What-a-sis?

Today is a day where I want to just stay in bed all dang day. With all I have going on with me, I am feeling so stiff and having a little bit of trouble breathing since my sinuses are messed up. I feel more stiff and swollen than stabbing pain. That's a good thing. It means that I might be able to finish some things here on the computer and not have work, take a break, work, take a break. Such is the life, right? Anyway, onto why you're here.

The topic today is actually part two of yesterday's post. I have mentioned before that Psoriatic Arthritis is a two-headed dragon. The last post was mostly about the arthritis part of the dragon. Now we will come to know more about the other - Psoriasis. Now, if you're like me, you are probably wondering what in the world it is. The cut and dry definition states that psoriasis is a chronic, auto-immune disease that affects the skin.

Broken down, it's a disease where the immune system sends bad signals to the skin cells. The skin cells then speed up their natural life cycle. This causes a build-up of dead skin cells in a localized area, also known as a plaque. Usually the area is a dark red color until there is a build-up of cells. Then the skin turns a silvery white. It can be extremely itchy and even painful some days. This I know first hand. According to some sites, psoriasis is the most common auto-immune disease within the United States. Just like the arthritis portion, there are five types of psoriasis as well. Each has its own characteristics and a person may find that they have had several types during their battle with psoriasis. However, it is unusual to have more than one type at any one time.

• Plaque psoriasis  ~  This is the more common and most prevalent type of psoriasis. It is estimated that about 80% of people diagnosed with the disease have this form. It is characterized by raised, inflamed lesions that are covered by a silvery white scale. These are commonly found on the elbows, knees, scalp and the lower back of the patient.
• Guttate psoriasis  ~  Often starting in childhood or young adulthood, this type of psoriasis appears a small, red individual spots on one's skin. They are primarily found on the trunk and limbs and appear to be less thick than the ordinary plaque lesions. It is thought that a variety of conditions can trigger an attack of this form including certain infections, stress, injuries to the skin and certain medications. The name, 'guttate', is derived from the Latin word meaning "drop".
• Inverse psoriasis  ~  This particular type of psoriasis is found on parts of the body where the skin folds or meets together. It's more commonly found in areas such as the armpits, groin, under the breasts etc. Due to the nature of the psoriasis, it does appear to cause more trouble for those patients who are overweight or who have deep skin folds. Inverse psoriasis will look almost the opposite of plaque psoriasis. Instead of bumpy and raised, the areas of inverse psoriasis will be smooth and shiny.
• Pustular psoriasis  ~  Seen in adults, this type of psoriasis is characterized by the presence of white blisters which contain pus made up of white blood cells. It's usually surrounded by severely red skin. There are three types of pustular psoriasis including Von Zumbusch, Palmoplantar pustulosis, and Acropustulosis. (For more information on these subtypes, visit www.psoriasis.org) Unfortunately, this type can be limited to certain areas of the body such as the hands and feet or it can cover most of the skin. It will begin with a reddening of the skin and will be followed by the pustules and scaling. Triggers vary but include certain medications, overexposure to UV light, infections, stress, pregnancy and sudden withdrawal of systemic medications or some potent topical steroids.
• Erythrodermic psoriasis  ~  Last but not least, the most severe case of psoriasis where most of the patient's body is affected.This sometimes happens along with von Zumbusch psoriasis. Unfortunately this type of psoriasis has periods where the skin is a fiery red in color in a large area. The skin doesn't come off in flakes with this type. When it comes off, the skin is usually in large sheets. A person with this can also experience severe itching and pain as the skin sheds as well as heart problems and a fluctuating body temperature. It is strongly recommended that people who are having this type of flare seek medical attention immediately as there is protein/fluid loss that can led to more sever illnesses such as infections, pneumonia and congestive heart failure. There are a few known triggers for Erythrodermic psoriasis. They include allergic reactions to certain medications, severe sunburns, infections, an abrupt withdrawal of systemic psoriasis treatments, and medications such as lithium, anti-malarial drugs.

There is a ton of information at the National Psoriasis Foundation's website. There are lots of pictures and in depth explanations in layman's terms. I would really suggest taking a few moments and visiting them to see what they have. There is even a section devoted to just PsA. Like the old commercials say - the more you know.

For me, I would generalize my psoriasis as being the plaque psoriasis.  My spots have grown over the years but they are still able to be covered for the most part. I do have psoriasis on my scalp. I believe that it covers my entire scalp by now. Definitely is difficult to wear certain colors without it looking like snow everywhere. I've tried just about every shampoo that's over the counter. They tend to help for a little while and then I have to switch brands or else they stop working. Sorta like tricking the psoriasis. Take that, you itchy flakes! Sometimes I do have to take a comb and break up some of the plaques. If I don't, the itch starts to feel like a little knife stabbing me at all times. It's almost as though the longer I try to ignore the itch, the more it intensifies. The other areas I have the psoriasis would be my elbows and knees. Yep, the common places. They have grown from just nickel-sized spots to larger areas over the last few years. I honestly believe it's because I've had to start taking Plaquenil for another disease. But I'll get to all those later.

Just like with the PsA I covered in the last post, there is a lot of information out there now. It makes me really glad to see such an increase in the amount of information and the amount of awareness that has been gaining ground. Maybe one day no one will have to beg and plead for diseases such as these to obtain funding. We'll have a way to minimize or cure them.

Until next time,
Kay