Plaque Psoriasis Medications and Functional Medicine
Plaque psoriasis is a common form of psoriasis characterized by raised, red, scaly patches on the skin known as plaques.
These plaques can be itchy and painful, and they can appear anywhere on the body.
While there are many conventional medications for plaque psoriasis, such as topical creams and light therapy, many patients are turning to functional medicine for a more holistic approach.
Understanding Plaque Psoriasis Medications
Plaque psoriasis medications suppress the symptoms of psoriasis which has tremendous value even if the root cause is not attempting to be identified and treated.
Psoriasis medications help reduce symptoms, decrease the frequency and severity of flare-ups, and improve the patient's quality of life.
These medications can come in various forms, such as pills, shots, creams, and ointments, and some are designed to target specific proteins in the immune system that are responsible for the development of psoriasis.
Always try to identify the cause of psoriasis to see if it can be treated by healing the body using functional medicine, rather than only covering up the symptoms, potentially making things much worse in the future.
This is a list of the common psoriasis medications, listed from least invasive to most invasive:
- Topical medications: These are applied directly to the skin and include creams, ointments, gels, and shampoos. They can be used to treat mild to moderate psoriasis and include products such as coal tar, salicylic acid, and corticosteroids. [1]
- Oral medications: These are taken by mouth and include products such as acitretin and methotrexate. They can be used to treat moderate to severe psoriasis and can have serious side effects. [3]
- Light therapy: This involves exposing the skin to ultraviolet light to slow the growth of skin cells and reduce inflammation. It can be used to treat mild to moderate psoriasis and can be done in a doctor's office or at home with a special light box though there is also a risk of skin damage and diseases of the skin in the future [1]
- Biologic medications: These are given as injections or infusions and include adalimumab, ustekinumab, and secukinumab. They work by targeting specific proteins in the immune system that are involved in psoriasis. They can be used to treat moderate to severe psoriasis and have serious side effects. [3], [2]
- Interleukin-23 antagonists: These are the newest systemic treatments for plaque psoriasis, including risankizumab, tildrakizumab, and guselkumab. They work by blocking the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-23. They can be used to treat moderate to severe psoriasis and have serious side effects. [2]
The Benefits of Functional Medicine
Functional medicine is a holistic approach to healthcare that takes into account the whole person, including their physical, emotional, and environmental factors. It aims to identify the root cause of a condition, rather than simply treating the symptoms. This approach can be particularly beneficial for people with plaque psoriasis, as it addresses underlying issues that may be contributing to the condition, such as stress, gut health, and nutrient deficiencies.
These are the top three reasons to work with a functional medicine doctor for plaque psoriasis:
- Patient-centered care: One of the major benefits of functional medicine is that it takes a holistic approach to healthcare, treating the individual as a whole rather than just addressing specific symptoms. This approach allows practitioners to understand and address the underlying causes of a patient's health issues.
- Addressing the root cause: Functional medicine practitioners focus on identifying and addressing the underlying causes of chronic health conditions, rather than just managing symptoms with medication. This can lead to long-term healing and improved overall health.
- Personalized treatment: Functional medicine practitioners work with patients to create personalized treatment plans that take into account the patient's unique physical, emotional, and environmental factors. This approach can lead to more effective treatment and improved outcomes.
Plaque psoriasis medications and functional medicine are both powerful approaches to consider for those suffering from this chronic autoimmune skin condition.
Functional medicine works to identify why you have plaque psoriasis and directly improve those root drivers of the condition, while medications are often prescribed without knowing why the body is attacking itself rather than protecting it.
This is why I highly recommend you consider working with a functional medicine doctor.
Medications absolutely have a place, but using medications as a first line treatment without also asking why your immune system is attacking your skin isn't acknowledging the reality that most people can improve their psoriasis with diet, lifestyle, and supplementation.
Without addressing your immune triggers, you may just be covering up your symptoms only to see bigger problems arise in the future.
Many people with plaque psoriasis have immune responses to food proteins, chronic pathogen infections, and chemicals.
Plus, immune system dysregulation from chemical exposures and vitamin and mineral deficiency creates an environment where the immune system may start reacting to the tissues of the body through immunological mechanisms like:
- Molecular mimicry and cross reactivity
- Bystander reactivity
- Cryptic antigen reactivity
- Epitope spreading
- Citrullination
Immunologists are studying these mechanisms and others to better understand why the immune system attacks the body and causes autoimmunity.
If you or someone you know is struggling with plaque psoriasis, consider functional medicine first, or at least as a complimentary approach for plaque psoriasis.
Why wouldn’t you try to identify and address factors that may be driving plaque psoriasis?
- You may also want to read:
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About the Author:
Dr. Shook has psoriasis and Hashimoto's disease and has trained extensively in functional medicine, epigenetics, and human performance optimization. DrBradShook.com is a resource to help people with Hashimoto's disease, thyroid dysfunction, and other autoimmune conditions learn more about how they can complement their current medical care and support their thyroid and autoimmunity naturally.
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