Psoriasis is a common skin disease. Its name comes from the Greek word "psora" (translated as "itching"). Today, about 5% of the world's population suffers from this disease.
Psoriasis can occur in people of all ages, from babies to the elderly. Practice shows that the majority of patients are young people. They go to the doctor with a suspicion of psoriasis.
Before visiting the clinic, you need to know which specialist you should contact with such complaints.
Which doctor should I see if I suspect psoriasis?
At the first signs of psoriasis it is necessary to visit a dermatologist. Eventually, the symptoms of this disease first appear on the skin.
A specialist who performs competent treatment of skin diseases will make the correct diagnosis and perform all necessary therapeutic measures.
If the patient has a complicated type of psoriasis (psoriatic arthropathy), treatment should be performed by a professional rheumatologist.
Regardless of which specialist the patient turns to, the doctor can easily confirm or, conversely, refute the presence of this disease.
Treating any form of psoriasis is a time consuming process. By the way, a complete cure does not happen in principle. Even with the disappearance of symptoms, the disease progresses to a stage of regression. In this case, the symptoms may disappear completely.
Which doctor treats psoriasis?
Psoriasis is a systemic disease, the symptoms of which are not limited to skin rashes. Often its course is accompanied by changes in metabolism, immune disorders, and disorders of the endocrine system.
Disorders often affect the work of internal organs. Accordingly, consultation with a dermatologist in this case is not enough.
Psoriatic plaques in many patients form on the scalp. In this case, consultation with a suitable specialist is also required.
dermatologist
It is very important that the patient with psoriasis is regularly monitored by an experienced dermatologist. This is very important, as this disease can worsen even a few years after remission.
In addition, the specialist conducts the necessary research to determine the underlying disease that may have caused the development of skin disease.
In this case it is necessary to carry out its effective treatment.
All therapeutic measures, regardless of the severity of the disease, should be agreed with a dermatologist. Sometimes psoriasis provokes the development of a pathology that affects the joints - psoriatic arthropathy. In case of any complications, the specialist refers the patient to a rheumatologist.
Specialized doctors
When asked 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 of well-being. Accordingly, effective treatment of the disease can not be done without the help of highly specialized specialists.
The following are the doctors who treat psoriasis and its common complications:
- gastroenterologist: the help of this doctor is needed in case of severe organ damage. In this case, it is often necessary to take potent drugs. Despite the fact that they adversely affect the condition, work of the stomach, liver, the course of treatment with the use of these drugs gives a good effect;
- cardiologist: the pathology may be accompanied by significant disorders of the heart (pericarditis, myocarditis). In such cases, the patient simply needs professional help from a cardiologist;
- nephrologist:some forms of the disease are accompanied by major failures, partial dysfunction of the bladder, kidneys. The treatment of such pathologies should be performed by a qualified physician;
- neurologist:neurological pathologies often provoke recurrence of skin disease. Accordingly, patients predisposed to the development of prostatitis (or when it recurs) should undergo a preventive examination every 3-6 months;
- rheumatologist: in case of arthropathy, a consultation with a rheumatologist is required. It is impossible to get rid of the disease without the right principle of treatment.
The treatment of the pathology is effective only with timely action. Following your doctor's recommendations will allow you to deal with mental discomfort, as well as rule out the development of complications in the future.
All patients with psoriasis are recommended to be monitored by a psychologist. More than 78% of exacerbations of the disease occur due to nervous tension, severe stress.
An experienced psychologist will help each patient cope with emotional stress. Thanks to this it will be possible to adapt much better in society.
Clarification of the diagnosis: what medical examinations should you undergo?
During the initial diagnostic examination, if psoriasis is suspected, the patient should undergo the following mandatory examinations during the initial examination:
- Urine analysis: necessary to determine the water-salt balance;
- stool analysis:necessary to detect the possible presence of helminths in the body;
- Blood test: general, as well as biochemistry. Many patients mistakenly believe that blood helps to refute or confirm the diagnosis. However, this is not entirely true. Such a study is performed to identify possible complications caused by the disease. Blood also allows you to determine the presence of allergic reactions in the body.
Additional research includes:
- bacteriological culture: performed in case of rash on the mucous membrane. This is necessary to rule out pharyngitis (acute);
- radiography: if the patient has joint pain and the doctor suspects the presence of psoriatic arthritis, additional examination of the bone structure is performed;
- skin biopsy: to clarify the diagnosis, a cytological examination of the epidermis, which is removed from the affected skin. Samples are taken from one or more parts of the body.
What does full medical care of the patient involve?
The ultimate goal of the doctor's work is to maintain a person's ability to work, as well as to prevent harm to a patient suffering from psoriasis.
If the patient has already applied for qualified care in a serious condition, inpatient treatment is required. In a satisfactory condition, experts recommend dispensary monitoring.
In this case, you should see your doctor regularly. Thanks to this, it will be possible to better control the dynamics of the disease.
The full medical care of a patient suffering from psoriasis includes treatment in a special sanatorium or dispensary. It is not uncommon for patients to go to a specialized holiday 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 monitored. Sanatoriums are also considering the most appropriate menu for guests suffering from psoriasis.
Many will agree that psoriasis is an unpleasant disease for the patient (from a physical and moral point of view). Fortunately, medicine today knows many ways to effectively treat psoriasis.
Patients should be aware that there are many professionals today who can come to their aid. Regardless of the severity of the disease, this disease must be treated competently. Only with the right approach will it be possible to achieve positive results and achieve sustainable remission.