Psoriasis Solutions

Things you can do to treat the joint and skin disease of Psoriasis.

There are a variety of treatment options for this common skin and joint disease.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the skin and joints that affects an estimated 7 million people. Symptoms range from dry, itchy patches on skin or scalp, to swollen, stiff joints. Although there is no one definitive treatment for psoriasis, those suffering from the condition today have more options than ever. The traditional approach is to start with topical creams and UV light therapy, and progress to stronger treatments if necessary. The latest type of medication—injections known as biologic response modifiers, or “biologics”—are being used for more severe cases of psoriasis and psoriatric arthritis.

Complementary medicine takes a different approach, aiming to identify and treat the underlying cause of psoriasis. Although these causes can vary from one individual to another, there are certain common denominators. “A lot of psoriasis stems from gut toxicity,” says Daniel Royal, D.O., medical director of the New Hope Medical Center in Henderson, Nev. “The body is trying to shunt toxins to the skin rather than the brain or heart.”

Royal finds that one source of this toxicity is a sensitivity to one or more common foods, which may be identified by blood tests. Wheat and dairy products are often among such foods, followed by eggs, soy, fish, peanuts, tree nuts and shellfish.

Vital Statistic
51% of people with psoriasis use complementary and alternative medicine to treat their skin. Source: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
 

Turmeric Curries Favor With Psoriasis Patients Turmeric is a popular Indian spice used in curries. Its active ingredient, curcumin, offers relief for psoriasis in some cases. Anecdotal reports of its success prompted researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine to do a small clinical trial with 12 psoriasis patients, who took 500 mg of curcumin three times daily for 12 weeks. The study, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, found that two patients experienced excellent results, with improvements of 83% and 88% in medical test scores. Although the improvement occurred in just this small number, the researchers concluded that curcumin merits further study as a possible treatment for psoriasis.

Quick Tip
Eliminating gluten (the gluelike substance found in wheat, barley and rye) from your diet may relieve psoriasis symptoms. In a 2003 study, some individuals showed a clinical improvement in their psoriasis when they went gluten-free for three months.