What is living with atopic dermatitis, an itchy disease that hurts and is difficult to treat – 26/11/2018



[ad_1]

Atopic dermatitis can have a significant impact on the lives of patients and, with different levels of severity, is one of the most common inflammatory skin diseases. It causes debilitating symptoms such as dry skin intense and persistent itching, redness, crusts and secretions . The Argentine Association of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (AAAeIC) and the Argentine Society of Dermatology (DAS) have joined together to raise awareness about World Sickness Day, celebrated today. hui.

"Atopic dermatitis has multiple faces, depending on the age of the patient, but its main symptom is itching accompanied by extremely dry and reactive skin," says SAD President Cristina Pascutto.

For many, itching is severe or intolerable. Pica day and night, so that 8 out of 10 patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis suffer from sleep disorders ; and more than half of the itching interrupts their sleep five to seven nights a week.

Clarín Newsletters

  Buena Vida | Meet the latest people to take care of your health and feel good.

Good life | Meet the last ones to take care of your health and feel good.

Every Tuesday.

"Some people scratch their sleep or try to fall asleep Sometimes scratching comes from the next room It is difficult for parents who see their child to suffer or for a husband to see their partner in this situation Anyway, the one who suffers the most is the one who lives all his life through itching, rashes, redness and pain, "says Gabriel Gattolin, president of the AAAeIC

There is also a so-called itch-itch cycle, which causes even more itching.

Half of the patients with the moderate-to-severe variant also experience pain. The lesions can cover more than half of the body and manifest themselves in sensitive areas such as eyelids, neck, elbows, wrists, knees and ankles.When they are scratched born, patients can be even more injured and increase the risk of infections.

The impact on the quality of life is high. In addition, many patients often make the pilgrimage of several doctors until the diagnosis is made. Atopic dermatitis can cause a loss of self esteem, the fear of being seen, being bullied and promoting the development of depression. Four out of ten sufferers feel embarrbaded by their condition and half of the patients often feel or are still frustrated with their condition.

Other figures provided by scientific societies make it possible to measure this level. Impact: People with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis lose three times more work than the rest of the population. On average, adolescents lose 26 days of clbades per year because of this disease (about 3.5 days per episode).

"It affects aspects of everyday life such as the choice of clothes, physical activity, outings with friends, a walk, or more important issues such as public presentation, interpersonal relationships, or socializing. This has a psychologically negative impact on the ability to generate anxiety, depression or isolation "adds Gattolin.

Diagnosis and Treatment

It is generally considered a condition of childhood, since affects between 5 to 20% of children of which 10 to 40% have the severe form. Be that as it may, in 3 out of 10 cases, it persists after puberty and, in fact, some patients even have the first and most important symptoms.

Gattolin notes that "the pruritus they suffer from is the main diagnostic criterion and the central reason they go to the request.However, red, swollen, cracked, thick and oozing skin is a complex, often severe picture. and difficult to treat. "

At the first consultation, patients are also asked if they have any type of airway manifestation, as it is very common that they present pictures of the patient. Asthma, rhinitis and allergic conjunctivitis, chronic rhinosinusitis and food allergies. It is also studied on family history.

"Although one of the elements to arrive at the diagnosis is the typical site where the lesions appear, we find in some patients a different distribution, with aspects similar to those of other diseases such as eczema nummular, prurigo, seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis, scabies and even drug reactions.Therefore, to reach the correct diagnosis, it is often necessary to carry out other more specific studies ", describes Pascutto .

Factors contributing to outbreaks and should be avoided:

✔️Stress

✔️ Food Allergens (Eggs, Milk, Wheat, Soybeans, Peanuts and Others)

✔️Aeroallens (mites, weeds, animal epithelium, mushrooms, other)

skin cleansers, woolen or man-made garments

✔️Hot water

✔️Modern quality soap and aggressive detergents

✔ ️Climate causing extreme temperature, humidity or excessive dryness

✔️ Skin infections of certain microorganisms

From the Argentine Dermatology Society, pointed out that the recommendation the more important is based on the care of the skin and the control of dry skin to avoid scratches, exacerbation of lesions and superinfections.

The most important thing is to keep the skin moisturized and moisturized with creams. All compounds containing oats also help, since it is a natural anti-inflammatory for the skin. Ultraviolet rays work together, so it is recommended to be exposed to the sun, but before 10 hours or after 18 hours, because the most abrasive rays can dehydrate the skin and be counterproductive.

However, many patients with moderate-to-severe symptoms claim that the symptoms persist despite the available therapeutic alternatives. In this sense, Pascutto says that "the development of new drugs to inhibit the processes that trigger inflammation, with a good safety profile, opens up promising prospects for the near future".

[ad_2]
Source link