Psoriasis is a very common chronic, relapsing erythematous scaly skin disease. Although a great deal of basic research has been done on the biochemical, immunological, genetic and molecular biology aspects of psoriasis, the pathogenesis of psoriasis has not been finally elucidated. It is now believed that psoriasis is stimulated by a variety of environmental factors in a genetic background, so controlling the unfavorable factors in the environment and changing the patient’s cognitive behavior can achieve the purpose of prevention. Wang Lijun, Department of Dermatology, Wuxi Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine
The purely biomedical model of treatment focuses solely on the complete regression of the patient’s skin lesions, and has developed a variety of treatments for this purpose, including corticosteroids, anti-cancer drugs and immunosuppressants, and so-called “ancestral recipes” containing mercury, arsenic compounds, etc., all of which are used to treat psoriasis. Although these drugs can make some patients’ skin lesions improve significantly within a short period of time after using them, there are often serious toxic side effects, and relapse soon after stopping the drugs, making the long-term disease more serious and treatment more difficult. Practice has proven that there is still no cure for psoriasis.
The combination of biological, psychological and social factors in the prevention and treatment of psoriasis, focusing on the role of psychological and environmental factors on the development of psoriasis, is the new modern medical model that has been explored in recent years. The skin symptoms of psoriasis patients can be seen at a glance, while their psychological pain is often overlooked by doctors. In fact, their mental pain is often greater than their physical pain, and coupled with the economic burden and cost of long-term treatment, these become the “three mountains” that weigh on the patient’s head. The ideal outcome for this disease is to eliminate the rash and prolong the recurrence time as much as possible at the lowest possible cost, improving the patient’s quality of life. As physicians, we know the pros and cons of different treatments and their indications, and we know how to effectively prevent relapses. There is a “knowledge gap” between us and our patients that is difficult to bridge because of the difference in “perception”. In the current medical environment, this makes it more difficult to communicate with patients and prevents them from choosing the right treatment.
Based on the above considerations, our dermatology department intends to try to establish a regular “communication platform”, i.e., to systematically educate patients about psoriasis through outpatient consultation, telephone, e-mail, letter and centralized consultation, so as to make them understand the relevant knowledge of psoriasis, and to relieve all the misunderstandings and concerns about psoriasis; to continuously The platform is tentatively named “Psoriasis”. This platform is tentatively named “psoriasis patient home”, and we hope to help patients obtain better treatment results and continuous psychological support through this format.
In the face of disease, doctors and patients are collaborators. By discussing and understanding psoriasis knowledge, analyzing its triggering and aggravating factors, and sharing successful psoriasis prevention and treatment experiences between doctors and patients on an equal footing under the framework of “psoriasis patient home”, the effectiveness of psychological treatment and medication for psoriasis can be greatly improved.