What are the different kinds of psoriasis?
There are a bunch of different kinds of psoriasis. Plaque psoriasis is most common, occurring mostly on the elbows, knees, and scalp, though it can show up anywhere on the body. Guttate psoriasis is character- ized by a rapid evolution of small, red, scaly bumps on the skin that don’t tend to coalesce into larger plaques. It often follows a sore throat or respiratory infection, and may resolve on its own in 3-4 months or, unfortunately, herald the onset of chronic plaque psoriasis. Pustular psoriasis occurs on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, with clearly defined, raised, pus-filled bumps. Exacerbations can be so painful as to affect one’s ability to walk or use the hands. And, finally, erythrodermic psoria- sis: a serious progression affecting 2% of sufferers that can require hospitalization. (Psoriatic arthritis is also worth noting; it’s a chronic, inflammatory condition affecting the joints that may precede, accompany, or follow skin manifestations of the disease.)
Psoriasis and Chinese medicine
Okay, so after all that, what does Chinese medicine have to offer? Patients who come to me are typically dissatisfied or frustrated with western interventions.
• They don’t want to use steroids or immu no-suppressant drugs. • Steroids or other interventions work for only a short period of time. • Steroids or other interventions work for a time, but symptoms worsen when the drugs are discontinued, sometimes dramatically.
• Steroids or other interventions have stopped working entirely.
• They want to get to the root of their condition, rather than continue to treat only the symptoms or simply suppress them.
If you’ve been keeping up with this
series, by now you know that Chinese medi- cine has a distinct lens through which we view the body. This lens gives us a unique perspective, and often provides answers where there have previously been none. We can make sense of the body in a whole different way than your western practitioner. Not a better or worse way, necessarily, just a whole different way. We’re not interested in treating your psoriasis; we’re interested in treating you: the person who has psoriasis.
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You also have a digestive system, a men- strual cycle (well, half of you do), sleep- ing patterns, urinary habits, predominant emotions, old pains, and future aspirations. All of these things play a role in your health, so all of these things play a role in your psoriasis. Thankfully, we’re seeing more and more western health care providers who recognize the importance of a whole-person approach. Still, Chinese medicine provides a new, different perspective because our un- derstanding of physiology is just, well, it’s a different understanding. A different perspec- tive. A different lens.
So, we’ll ask a lot of questions and we’ll look really, really closely at your skin. It’s not enough to know we’re treating psoriasis. The details of your skin will help us paint a picture of your individual imbal- ance; once that picture is clear; we can match a treatment plan to it, execute the plan with herbal medicine and acupunc- ture, and watch your skin clear up. Hurrah! So, tell me, where are your plaques
located? Are they fresh red, dark purple, or brown? Are they thin and greasy? Are they thick and infiltrated and tethered to your skin or do they scrape off easily? When you scrape them off do you see slight bleeding? Are they damp or dry? Are they in skin crevices (like your butt crack or underneath your breasts)? Did this exacerbation start off as a result of trauma (that Koebner phenom- enon, again)? Are your nails involved? And then the more general questions: Do you itch? Sweat? Have a sore throat? Feel hot? Are you especially thirsty?
Results that last
Chinese medicine is notable in its treat- ment of skin disease—its treatment of ALL disease—in that we’re not looking for relief because we’ve suppressed symptoms, we’re looking for relief because we’ve resolved the root of the problem. We’ve brought your body back into right relationship with itself. We’ve cleared things out that need to be cleared out; we’ve supplemented aspects of you that are deficient; we’ve gotten parts of your system that had stopped communi- cating to communicate again; all so your body can function physiologically (in a state of health) rather than pathologically (in a state of disease). A combination of internal herbal medicine, acupuncture, and dietary and lifestyle recommendations can yield powerful, lasting results. It’s unlikely to hap- pen quickly, but it can happen, and it will happen over time.
Alexa Gilmore is a board-certified acu- puncturist and Chinese herbalist practicing Chinese Medicine at ATX Acupuncture in Portland, Maine. She takes a no-nonsense approach to the healing arts and expects positive outcomes. In addition to provid- ing high quality treatments, she works in partnership with her patients, empowering them to make lasting changes in their health profile by implementing simple, effective principles of Chinese Medicine into their daily lives. Learn more about Alexa and ATX Acupuncture at
www.atxacu.com. See ad on page 9.
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