{"id":8807,"date":"2023-11-14T22:13:23","date_gmt":"2023-11-14T15:13:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=8807"},"modified":"2023-11-14T22:13:23","modified_gmt":"2023-11-14T15:13:23","slug":"psoriasis-pain-management-tips-from-top-experts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=8807","title":{"rendered":"Psoriasis Pain Management Tips From Top Experts"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"drop-cap text-big text-gray\"> <span class=\"drop-cap__first text-dropcap \">P<\/span>soriasis is a chronic autoimmune condition that causes skin cells to multiply too fast, leaving behind itchy, scaly patches. But there are a number of ways the estimated 125 million people worldwide who have psoriasis experience it. Studies show anywhere from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4743609\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4743609\/\">17 to 83 percent<\/a> of patients say pain is one of the unwelcome side effects.<strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/div>\n<p>Sometimes, psoriasis pain can get so severe that it even <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC9574693\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" class=\"no-underline citation\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC9574693\/\"><span>messes with the ability to sleep<\/span><sup>1<\/sup><\/a>. \u201cPsoriasis pain can feel different for each person, but it is often described as aching, burning, stabbing, throbbing, cramping, or stinging skin,\u201d says board-certified dermatologist <a href=\"https:\/\/eternaldermatology.com\/meet-dr-rodney\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/eternaldermatology.com\/meet-dr-rodney\/\">Ife J. Rodney, MD<\/a>, founding director of <a href=\"https:\/\/eternaldermatology.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/eternaldermatology.com\">Eternal Dermatology Aesthetics<\/a> in Maryland. For patients with painful psoriasis, she says those sensations can range from mild to severe, and affect all different parts of the body.<\/p>\n<div class=\"\">\n<hr\/>\n<div class=\"experts-in-article noskim py-[24px] px-[40px]\">\n<p>Experts In This Article<\/p>\n<ul class=\"!ml-[18px]\">\n<li> <a href=\"https:\/\/eternaldermatology.com\/meet-dr-rodney\/\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/eternaldermatology.com\/meet-dr-rodney\/\">Ife J. Rodney, MD, FAAD<\/a>, board-certified dermatologist and dermapathologist, founding director of Eternal Dermatology in Maryland. <\/li>\n<li> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zeichnerdermatology.com\/about\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.zeichnerdermatology.com\/about\">Joshua Zeichner, MD<\/a>, director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology and associate professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital <\/li>\n<li> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rwjbh.org\/doctors\/naomi-schlesinger-md\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.rwjbh.org\/doctors\/naomi-schlesinger-md\/\">Naomi Schlesinger, MD<\/a>, chief of the rheumatology division at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<hr\/><\/div>\n<p>In about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.psoriasis.org\/about-psoriatic-arthritis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.psoriasis.org\/about-psoriatic-arthritis\/\">30 percent<\/a> of cases, psoriasis also causes a condition known as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aad.org\/public\/diseases\/a-z\/psoriatic-arthritis-overview\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.aad.org\/public\/diseases\/a-z\/psoriatic-arthritis-overview\">psoriatic arthritis<\/a>, which affects the joints. \u201cThis can lead to stiffness or pain as well,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/profiles.mountsinai.org\/joshua-zeichner?ref=popsugar.com&amp;=___psv__p_5339865__t_w_\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/profiles.mountsinai.org\/joshua-zeichner?ref=popsugar.com&amp;=___psv__p_5339865__t_w_\">Joshua Zeichner, MD<\/a>, the director of Cosmetic and Clinical Research in Dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.<\/p>\n<p>If you have psoriasis pain, what you likely want\u00a0are answers: Why you\u2019re in pain\u00a0to begin with and what, exactly, you\u2019re supposed to do to get relief. Here, doctors break it all down.<\/p>\n<h2>What causes psoriasis and the pain it can bring?<\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s not entirely understood why psoriasis can be so uncomfortable. \u201cThe medical community sometimes struggles to find the exact cause of psoriasis or psoriasis pain, but [the pain]\u00a0is thought to be caused by inflammation that irritates nerves in the skin,\u201d Dr. Rodney explains.