Cure For Chronic?

One cannot go against creations. Diseases are one of them.

Chronic diseases last for many years and might stay for a lifetime. They are usually carried forward hereditarily and can be severe to handle if not diagnosed rightfully.

They are carried forward as a part of genes and expressed in humans due to an unknown trigger point. Studies show that this might be dissimilar in different people. Yet, the exact reason is not accurate.

Psoriasis is a chronic disease that has increased noticeably in the past few years and has instilled my interest in research and writing about it.

It is an auto-immune disease that derives its meaning from two Greek words- 'psora' means itch and 'iasis' means action... Which also follows as one of the main symptoms of this disease. For those who don't know what auto-immune disease is, it is primarily a condition arising in the human body due to an abnormal response shown by our immunity against our body functioning. Psoriasis can be identified at almost any age and may initiate due to environmental and lifestyle factors. The apt reason for which is still a mystery. It can occur at various body parts targeted towards the sensitive dermatological areas like the scalp, arms, legs, groin, nails, etcetera. It occurs in bones or joints in severe cases (Psoriatic Arthritis). Its symptoms include itching, redness, dried patches of skin, and irritation.

Many theories suggesting the reason behind the disease are available. The most accepted amongst which says that it is due to the response of our immunity against our cells as it recognizes them as foreign substances.

It causes the layers of skin to mature and dry up faster than accepted. It causes the skin cells to pile up continuously as a layer of dead skin not being backed by the next set of cells. This lamina of dead skin is a flake. A collection of the above forms a patch and results in severe itching and redness due to exposure of muscle directly to the environment. It flares up drastically in winters as it's the time when skin is prone to drying up faster and is required to be taken care of unconditionally.

It affects the diseased a lot mentally apart from physical effects. It can be due to the change in the physical appearance of the individuals or comments by peers. It might also lead to depression due to self-consideration that it is chronic and cannot be cured or incomplete knowledge about the disease and its control.

Different methods and explanations exist in all three forms of medicine (allopathic, homeopathic, and ayurvedic) and involve various processes in treatment.

Allopathic medicine classifies the severity of the condition and advice treatment. It can be corticosteroids (ointments for external application) which might cure it temporarily but is not advisable in the long run. It has many side effects and may cause the body to get addicted to it due to its influence on natural hormones. Injections or UV treatment is advised for patients with a higher degree of the disease that might have many long-term side effects.

Homeopathic medicine treats it with sugar tablets filled with oil and has not been proven with consistency to be very effective as of now.

Ayurvedic medicine identifies it as an internal disease. This form requires your belief in medicine and consumption with a positive mindset which plays a role in its working and helps immensely in controlling the ailment. The upside is that it does not possess any side effects as it is a natural medication. The downside, however, is the uncertainty in the time it takes to cure the disease and one has to wait patiently to see good results.

A healthy diet that includes anti-inflammatories like berries, seasonal fruits, antioxidants like dry fruits, all non-citrus fruits and veggies, and a variety of seeds and greens must be consumed every day to keep the disease in check. Extra care towards keeping the skin moist and timely intake of sufficient water is crucial as it prevents the skin from dehydration during adverse weather conditions. It is advised for the patients to stay as calm as possible as stress is proven to cause excessive inflammation in the patch and increases the severity of the disease. Eating bakery items, milk products, and oily food must be avoided.

Peers' and family support and confidence are crucial in these times to help the person fight problems mentally and to give them an assurance that it is just a hurdle and imperfections are what makes us human. It might be visually evident in some and not in others. But the key is to stay positive and calm throughout.

Research along the lines of gene therapy and gene editing for many auto-immune diseases like Graves' disease and Psoriasis are going on. It interests me as a biology enthusiast and an upcoming biotechnology engineer. It is an ongoing process. I can vouch that with adequate machinery we can cure many such diseases which have caused trouble to the human fraternity so that we can lead a healthy and mindful lifestyle again.