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Herbs may be an ideal way to
treat Crohn's disease, but what should a sufferer do if they
have crohns psoriasis as well?
Studies have found that there
is an estimated five-fold increase in psoriasis for those with
Crohn's disease. To put that into better perspective, approximately
2% of Americans are affected by psoriasis, yet more than 11%
of Crohn's sufferers are affected by psoriasis. It seems more
and more likely that a link between Crohn's disease and psoriasis
exists.
What is psoriasis? Psoriasis is a chronic condition that
affects the skin and joints. It typically causes red scaly patches
on the skin that looks like a severe rash. The scales on the
red patch of skin have a silvery hue and are known as psoriatic
plaques and are the result of inflammation and excessive skin
production. The most common areas of the skin that are affected
by psoriasis include the knees and elbows. However, psoriasis
can occur anywhere on the body, even on the genitals or the scalp.
Like Crohn's, psoriasis is not contagious.
What is the link? Researchers believe the crohns psoriasis
link lies within a person's genes. Just like Crohn's, psoriasis
is the result of a malfunctioning immune system and is considered
an immune-mediated condition. If a person has a history of psoriasis
within their family, and these genes have been passed on, this
person may not only be at risk for psoriasis, but also another
immune-mediated condition such as type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid
arthritis, or Crohn's disease.
In fact, research suggests that
the risk of developing psoriasis and/or another immune-mediated
condition, especially diabetes or Crohn's disease, significantly
increases in those who have a close blood relative with psoriasis.
If it is true that Crohn's and
psoriasis are caused by the same immune system malfunction, it
would likely be best to treat crohns psoriasis as one condition
instead of as two separate problems. Although those who have
psoriasis and those who have Crohn's will experience different
symptoms, and each condition affects separate areas of the body,
they still maintain some similarities in regards to flare ups.
For instance, stress and alcohol
consumption are both prime candidates for triggering a Crohn's
and psoriasis flare up. In addition, some believe that a person's
diet can cause an active case of psoriasis, and diet also plays
an important role in regulating Crohn's.
How can crohns psoriasis be treated
together? Even though you may need to treat these problems separately,
certain medications such as Remicade (Infliximab) may be able
to treat them together. Separate studies have found Remicade
to be effective at treating both Crohn's Disease and psoriasis.
The reason is because Remicade is an anti-TNF medication. Tumor
necrosis factor (TNF) is known to be the culprit behind the inflammation
that occurs in Crohn's and psoriasis.
Remicade sooths certain parts
of the body's immune system that are thought to aggravate the
condition and cause symptoms. Essentially, Remicade has been
designed to improve the natural response the body has towards
disease.
Remicade is a powerful crohns
psoriasis treatment and is administered through intravenous injection
over a defined treatment schedule. Many participants in both
the Crohn's and psoriasis studies successfully achieved remission
of their conditions with no or few adverse side effects.
Remicade is not for everyone,
so be sure to talk to your doctor about possible medications
if you suffer from crohns psoriasis. You should also find out
if there are any other treatments or alternative therapies that
your doctor can recommend which may help you attain relief.
About the author: Grab your free copy of Sharon Dobson's brand
new Crohn's Disease Newsletter here http://www.natural-crohns-disease-relief.com/?source=is
which is overflowing with easy to implement methods to help you
relieve Crohn's symptoms naturally.
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