Psoriasis Patients Feel Pain Skin Deep

When you think of psoriasis, you may call to mind the visible physical symptoms such as raised, red lesions, dry skin, or scaly plaques that occur usually on the knees, elbows, trunk and scalp. But psoriasis is an autoimmune disorder that can cause real pain and discomfort for suffers—more than 8 million Americans and 125 million people worldwide. Both genetics and environmental factors play roles in the disease, and certain people experience triggers, such as a cut, a certain food, or stress.

A new study suggests that pain is a major factor in the psychosocial impact of psoriasis. There was little in the way of qualitative reports of dermatologists’ views on psoriasis-related pain, so this study was designed to investigate dermatologists’ views about psoriasis pain.

By using semi-structured interviews of 19 female dermatologists from different cities in Croatia, the researchers collected participant demographic and occupational data as well as information about their “experiences and attitudes toward psoriasis-related pain.”

They then analyzed data and found that most of the dermatologists acknowledged the pain experienced by their psoriasis patients. Additionally, the interviewees recognized that they “sometimes do not sufficiently address this pain in daily practice.”

However, while some of the dermatologists said that pain was a neglected symptom in psoriasis, others did not consider it crucial. Most in the interviewee group also said that more focus on psoriasis-related pain in clinical practice is needed and that family physicians need better education regarding psoriasis-related pain.

The study concluded that, “More emphasis is needed on psoriasis-related pain for effective management of psoriasis, informing decision-making in the context of patient-centric care and improving the quality of life in patients with psoriasis.”