to take into account health professionals’ top choices for treatment before focusing on patients’ personalized treatments. Over time, work was done at Yale and the University of Manchester by focusing on various genes that create various kinds of psoriasis. It really is a worldwide psoriasis treatment using a special food plan. Nevertheless, there’s also a common view that diets saturated in vegetables and fish oil may help in managing psoriasis and reducing its severity. What’s promising is there are answers for those people using holistic integration of the simple life changes and also more advanced treatment strategies described that are all designed to help in addressing the main topic of treating psoriasis and boosting confidence. The program instructs the best way to modulate and reduce the autoimmune effects that are activating psoriasis eruption and is especially made to treat the causes of psoriasis. The findings help to explain why treatments can vary at different states and also explain the large variety of treatment responses. You can discuss widely with a physician to see the best treatment strategy. This article also highlights the importance of individualized attention that is fine and that both doctor-directed psoriasis treatments and self-managed lifestyle can offer users great “worldly” psoriasis treatments. This type of treatment is the best when treating psoriasis, so far. It should be considered that biologic treatments do have the potential for life-threatening side effects and are not ordinarily recommended for non-life-threatening psoriasis. Some effects of treatments, such as dryness of skin, itching, and redness, will slow. However, it’s very important to remember that opinions and the healthy lifestyle changes are not designed to function as a complete cure for psoriasis or a completely certain treatment. By responding to the recommendations made in the results and the preceding studies, real clinical trials were used to rate the many treatment options for the various varieties of genomic psoriasis. In my view, psoriasis is not; all treatments ought to be targeted to reduce skin inflammation and appropriate for an individual if necessary to enhance emotional well-being and quality of life. There can be a requirement for alternate strategies to manage and relieve stress to be adopted and so to raise mental well-being if stressed.

5. Support and Self-Care for Psoriasis Patients

When your life is affected by a chronic illness like psoriasis, it’s important to have support, whether it comes from family and friends, other people with psoriasis, or health professionals who can help you manage your condition. You don’t have to deal with your psoriasis alone because support is available and it’s essential to your health and wellbeing. There are many ways to get help and, depending on your circumstances, you may want to take advantage of several of these. For example, there are national and local organisations dedicated to helping individuals and families affected by psoriasis; your doctor, nurse or pharmacist will be able to tell you more about these. You may also find it helpful to use the internet to find people or groups offering support in your area or to find out more about the experiences of others with the condition. You could join a support group or go to a patient conference. Speaking to other people with psoriasis can be a big help. Knowing that they have had similar experiences and faced the same issues could give you confidence in dealing with your condition. You might find that you can support each other and share tips and advice on how to manage your psoriasis and, with the leading opinion in this area, you may be able to campaign for better services and more active research. However, this kind of group support is not right for everyone and some people prefer to keep their psoriasis private, without telling friends, family or employers. This is your decision, but it can sometimes put people under more stress, which may trigger symptoms or make existing ones worse. Also, it is likely that you will need additional support in tough times, so it can be useful to confide in at least one other person, even if you keep your condition under wraps generally. Try and visit your healthcare provider team regularly – even when your psoriasis symptoms are more or less under control – and get to know the doctors or nurses who are looking after you. This will help build up your relationship and they will get to understand your condition better and give you better support. Also, you can use your regular appointments as an opportunity to ask for extra advice or to seek help regarding your psoriasis.