Psoriasis Symptoms: How To Tell If It's Psoriasis

The most common type of psoriasis -- plaque psoriasis -- usually appears as red, raised patches of skin covered in white, flaking scales that crop up on the knees, elbows, scalp, hands, feet, or lower back.



Those with psoriasis may also experience itching, nail disfigurement (about half of people with the disease experience discoloration, separation from the nail bed, or thickened or pocked nails), and dry or cracked skin that can bleed. In guttate psoriasis, the second most common form of the disease, the patches are small and shaped like drops of water.

Painful swelling of the joints is a common symptom of psoriatic arthritis, which can develop before or after someone is diagnosed with psoriasis. Up to 30 percent of people with psoriasis will also have psoriatic arthritis. Because skin conditions often resemble one another, it is best to see your primary care provider for a diagnosis.

Your psoriasis may flare without warning or be triggered by stress, medications, a skin injury, dry skin, or other stimuli. It can remit as quickly as it came, but it usually requires treatment to keep the condition from worsening.



Seeking Medical Help


You should see a doctor if you think you may have psoriasis or if you have already been diagnosed and your psoriasis worsens and causes pain, discomfort, or emotional stress; interferes with your normal activities; or does not respond to a treatment you have been prescribed. It often takes trial and error to find the treatment that works best for you.



Doctors usually gauge the severity of psoriasis based on the percentage of your body that is affected. If you have plaques only on your elbows and knees, for instance, you probably have a mild case. Moderate psoriasis is traditionally defined as covering less than 20 percent of your skin and can be accompanied by nondebilitating joint pain.

Severe psoriasis is characterized by more than 20 percent body coverage or psoriasis that develops in certain critical areas, such as the face. People with severe psoriasis may also develop fluid-filled plaques (pustular psoriasis) and psoriatic arthritis.

Psoriasis typically goes through cycles of flaring and subsiding, but rarely achieves permanent remission. There are, however, many new treatments available that can help people with psoriasis effectively control the disease and live a more comfortable, less painful life.

More From Health.com:
Can a Healthy Diet Help Psoriasis?
Managing Stress May Soothe Psoriasis
How to Have a Happy Sex Life When You Have Psoriasis

Comments

[ClearNSimple2012]

01:39 PM on 01/05/2011

Psoriasis can bring about real pain and suffering in a person's life while working at a Psoriasis Day Center for years...I saw first hand how wonderful it is to see the person going through the clearing stages...and how great that feels for everyone all away around...Team working hard to finally make plaques flat and finally gone! Gone is the best! We can all say hallelujah!

[GQTaste]

03:03 PM on 01/04/2011

I seem to suffer from this much worse in winter time. As I get older it's much worse now. It's pure hell on my scalp and forehead and chin. It's so raw and senitive I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

I have been working out recently and it appears sweating has helped out my case. I didn't know bout the diet part but I give it a shot.

I have a question: does gluten just mean bread? Thanks.

[AnSa078]

06:42 PM on 01/04/2011

When I first started eating gluten-free, I thought: "What the hell do I eat?' Well, it is actually not as bad as you think. Gluten is present in rye, wheat, oat and barley. Basically, for me it is just eating healthy and reducing processed food. So I make my meals daily from scratch. I have found that gluten-free bread tastes like cat sh*t (to quote Cartman), so I gave it up.

As for the psoriasis, mine suddenly flared when I came home for winter break, but in Florida, not even finals week can make it as bad as it is now.

[AnSa078]

06:45 PM on 01/04/2011

Also, I'd like to point out that I'm being treated for psoriasis and have being sans gluten for almost a year and my skin is beautifully clear.

[manahans]

11:02 AM on 01/03/2011

Thanks to all that have replied to this psoriasis article! These comments give the best advice/medicine for treating psoriasis. The drug companies don't want us to find a treatment.... takes away their profits!

I'm going gluten free today!