<\/p>\n<p>What we do know happens is that the immune system sends signals to the skin cells that cause them to grow too quickly, she says. \u201cThis process results in a buildup of skin cells,\u201d Dr. Rodney explains. \u201cWhen these skin cells die and fall off the skin, they cause red, scaly patches that can be itchy and painful.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content \" style=\"\" data-module-init=\"related-content\" data-module-immediate=\"\" v-cloak=\"\">\n<div class=\"related-content__wrapper \" v-cloak=\"\" :class=\"{'is-loaded':isLoaded}\">\n<p> <span class=\"inline pr-6 text-seafoam-dark\">Related Stories<\/span> <\/p>\n<p> <related-content class=\"related-content__links\" parent-article-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/psoriasis-pain-management\/\" current-title=\"Experiencing Psoriasis Pain? Here\u2019s What Doctors Want You To Know\" current-image=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/GettyImages-psoriasis-pain-425x285_418x278_true_70.webp\" v-on:parsely-posts-loaded=\"onPostsLoaded\" start-date=\"2023-05-14\" tag=\"div\" inline-template=\"\" url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/psoriasis-pain-management\/\" secret=\"w5ztterVB03LGZJLfXS0hf3EvQBuFFIWew9hmVQxthU\" apikey=\"wellandgood.com\" limit=\"3\"> <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"related-content__card mb-[10px] sm:mb-[20px]\" :class=\"{'related-content__card--full':posts.length === 1}\" v-for=\"(post, key) in posts\"> <a v-on:click.prevent=\"trackLinkGA($event, key)\" :href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/psoriasis-pain-management\/post.url\" data-url-source=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content__link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content__card--image bg-tan\" :style=\"{ backgroundImage: 'url(' + post.image_url + ')' }\"> <img :src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/psoriasis-pain-management\/post.image_url\" :alt=\"post.title\"\/> <\/div>\n<p> <\/a>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/related-content> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>In the case of psoriatic arthritis, your body\u2019s immune system mistakes joints and tendons as foreign objects and attacks those healthy cells, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aad.org\/public\/diseases\/a-z\/psoriatic-arthritis-causes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.aad.org\/public\/diseases\/a-z\/psoriatic-arthritis-causes\">American Academy of Dermatology Association<\/a>. \u201cWhen it comes to psoriatic arthritis, no two patients are alike,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rwjbh.org\/doctors\/naomi-schlesinger-md\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.rwjbh.org\/doctors\/naomi-schlesinger-md\/\">Naomi Schlesinger, MD<\/a>, chief of the rheumatology division at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey. \u201cSome individuals may have only peripheral joint disease\u2014in which the hands, wrists, and knees are affected\u2014while others may have only spine involvement. Still, other people may have both.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>How to manage the psoriasis pain during flares<\/h2>\n<p>Doctors say there are several things you can do at home to help relieve your pain during psoriasis flares.<\/p>\n<h3>1. Keep your skin moisturized<\/h3>\n<p>Don&#8217;t skimp on that soothing lotion. \u201cThis can help to reduce dryness and scaling, which can make the pain worse,\u201d Dr. Rodney says. Dr. Zeichner also suggests using a cream with salicylic acid to \u201chelp remove excess scale.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>2. Apply cold compresses or take warm baths<\/h3>\n<p>Both the cold and the heat can help to reduce inflammation and pain, Dr. Rodney says.<\/p>\n<h3>3. Use over-the-counter pain relievers<\/h3>\n<p>Ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help, Dr. Rodney says. Both medications work by temporarily increasing your body\u2019s pain threshold so that you feel less pain.<\/p>\n<h3>4. Avoid scratching the affected skin<\/h3>\n<p>It\u2019s tempting to scratch or pick at skin during a flare, but doctors stress that this will only <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/what-makes-psoriasis-worse\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/what-makes-psoriasis-worse\/\">make the pain and inflammation worse<\/a>. Dr. Rodney adds that it could even lead to infection.<\/p>\n<h3>5. Pay attention to what you&#8217;re putting on your skin<\/h3>\n<p>\u201cAvoid using harsh soaps or other products that can irritate the skin,\u201d Dr. Rodney says. Instead, try to stick with unscented products.