Tuesday, December 6, 2011

The Known Causes And Triggers of Psoriasis

The causes of psoriasis are not clearly established, but it is well established that the disease is genetically induced, plus various external and/or internal aggravating triggers. Psoriasis is an immune disease, with a fatal chronic evolution, often unpredictable, without having a well-established cause.

Genetic factors are beyond any doubt, however scientist could not demonstrate so far, the gene or genes responsible. It is assumed that it is a set of genes that also could not be identified. Studies have shown that 30-50% of patients with various forms of psoriasis have been identified other people with this condition within their family. It is assumed that these genes control immune response and inflammatory reactions in the body. On this genetic area act various factors that are triggers or aggravating features, specific to each patient.

The most common triggers are:

- Trauma, stress, infections, smoking and alcohol, certain medications, hormonal changes, HIV / AIDS, metabolic factors, ultraviolet radiation.

- Infections, particularly streptococcal, followed by the appearance of psoriasis especially in children, but other viral or bacterial infections can trigger or exacerbate the disease.

- Metabolic factors most frequently involved are those associated with hypocalcaemia (low levels of calcium in the blood).
- Endocrine factors involved are particularly associated with two physiological private moments, those regarding menarche and menopause.

- Drugs most commonly involved are lithium salts, beta-blocking agents, anti-malarias, systemic corticosteroids.

- Ultraviolet radiation even if they have a beneficial effect in the vast majority of patients, at a rate of about 10% of patients are associated with worsening or onset of psoriasis.

Extremely important to be noted is the fact that psoriasis is not an infectious disease. To understand how this particular disease occurs, we must study the skin structure. Thus, from surface to depth, the skin consists of epidermis, dermis and hypodermis. The main cells of the epidermis are the keratinocytes, cells arranged in several layers: basal, spinouts, granular and corneum. Basal cell layer is arranged in a single line and is designed to continuously produce cells that will "move" toward the surface. This "road" normally takes 28-30 days and is associated with a number of changes in the cells.

In psoriasis, this time is much shorter, about 3-4 days and normal cell changes do not appear. Thus, appear specific clinical manifestations of psoriasis that thicken the skin, skin redness and peeling appearance. Also, the occurrence of the disease is associated with inflammatory and immunological changes. Psoriasis is a non-contagious disease that affects the joints and the skin.

It can affect any area of the body, and a defining characteristic of this disease, which makes it very difficult to treat, is that it comes and goes often.

Although a cure for psoriasis is very hard to find some natural remedies have proven to be very effective. In addition, these remedies have no bad side effects.

Doctors and scientists are still not sure of the particular cause of psoriasis, but they concluded that genes may be an important factor in triggering psoriasis.

Learning About The Pleurisy Symptoms

As a busy bee, you never want any impediment to your health. You take extra precautions just to make sure that your health would always be fine. However, pleurisy may come at a certain point in your life when you never expect it. You need to determine the symptoms which would remind you about pleurisy and prevent it with known procedures recommended by medical experts.

Getting to Know The Pleurisy

Certainly, pleurisy can never be experienced if not about pleura. Pleura is known as a double layer of membranes which act as a barrier between the chest wall and lungs. If the layers rub against each other, the lungs expand and at the same time contract during breathing even if there is no resistance form the chest wall lining.

The Pain Pleurisy Cause

The contraction of the layers produces friction that results to inflammation. The contraction sounds like sandpaper pieces rubbing one against the other. The pain is felt when you inhale and exhale.

The Pleurisy Causes

Do you feel the pain in your chest? That could possibly be pleurisy. You will eventually know that you have such inflammation when it is caused by:

1. Influenza. This disease commonly known as flu makes you down whenever it gets complicated. Too much coughing and sneezing results to pleurisy.

2. Pulmonary embolism. This ailment happens when the lung artery gets clotted.

3. Tuberculosis. This disease is common among people who never get rid of smoking and alcoholism.

4. Pneumonia. Since pleura's surface has its connection to the lung, you surely could have pleurisy as well.

5. Surgery. Pleurisy is experienced after having a surgery in the heart. The trauma makes it possible for a person to acquire pleurisy.

6. Fractures in the rib. This may rarely happen but the fractures may let you feel the pain.

7. Painful cough. If it is not about trauma, then severe cough leads to pleurisy.

8. Cancer in the lung. Lung cancer may rarely let the patient experience pleurisy.

Pleurisy Symptoms

You can simple prove the presence of pleurisy in your system once you manifest the following conditions:

1. Dry cough. When you cough strongly, the layers of your pleura contracts.

2. Appetite loss. This symptom can somehow be a result of other associated diseases that cause pleurisy.

3. Difficulty to breathe. This happens when after coughing very loudly.

4. Fever. You can experience fever due to other symptoms connected to pleurisy.

What Must Be Your Move?

There are cases which lets you cry for a doctor's help. Seek medical attention when you have breath shortness, severe pain in the chest, and very high fever.

The treatment

Remember that the treatment for your pleurisy depend upon its severity. You would be given antibiotics if the cause of your pleurisy is pneumonia. However, for mild cases, your doctor may give you anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve the pain in the pleura.

What Needs To Be Done?

Your doctor may suggest that you will take a long rest when pain and inflammation relievers are taken.