What You Must Know About Psoriasis and Methotrexate

February 4th, 2013 by admin No comments »

Treating psoriasis with Methotrexate

Psoriasis sufferers when fail to treat psoriasis with other options then their last resort is Methotrexate. One can take this drug orally or by intramuscular injection, it was originally used for treating different cancers in the late 1940s. It was found later that the low dose of Methotrexate can be effective for treating medical issues as well. In the beginning of 1960s, this medicine has been prescribed for complicated and/or disabling cases of psoriasis.


Mostly sufferers experiencing extensive psoriasis involving 30 percent of the skin or with acute pustular psoriasis respond well to Methotrexate. In case of severe psoriatic arthritis which is a disabling type of the disease that one can distinguish by stiffness in the joints and inflammation also another indication to opt for Methotrexate psoriasis therapy.

There are three ways to take this drug: as a weekly, single oral dose of 3-10 tablets (7-20 mgs); a weekly division of oral dose i.e. 3 tablets (2.5 -5mg) over a 36-hour period; or intramuscular dose once every week.

It takes 4-6 weeks to see improvement in these symptoms of starting Methotrexate therapy but in some cases it may take a little longer i.e. 2-3 months. Once the skin is cleared of lesions, the patient does not notice these symptoms for some weeks to a year after discontinuing therapy.

On the other hand Methotrexate is quite toxic in nature even if it is taken in small dose – it is important to monitor the patient by a health care practitioner. There are some short-term side effects of this drug which include insomnia, appetite loss, hair loss, nausea, fatigue and a lowering of white blood cell count which makes body prone to infection.

There are some rare side effects as well less common side effects like headache, acne, unusual sensitivity to the sun, fever, drowsiness, blurred vision, painful urination, convulsions, bloody urine, reduced sperm count, ringing in the ears and breathing issues.

Methotrexate can act as a triggering factor to develop a unique as well as dangerous type of lung disease at any time during the course of therapy. Even if the dose is as low as 7.5 mg per week this reaction can occur. Some common symptoms of this condition include breathing difficulty, cough, respiratory infection, low blood concentration oxygen and abnormality in chest X-ray. It is always best to report to your doctor if you notice any change in your breathing or lung states during intake of Methotrexate.

Psoriasis Symptoms And The Treatment Methods

June 7th, 2012 by admin No comments »

Psoriasis Symptoms and Treatments

Psoriasis illness is a type of skin disease, which is chronic. And, many people all around the globe have been affected by it. The people who are afflicted with psoriasis can be very distressful. Some of the causes of psoriasis are: The immune system (defense mechanism), genetic tendency and the surrounding factors. Sometimes, psoriasis disease may only reveal its symptoms on bit of pieces of dry skin. The whole body can also be affected in some rare and unusual cases. The disease of psoriasis can cause itching, and the outcome is bleeding and severe pain. The cause of this disease is not known and yet millions of people all around the world affect from it. However, people who are suffering from this disease can be given medicines to give them temporary relief.

When skin cells reproduce at a remarkable speed, psoriasis is the outcome .Dry and red bits of skin are the most common symptoms of psoriasis. Psoriasis is very likely to occur or happen on the knee, elbow or even on the scalp. Flare-up, caused by itching and rubbing can further result in psoriasis disease. Rashes caused by itching are visible on elbows, ankles, back of neck, skin of wrists as well as on scalp. Let’s put some light on major kinds of psoriasis: Pustular and non-Pustular.

Skin-cells-psoriasis

The most dangerous type of psoriasis is non-Pustular. Plaque psoriasis is also called as psoriasis vulgaris, and 90 percent people suffer from this. The plaque psoriasis looks like the skin is inflamed, and a bit raised, with a cover of silver scaly skin. In most cases immense pain, swollen parts and a lot of itching occurs. We can recognize Pustular psoriasis as it has raised bumps on the skin, along with pus filled pustules. However, the fluid that is present is not infectious at all. The skin becomes inflamed as there are pustules under the skin. Psoriasis can be treated with two types of medication treatments i.e. oral and topical. Many patients are treated with a salt water solution. Also “Epson” salt bath and soak salts have been proved to be fruitful for many patients. If you need more info on treating psoriasis, learn more at this psoriasis website.

Today, there are many treatments available for psoriasis. Photography treatment and exposure to UV rays are also included in treatment. The exposing of skin to artificial (fake) UVB light supply over fixed time is called Photography treatment. The rapid growth/reproduction of skin cells is slowed down a bit by UVB. For curing a moderate psoriasis, systematic medication or drugs and/or prescribed medicines are given to the patient. In order to cure tropical psoriasis there are numerous creams as well as lotions. Long term use of these creams is not advised, however applying them once or twice a day is fine! The injection of steroids straight into the affected area has also proved to very effective and beneficial. Drugs that help to remove numerous immune system cells that are the cause of psoriasis are called Biological drugs; they are made from animal or human protein.

Irritating skin can be controlled, and reduction of itching can also be done with the help of psoriasis treatment. Flaking of skin and controlling of scaling is improved by moisturizers and lotion cream. The skin will become soft and smooth at the same time with the help of these creams. It is possible to use drugs under supervision of a doctor. The patient may respond to treatment after the right medication has been done.