How to Treat Pemphigus
Pemphigus is a disease of the skin and mucus membranes that causes blisters and sores. This is a type of autoimmune disease in which the body mistakes its own skin and mucus membranes as foreign and tries to destroy them. This article will educate you on the treatments available to treat this autoimmune disease.
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Instructions
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Mild Pemphigus
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Visit your doctor immediately if you think you may be suffering from pemphigus.
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Ask your doctor about steroid treatments. Doctors mainly use steroids to treat mild cases of pemphigus. There are troublesome side effects associated with steroid treatment including: weight gain, mood swings, diabetes, hair loss and decreased ability to fight infections (because these steroids suppress your immune system). Discuss this with your doctor so that you may learn all underlying risks of this treatment.
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Consider other immunosuppressants. Your physician may suggest that you take drugs such as Imuran and Rhematrex to suppress your immune system and keep it from attacking healthy skin tissues and membranes in the body. Like steroid treatments, these drugs carry sometimes serious side effects including osteoporosis and increased risk of infection. During the use of this treatment, close medical supervision is recommended. If you are proned to infection or get an infection, you need to tell your doctor right away.
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Know about antibiotic treatments that are available for mild cases. Your doctor may prescribe you some antibiotic treatments to help heal sores and prevent skin infections. Antibiotics are generally used in conjunction with immunosuppressants. It is recommended that you take these medications as prescribed by your doctor and for as long as your doctor has prescribed it.
Severe Pemphigus
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Try fluid admissions and intravenous feeding. In severe cases of pemphigus, the infected sores on the skin will sometimes ooze secreting vital fluids necessary in maintaining hydration. Your doctor might recommend fluids and electrolytes to be administered via IV. If undergoing at home treatments for pemphigus and if at anytime you feel dehydrated, you are encouraged to go to the emergency room right away. At the emergency room, the attending physician will automatically administer these necessary fluids. If your mouth sores are so severe and it becomes painful to eat, you may have to be hospitalized shortly to undergo intravenous feeding. This treatment starts at the hospital and can sometimes be carried out at home under medical supervision.
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Obtain prescription lozenges for mouth sores. Intravenous feeding isn't intended for the long term care of pemphigus. Your doctor may prescribe antiseptic mouth lozenges to you in order to heal the sores on the inside of your mouth and throat. It is always advised to take any type of prescription medication as recommended and for no longer than your doctor recommends.
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Use plasmapheresis if your doctor determines that it is right for you. This is possibly the best way to get rid of the antibodies that attack your skin and mucus membranes. Plasmapheresis removes part of your blood called plasma through a device called a separator. The antibodies and the white blood cells of the human blood are in this plasma. After removal, the patient is supplied with donor plasma. The only downfall to this treatment is having a rare blood type. Your doctor will not recommend this treatment if you have a rare blood type. However, if you know you have a common blood type, immediately discuss this treatment with your doctor.
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Resources
- Photo Credit Image Courtesy: University of California at San Francisco