[Barbara Lilly]

08:48 AM on 01/03/2011

I find it interesting that all the previous posts speak to personal awareness of how diet impacts psoriasis but there is not one direct mention of diet in the article. Did the article just miss one of the huge factors or lump it under "other stimul?"

[Dazzle59]

09:38 AM on 01/03/2011

Barbara, good point. The pharmaceutical industry makes a fortune treating psoriasis, so of course most dermatologists won't tell you of holistic methods or dietary connections. I have suffered from mild to moderate plaque psoriasis for 33 years. I was first afflicted the summer after my freshman year in college, when I worked in an ice cream parlor and ate a lot of ice cream. Dairy products cause flare-ups, so I avoid them. Other culprits are citrus fruits (especially grapefruit), alcohol and gluten. I have never gone into complete remission, but am able to keep my plaques under control by avoiding these foods. I also respond well to direct sunlight. The holistic preparation Psorzema Creme works well to hydrate the patches and ease redness. When flare-ups get bad, I sparingly use Taclonex (a prescription Vitamin D steroid ointment).

[simmary]

01:18 AM on 01/03/2011

A tale of improvement - skip the first para if you're squeamish!

I developed psoriasis on my hands and feet about 3 years ago and my GP didn't know anything about the condition. The dermatologist didn't help either and I developed horrid thick plates of dead skin on the soles of my feet that cracked and bled and were painful.

However, I went to a podiatrist and she first chipped off the dead matter from my feet, bit by tiny bit, and then advised a cream which is high - very high - in urea. This has quietly effected a major improvement. The one I use is an Australian product called FLEXITOL and although i have to concentrate hard on not slacking off, and sometimes I suffer from vicious itching, it has transformed my life. It's not too expensive and well worth it, especially in the 200g tube.

Well worth a try.

[Margeruite]

03:47 PM on 01/03/2011

My habnds have been clear for 5 years now and I only have one spot left on my right foot. Bothe feet were affected at one time. I'm going to try the Flexitol. I now use Taclonex. As for the itching, the only thing that works for me (and I've tried everything!) is ice. I keep a ziploc bag in the freezer at work and when it gets itchy i put it on the floor under y desk and rest my foot on it. Usually stops within minutes but I leave on for at least 20 minutes. Can't stand wearing shoes unless they're flip flops as my feet get hot and it aggravates the itch. Try the ice. There were days I wanted to cut my foot off I couldn't stand the itching.

[rbspickles]

02:03 PM on 02/15/2011

I too suffer from this form of psoriasis (pustular). I have tried the low carb diet before and lost weight and at the same time, didn't suffer from the pustules. Now I know why. Back to Adkins diet again. Oh, and an OTC that works great for me is Dermarest and/or MG 217.

[pubcav2337]

11:49 PM on 01/02/2011

Try this: don't eat gluten for a few weeks and watch what happens. Your psoriasis will greatly diminish.

[TimInUkraine]

02:23 AM on 01/03/2011

Absolutely. I had severe psoriasis starting in my mid 20s (I am 40 now). Two summers ago, I went on a low carb diet and dropped the 30lbs I needed to get rid of.One of the side benefits (actually the best benefit) was that my psoriasis cleared up. Over the last two years, I messed around with my "diet," watching my how psoriasis (weight no longer being an issue) was affected by various elements. I have now perfected (for me) a lifestyle that means I am now, in the middle of winter (when I used to be bleeding from cracked skin), psoriasis free.

Here's my list (in order of importance):

1. No gluten whatsoever.
2. Relatively low carb (about 150g a day, as I no longer need to lose weight)
3. 30 minutes of sun a day (or vitamin D supplementation during winter)
4. Omega 3/Omega 6 balancing (cut out Frankenoils, eat more salmon, supplement with fish oil).
5. Keeping my weight in check, exercising, getting great sleep
6. A minimal amount of processed foods.

Giving up bread and such is a small price to pay for not having Big Pharm partially treat my psoriasis with the equivalent of expensive immune-system carpet bombing.

[bryanzth]

02:10 PM on 01/04/2011

Rice! Oats! Hemp!

BZ.