Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
Is an ancient health care system that involves many different practices. The administration of many herbs, combined in unique formulations for each individual patient, is one of the primary treatments. TCM can come in oral, topical and injectable forms. In China, many herbal preparations, both oral and topical, are available for treating psoriasis. Some of these make the skin more sensitive to ultraviolet light and are combined with traditional phototherapy. There is no doubt that the centuries of development that have resulted in these preparations must be respected TCM may be able to help some people. Please be aware that Natural is not necessarily best there are some extremely potent drugs which exist in natural form and are promoted as a natural alternative. Remember production of these products is not clinical and huge variations in quality can exist. There are some traditional Chinese herbal preparations which when misused have resulted in liver damage.Meditation/Relaxation
There is clear scientific evidence that stress can trigger or aggravate psoriasis in some people. Therefore, practices that promote relaxation and stress reduction are often recommended for people with psoriasis. Hypnosis, both on its own and as an addition to other psoriasis treatment, was cited as being helpful in clearing psoriasis in several published case reports. One study examined the use of meditation-based relaxation tapes in patients undergoing ultraviolet light (UV) treatments. Patients who listened to the tapes during the treatments cleared faster, in some cases, twice as fast as patients who had the light therapy alone. Along those same lines, an upublished study found that PUVA (a type of UV therapy) patients who had some type of psychological intervention or relaxation training/guided imagery improved much faster than patients who had no intervention. The mind can be a powerful tool for healing. Any technique that can help people with psoriasis learn to manage stress and give them a better sense of control over the mental aspects of the disease is potentially worthwhile. These techniques, however, seem to work best when used to supplement traditional medical treatments.Herbal therapies
When looking at arthritis and rheumatism from a natural point of view one has to take into account the body as a whole. There are a variety of different factors which need to be taking into account . Genetics plays an important role in the occurrence of these maladies also psychological imbalances play their part. In taking a natural approach it is usual to make an assumption that there is some kind of toxic buildup in the system and many remedies are intended to cleanse the system.The following natural products have been found to be useful in treatment of arthritis and rheumatism.
- Bog bean
- Guaiacum
- Black cohosh
- Cellery seed
- Meadowsweet
- Yarrow
- Jamaican dog wort
- Valerian
- Passion flower
- Capsicum
These products are well known to herbalists and having been used over the centuries in the treatment of these maladies. They are compounded together to give the best results and it is wise if you intend to use these products to purchase a ready made compound from either a pharmacy or a herbalist. This is because many naturally occurring compounds are essentially very potent and potentially toxic and getting the right balance is a process of trial and error. The mistakes have already been made and documented so experiment at your own risk.
Topical Moisturizing Products
The skin is an important part of treating psoriasis, and the market is full of moisturizing products that could fall into the "alternative" or "natural" category. Aloe vera was shown in one study to be effective in treating psoriasis. Neem oil, emu oil, jojoba and other substances have no evidence that they help psoriasis, but they may because of their moisturizing properties. Bath and moisturizing products containing oat derivatives are known to be soothing to the skin. Other topical products may have more medicinal effects, such as witch hazel, tea tree oil, mahonia aquifolium, capsaicin and evening primrose oil. Capsaicum (a natural ingredient in hot peppers) helps to relievescaling, redness and itching, and it is also well known as a topical pain reliever.Magnets
Promotion and use of therapeutic magnets for relieving pain has become more and more popular in recent years. While there are several theories as to why they might be effective, no one is absolutely sure how magnets work. It's easy to find positive testimonials about magnet therapy, but scientific studies are not available. Still, they may be worth a try for a person suffering with chronic pain from psoriatic arthritis. Magnets are not guaranteed to be safe, neither are they guaranteed to work so people should talk. They also tend to be expensive So with the profit motive being present please do not take exaggerated claims too seriously.(published with permission in writing from:http://www.paforum.org.uk/)
