Psoriasis is a common skin condition. Its name comes from the Greek word "psora" (translated as "itch"). Today, about 5% of the world's population suffers from this disease.
Psoriasis can affect people of all ages, from infants to the elderly. Practice shows that the majority of patients are young people. You go to the doctor with suspected psoriasis.
Before going to the clinic, you need to know which specialist to contact with such ailments.
Which doctor should I contact if I suspect psoriasis?
In the case of the manifestation of the first signs of psoriasis, it is necessary to consult a dermatologist. After all, the symptoms of this disease first appear on the skin.
A specialist who competently treats skin diseases will make the correct diagnosis and carry out all the necessary therapeutic measures.
If the patient has a complicated form of psoriasis (psoriatic arthropathy), the treatment should be carried out by a professional rheumatologist.
Regardless of which specialist the patient turns to, the doctor can easily confirm the presence of this disease or, conversely, refute it.
Treating any form of psoriasis is a painstaking process. By the way, a complete healing does not occur in principle. Even with the disappearance of symptoms, the disease goes into the stage of regression. In this case, the symptoms can disappear completely.
Which doctor treats psoriasis?
Psoriasis is a systemic disease whose symptoms are not limited to skin rashes. Its course is often accompanied by metabolic changes, immune disorders and disorders of the endocrine system.
Violations often affect the work of internal organs. Accordingly, consulting a dermatologist in this case is not enough.
Psoriasis plaques form on the scalp in many patients. In this case, too, the advice of an appropriate specialist is required.
dermatologist
It is very important that a patient with psoriasis is regularly monitored by an experienced dermatologist. This is very important because this disease can worsen even several years after remission.
In addition, the specialist will perform the necessary tests to determine the underlying condition that may have led to the development of a skin condition.
In this case, it is necessary to carry out effective treatment.
All therapeutic measures, regardless of the severity of the disease, must be coordinated with a dermatologist. Sometimes psoriasis provokes the development of a pathology that affects the joints - psoriatic arthropathy. In the event of complications, the specialist will refer the patient to a rheumatologist.
Specialized Doctors
Answering a common question, which specialist treats psoriasis, many people forget that it is important to eliminate not only the external manifestations of the disease, but also the cause that caused the deterioration in well-being. Accordingly, for effective treatment of the disease, one cannot do without the help of highly specialized specialists.
The following doctors treat psoriasis and its common complications:
- gastroenterologist: Serious organ damage requires the help of this doctor. In this case, it is often necessary to take strong medication. Despite the fact that they negatively affect the condition, work of the stomach and liver, the course of treatment with these drugs has a good effect;
- cardiologist: The pathology can be accompanied by significant disturbances in the work of the heart (pericarditis, myocarditis). In such cases, the patient simply needs the professional help of a cardiologist;
- nephrologist:Certain forms of the disease are accompanied by severe failures, partial dysfunction of the bladder and kidneys. Treatment of such pathologies should be carried out by a qualified doctor;
- Neurologist:neurological pathologies often provoke a recurrence of a skin disease. Accordingly, patients prone to developing prostatitis (or when it recurs) should undergo preventive examination every 3-6 months;
- rheumatologist: Arthropathy requires the consultation of a rheumatologist. It is impossible to get rid of the disease without a properly selected principle of treatment.
Treatment of pathology is effective only with timely action. Compliance with the doctor's recommendations will allow you to cope with psychological ailments and exclude the development of complications in the future.
All patients suffering from psoriasis are recommended to be observed by a psychologist. More than 78% of exacerbations of the disease are manifested due to nervous tension, severe stress.
An experienced psychologist will help each patient cope with emotional stress. This will make it possible to adapt much better in society.
Clarification of the diagnosis: Which medical examinations do you have to undergo?
At the initial diagnostic examination, if psoriasis is suspected, the patient must undergo the following mandatory examinations as part of the initial examination:
- Analysis of the urine: necessary to determine the water-salt balance;
- stool analysis:required to detect the possible presence of helminths in the body;
- blood analysis: General and biochemistry. Many patients mistakenly believe that blood helps to refute or confirm the diagnosis. However, this is not entirely true. Such a study is conducted in order to identify possible complications caused by the disease. Blood also allows you to determine the presence of allergic reactions in the body.
Additional studies include:
- bacteriological culture: performed when rashes appear on the mucous membrane. This is necessary to exclude pharyngitis (acute);
- radiography: If the patient has pain in the joints and the doctor suspects psoriatic arthritis, an auxiliary examination of the bone structure is performed.
- skin biopsy: To clarify the diagnosis, a cytological examination of the epidermis removed from the affected skin is performed. Samples are taken from one or more areas of the body.
What does the comprehensive medical care of the patient include?
The ultimate goal of medical work is to maintain a person's ability to work and to prevent disability in a patient suffering from psoriasis.
If the patient has already sought qualified help in a serious condition, then inpatient treatment is required. In a satisfactory condition, experts recommend observing the pharmacy.
In this case, you need to see your doctor regularly. This will make it possible to better control the dynamics of the disease.
Full medical care for a patient with psoriasis includes treatment in a special sanatorium or pharmacy. It is not uncommon for patients to go to a specialized nursing home for two weeks.
In such medical institutions, the patient is under the constant supervision of experienced specialists. At the same time, not only the effectiveness of the treatment is controlled. The sanatoriums are also thinking about the most suitable menu for guests suffering from psoriasis.
Many will agree that psoriasis is an uncomfortable disease for the patient (from a physical and moral point of view). Fortunately, medicine today knows numerous ways to effectively treat psoriasis.
Patients should be aware that today there are many specialists who can come to their aid. Regardless of the degree of the disease, this disease must be treated competently. Only with the right approach is it possible to achieve positive results and achieve lasting remission.