Archive for the ‘Medical Symptoms’ Category
What is Psoriasis, Psoriasis Symptoms, Causes and Treatment
Psoriasis is a skin disorder than can occur at any age in both men and women. Most commonly, psoriasis first appears as thick, flaky patches of skin on the elbows, knees, or other parts of the body. The patches may be silver or red.
In some cases, psoriasis is so mild that people don’t know they have it. At the opposite extreme, severe psoriasis may cover large areas of the body. Psoriasis cannot be passed from one person to another, though it is more likely to occur in people whose family members have it.
The underlying psoriasis cause is unknown. However, it can be genetically inherited or passed from generation to generation. Most researchers agree that the immune system is somehow mistakenly triggered, which speeds up the growth cycle of skin cells. A normal skin cell matures and falls off the body’s surface in 28 to 30 days. But a psoriatic skin cell takes only three to four days to mature and move to the surface. Instead of falling off (shedding), the cells pile up and form the lesions. Possible triggers include: Stress, injury, illness, infection, steroids, and reaction to medications. Psoriasis is not an infection and it is not contagious.
Dry, red patches of skin are the most well-known symptoms of psoriasis. The skin replaces itself more quickly than normal, causing excess skin cells to pile up in thick layers. Roughly half of people with psoriasis also have irregular fingernail growth that results in pitting, crumbling, or discoloration of the nail. A smaller proportion of people also experience arthritis symptoms.
Because psoriasis is a chronic condition that can progress over time, it is important to get an accurate diagnosis and to understand the challenges and risks that accompany the disease.
There are a range of treatment options for psoriasis including topical (applied to the skin), systemic (taken internally) and phototherapy (ultraviolet light applied to the skin).
Effective treatment of all but mild to moderate forms of psoriasis usually includes a combination of treatment options and requires a prescription and medical guidance.
The treatment of psoriasis has improved greatly with the understanding of the role of the immune system in causing skin abnormalities. However, treatment of psoriasis has been limited by the side-effects of the medications used.
The most commonly used medications such as topical steroids, methotrexate, cyclosporine, and psoralen plus ultraviolet A (PUVA) can only be used for a limited time. After stopping these medications, symptoms generally return over a variable amount of time. Amevive is unique in that it was well-tolerated in clinical trials and induced a remission of symptoms for up to 1 year after the treatment was discontinued.
Air Travel – Can it Cause Airline Passengers Medical Problems?
When flying on commercial airlines, most airline passengers develop some medical problems which are usually minor. However, sometimes these symptoms can develop into more serious medical conditions.
The next paragraph lists some common symptoms.
Typical in-flight symptoms you may experience are ear-popping, nasal congestion, dehydration, headache, diarrhea or constipation, loss of appetite (may be caused by the in-flight food), light-headedness, problems with coordination, inability to concentrate, irritability, confusion, anxiety, fatigue, sweating, swollen lower legs and feet, and motion sickness. Some of the above symptoms can also be associated with jet lag. In addition, jet lag can also affect your sense of orientation in terms of time and place, as well as disrupt your sense of well-being.
Most medical symptoms can be easily reduced or eliminated by doing a few simple things.
If you drink plenty of water, juice, or soda, every half hour or so, it can help prevent dehydration and dryness in the throat, nose and eyes. Alcohol, as well caffeine should be avoided or consumed in moderation as they can cause dehydration and disrupt sleep patterns.
Most people’s bodies tend to swell when they fly. Wearing loose clothing helps to relieve this swelling. It will also add to your in flight comfort.
If you can, try to sit in an aisle seat so you can easily get up and walk around a bit. By doing this, it will help the circulation in your legs and greatly reduce the chance that you will develop a serious medical condition called deep-vein thrombosis.
If you experience jet lag you may want to consider taking a melatonin tablet or capsule in the early evening (your time) to help you adjust to the time zone at your destination. You may still have to take another melatonin pill for the next three or four evenings in a row before you go to bed in this new location to help you reset your biological clock. If you’ve never taken melatonin before, you should ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information in regards to the suggested dosage.
Common Skin Allergies and Their Symptoms
Contact dermatitis is a fairly common form of allergy brought about by direct contact with a certain substances, such as those found in plants like Poison Ivy and metals such as nickel. It is different from Atopic dermatitis, wherein symptoms such as skin rashes appear without any obvious causes. Unlike atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis is considered by health professionals as a type of allergic condition and is not hereditary. This type of allergy also worsens during the winter months.
Causes of contact dermatitis
Contact dermatitis is caused by direct physical contact with certain items, such as:
- Certain plant varieties such as Poison oak and Poison Ivy
- Metals, particularly nickel which is used in jewelry
- Dyes and colorants
- Chemicals found in detergents, soaps and cleaning products
- Rubber, latex and certain plastics
- Cosmetics, fragrances and perfumes
Most allergic reactions related to the skin are not caused by the body’s natural immune response that involves Immunoglobulin E or IgE. In most cases, symptoms such as inflammation occurs only in the area where contact occurred. However, there are some reactions that could trigger the production of IgE and produce reactions that appear at various areas of the body.
Symptoms of contact allergies
The most common symptom associated with contact allergies is the appearance of rashes. These are red, swollen and itchy blisters that also cause a burning sensation. If the allergy is a result of ingesting food or certain medications, it could lead to hives, a skin condition characterized by inflammation, redness, burning and itching.
Treating contact dermatitis means treating its symptoms. The following steps can help:
- Wash the irritated area with cool or warm water and a hypoallergenic cleanser
- Shower using cool water
- Add oatmeal to bath water to soothe the irritation (Aveeno has a product that contains colloidal oatmeal that helps treat irritated skin)
- Apply lotions that contain anti-itching agents or 1% hydrocortisone
- Apply calamine lotion
If allergic reaction is caused by drugs or medication, symptoms usually appear as small, pin-sized reddish spots that resemble Measles rash. These rashes tend to appear on the torso, arms and legs, usually a few days after ingestion of the drug that caused the allergy. In most cases, drugs such as antibiotics and pain medications can lead to skin allergies.
To alleviate the symptoms of this type of skin allergy, the patient is adviced to stop taking the medication and to treat the symptoms using anti-histamines like Benadryl. Total avoidance of the drug in question may also be recommended to avoid further allergies.
Proper diagnosis of skin rashes and similar symptoms are important to ensure that any underlying conditions are treated correctly. If skin rashes appear, it’s best to ask for professional advice from a doctor. Although relatively easy to avoid than other types of allergies, contact skin allergies could lead to serious complications if not diagnosed properly.