Chapter 7 – Psoriasis Alternative Treatment Methods

This section is included in this report for completeness.  A number of people are interested in alternatives to conventional therapy, and this section considers some of the herb remedies that have been suggested for psoriasis.  This is not to indicate any success or lack of success of any of the suggestions in this section.  Some people have used them with good results, and some people have had no results whatsoever. Since psoriasis is a condition of the body’s T cells misbehavior, it is one of the diseases that is referred to as an autoimmune disease.   One of the herbs most recommended for such diseases is wheatgrass extract.  Applying wheatgrass extract to the affection areas often has a good response in reducing the inflammation of the affected areas.  Wheatgrass has an immunodulatory effect, and boosts the immunological status of the skin and, in time, clinical improvement is almost invariably observed.   Wheatgrass extract can be topically applied to the areas using a small spray bottle.  Some extract is also absorbed through the skin, which also improves the general health and correct function of the immune system.  If the psoriasis patient also takes wheatgrass extract by mouth twice daily (as directed on the packaging) the patient also enjoys better health and greater resistance to infection. As wheatgrass is applied daily, one of the first signs that it is working is that the affected area is no longer itchy, and this may be as early as two or three days after treatment is started.  As treatments continue, the inflammation decreases and the plaque thins.  Lesions start to fade and become fewer in number, and some eventually disappear.  These improvements can be seen gradually over several months.  After a time, many patients no longer need daily application, and instead just apply it or ingest it when they determine it is needed.  As with many herbal remedies, the intent is to regulate the body’s normal functions, and so the improvement may not be rapidly dramatic, but instead is slower and more permanent. The recommended duration for the wheatgrass extract treatment is for six to twelve months.  One herbal location had all patients that came in with psoriasis having noticed significant improvement, and all have been reduced to an “as needed” regimen.   A number of these patients ended up symptomless, and have dispensed with both the oral and topical medication until there may be a future flare up. Another product that helps regulate the functioning of the immune system is ImmunoBoost.   It is a combination of several organic medicinal plant extracts that have been shown to eradicate infections and to assist the immune system of a patient.  It is to be taken orally and can be mixed with other beverages.  This product has not been as extensively tried as wheatgrass extract, but it is being tried by a number of patients that suffer from psoriasis. One natural remedy is the line of Dead Sea skin care treatments.  It has already been mentioned earlier in relation to how daily bathing can improve the general health of the skin.  In addition to salts that can be added to the bath, there are a number of other products used by those who have outbreaks of psoriasis.  The concentrated mineral content of the salts, and their detoxifying properties, will help cleanse and detoxify the body rapidly.   These products frequently make patients feel better, as the itching and pain of the affected areas decrease or stop.   Additionally, they may help in reducing the severity of the outbreak.