Psoriasis

A recent trip to Israel included a stop at the Dead Sea. Many people from around the world travel to the Dead Sea for treatment for psoriasis and other diseases. As I have often questioned flawed studies and research without a scientific basis, I wondered whether there are facts behind the claimed beneficial effects of the Dead Sea. 
If a standard treatment exists for a medical condition, is it unethical to give patients who are enrolled in a clinical trial a placebo? Most would argue yes, but the ethics become unclear when the standard treatment has its own risks.
Given therapeutics in the cancer category dominate the list is not so surprising, given the hefty price tag they yield. Where there is a great return there tends to be a great investment.
After being bitten by a mosquito, who among us hasn’t been tormented by the resulting itch? Now, imagine that intensity and urge to scratch spread over your entire body, in a constant and unrelenting fashion – night and day. This condition has a name: chronic generalized pruritus.
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Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition in which the over-production of epidermal (skin) cells build up on the surface of the skin, forming itchy, dry red patches that often causes significant discomfort. According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, about 7.5 million Americans have psoriasis. And 125 million individuals
Although psoriasis is primarily a disease of the skin, its effects often go well beyond skin deep. The disease, which is considered to be autoimmune, can be very difficult to live with. Its most common form causes white, scaly patches, which are itchy, unsightly and can cover large areas of the body. Although uncommon, it can be so debilitating that people who are afflicted have higher rates of depression and suicide.
A major study has found that people with psoriasis are more likely to develop diabetes and cardiovascular disease among other conditions.