Psoriasis is a common skin disease. Its name comes from the Greek word "psora" (translated as "itch"). Today, about 5% of the world's inhabitants suffer from this disease.
Psoriasis can occur in people of all ages, from infants to the elderly. Practice shows that most patients are young. They go to the doctor with suspected psoriasis.
Before visiting the clinic, you need to know which specialist to contact with such complaints.
Which doctor should I contact if I suspect psoriasis?
In case of manifestation of the first signs of psoriasis, it is necessary to visit a dermatologist. After all, the symptoms of this disease first appear on the skin.
A specialist who carries out competent treatment of skin diseases will make the correct diagnosis and carry out 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 goes to, the doctor can easily confirm or, conversely, refute the presence of this disease.
Treating any form of psoriasis is a laborious process. By the way, in principle a complete cure does not occur. Even with the disappearance of symptoms, the disease passes into the stage of regression. In this case, the symptoms may disappear completely.
What doctor treats psoriasis?
Psoriasis is a systemic disease, the symptoms of which are not limited to skin rashes. Often its course is accompanied by a change in metabolism, immunological disorders and failures in the endocrine system.
Violations often affect the work of internal organs. Consequently, the consultation of a dermatologist in this case is not enough.
In many patients, psoriatic plaques form on the scalp. In this case, the advice of an appropriate specialist is also required.
Dermatologist
It is very important that a patient with psoriasis is regularly monitored by an experienced dermatologist. This is very important, as this disease can worsen even several years after remission.
In addition, the specialist performs the necessary studies to determine the underlying disease, which may have caused the development of a skin disease.
In this case, it is necessary to carry out its effective treatment.
All therapeutic measures, regardless of the severity of the disease, must 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
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 led to the deterioration of well-being. Accordingly, for the effective treatment of the disease, the help of highly specialized specialists cannot be dispensed with.
The following are the doctors who treat psoriasis and its common complications:
- gastroenterologist: The help of this doctor is required in cases of severe organ damage. In this case, it is often necessary to take powerful drugs. Despite the fact that they negatively affect the condition, the work of the stomach, the liver, the course of treatment with the use of these drugs gives a good effect;
- cardiologist: pathology may 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 significant failures, partial dysfunction of the bladder, kidneys. Treatment of such pathologies must be carried out by a qualified doctor;
- neurologist:neurological pathologies often provoke the recurrence of a skin disease. Consequently, patients prone to the development of prostatitis (or when it recurs) should undergo preventive examination every 3-6 months;
- rheumatologist: in case of arthropathy, consultation of a rheumatologist is necessary. It is impossible to get rid of the disease without a properly selected treatment principle.
Treatment of pathology is effective only with timely action. Compliance with the doctor's recommendations will allow you to cope with mental discomfort, as well as exclude the development of complications in the future.
It is recommended that all patients suffering from psoriasis 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. Thanks to this, it will be possible to adapt much better in society.
Clarification of the diagnosis: what medical tests should you undergo?
During the initial diagnostic examination, if psoriasis is suspected, the patient should undergo the following mandatory tests 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 carried out 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: is carried out if rashes appear on the mucous membrane. This is necessary to exclude (acute) pharyngitis;
- bone scan: if the patient has pain in the joints and the doctor suspects the presence of psoriatic arthritis, an auxiliary study of the bone structure is carried out;
- skin biopsy: to clarify the diagnosis, a cytological examination of the epidermis, which was removed from the affected skin, is performed. Samples are taken from one or more areas of the body.
What does the complete medical support of the patient include?
The ultimate goal of the doctor's work is to preserve a person's ability to work, as well as prevent the disability of a patient suffering from psoriasis.
If the patient has already applied for qualified help in a serious condition, hospital treatment is required. Under satisfactory conditions, experts recommend dispensary observation.
In this case, you should visit your doctor regularly. Thanks to this, it will be possible to better control the dynamics of the disease.
Full medical support for a patient suffering from psoriasis involves treatment in a special sanatorium or dispensary. 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 treatment is monitored. Sanatoriums also think about the most suitable 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, today medicine 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 in the case of the correct approach will it be possible to achieve positive results and achieve sustainable remission.