Thursday 30 August 2012

Psoriasis Triggers: Managing Stress

Imagine being tumbled in a hectic schedule or squeezed through a difficult life situation, the mental and physical torment can be heavy. Along with these, comes a constant barrage of psoriasis flare ups. Your already scaly, red patches or lesions starts flaking, itching and burning more.

According to Mark Lebwohl, MD, chairman of the medical board of the National Psoriasis Foundation, stress is clearly one of the main psoriasis triggers of outbreaks for some people. Scandinavian researchers conducted a survey in 2004 and found that almost two-thirds of the respondents reported their psoriasis got severe with stress.

The hormone cortisol, known to alter the immune system response and is released during times of physical or emotional stress, tends to be found at higher levels in people suffering from psoriasis. Additionally, a 2008 study in the International Journal of Dermatology published that three quarters with psoriasis reported significant cortisol level drops during remissions of the disease.

Managing stress levels are known to clam psoriasis, try these stress reduction techniques and witness the change yourself:

1. Exercise – get yourself moving whether it’s swimming, biking, yoga or just plain walking, exercise is known to reduce overall stress levels.

2. Prioritize and plan – if you have a long to-do-list than the amount of time you have in a day, get your priorities to the top list. Learn to say no if you can’t commit to anything which isn’t within your reach. These can calm your “psoriasis triggers” – stress.

3. Get support – talk with people who are diagnosed with psoriasis too, share your concerns and experiences. Get help and advice from trained professionals and counselors. You can search for a support group or get connected with the Psoriasis Help Organization (PHO) community.

4. Meditate – In a 1998 study conducted by the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, researchers found psoriasis sufferers undergoing phototherapy with stress-reducing meditation tapes had their psoriasis clear faster. Learn to include activities such as massage therapies, deep breathing exercises and group meditation in your weekly schedules.
There are multiple psoriasis triggers to take account into, keeping a tab on them is vital. But stress in particular requires a little more personalized attention. The reason? Stress isn’t just a psoriasis trigger, but also a by-product of psoriasis. Those diagnosed with psoriasis develop stress just by experiencing their skin chronically marked with scaly, red patches or lesions. This circular relationship can complicate matters for psoriasis sufferers. Taking the above steps can help break the cycle.

It is possible for psoriasis triggers to be controlled. I have heard and witnessed many amazing real life personal account from psoriasis sufferers and how they “cured” psoriasis just by keeping a check on their psoriasis triggers. But it requires some consistent effort and dedication from psoriasis patients.

1 comment:

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