<\/p>\n<h3>6. Manage stress<\/h3>\n<p>Dr. Rodney suggests regularly working out to keep your stress in check, and doing calming activities like yoga, meditation, or deep breathing. Managing stress is, of course, easier said than done, but she says it&#8217;s important to prioritize because stress can trigger psoriasis flares.<\/p>\n<h3>7. Avoid alcohol and cigarettes<\/h3>\n<p>Both alcohol and cigarettes may <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC8116091\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" class=\"no-underline citation\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC8116091\/\"><span>impact flares<\/span><sup>2<\/sup><\/a>\u2014and your pain. It\u2019s best to avoid them if you\u2019re able, Dr. Rodney says.<\/p>\n<h3>8. Ask your doctor about medications<\/h3>\n<p>There are topical creams or ointments, oral medications, and injections that can be used to manage psoriasis pain, Dr. Rodney says. \u201cThese come in different strengths and sometimes, the doctor or dermatologist may suggest different options based on their effectiveness,\u201d she says, noting that it\u2019s important to talk to your personal physician since psoriasis treatment can impact everyone differently.<\/p>\n<p>However, don\u2019t give up hope. Dr. Zeichner stresses that \u201cpsoriasis can be managed.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>When to see your doctor about psoriasis pain<\/h2>\n<h3>If you suspect you may have psoriasis but haven&#8217;t been given a diagnosis:<\/h3>\n<p>Dr. Rodney recommends contacting your dermatologist for an evaluation. \u201cWe can recommend treatment options and help manage the pain and inflammation associated with psoriasis,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<h3>If you\u2019ve already been diagnosed with psoriasis and you\u2019re uncomfortable but it\u2019s manageable:<\/h3>\n<p>Dr. Zeichner recommends starting with at-home strategies like those mentioned above and seeing where that gets you. \u201cIf over-the-counter products are not helping after two to four weeks, visit a board-certified dermatologist for prescription treatments,\u201d he says. \u201cYour dermatologist can talk to you about higher-strength cortisone creams as well as medications that address the inflammation from the inside out, including those you can take by mouth or injectables.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>If your psoriasis pain is severe enough that it\u2019s impacting your quality of life:<\/h3>\n<p>Dr. Rodney recommends contacting your dermatologist right away. There\u2019s no reason to needlessly suffer.<\/p>\n<div class=\"block-thin post-citations mt-[40px] mb-[30px]\" data-module-init=\"main-2020\/post-citations\" data-module-immediate=\"true\">\n<hr class=\"!border-seafoam-dark mb-[24px]\"\/>\n<div class=\"post-citations-content flex flex-col gap-[24px]\">\n<p>Well+Good articles reference scientific, reliable, recent, robust studies to back up the information we share. You can trust us along your wellness journey.<\/p>\n<div>\n<ol class=\"!ml-[18px] !mt-0\">\n<li>\n              Halioua, Bruno et al. \u201cSleep Disorders and Psoriasis: An Update.\u201d\u00a0<i>Acta dermato-venereologica<\/i>\u00a0vol. 102 adv00699. 27 Apr. 2022, doi:10.2340\/actadv.v102.1991            <\/li>\n<li>\n              Salihbegovic, Eldina Malkic et al. \u201cSmoking Cigarettes and Consuming Alcohol in Patients with Psoriasis.\u201d\u00a0<i>Materia socio-medica<\/i>\u00a0vol. 33,1 (2021): 30-33. doi:10.5455\/msm.2021.33.30-33            <\/li>\n<li>\n              Martin, Mona L et al. \u201cThe experience of pain and redness in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.\u201d\u00a0<i>The Journal of dermatological treatment<\/i>\u00a0vol. 26,5 (2015): 401-5. doi:10.3109\/09546634.2014.996514            <\/li>\n<\/ol><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<hr class=\"!border-seafoam-dark mt-[24px]\"\/>\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1675549\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune condition that causes skin cells to multiply too fast, leaving behind itchy, scaly patches. But there are a number of ways the estimated 125 million people worldwide who have psoriasis experience it. Studies show anywhere from 17 to 83 percent of patients say pain is one of the unwelcome side &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":8808,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8807","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8807","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8807"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8807\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8808"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8807"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8807"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8807"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}