According to the results of studies carried out by specialists of the International Association of Psoriasis, approximately 2-4% of the world's population suffers from this disease. In a third of patients, the symptomatology of pathology begins to manifest itself in adolescence and persists throughout life. Treatment of psoriasis in Israel and rehabilitation in clinics at the Dead Sea is an opportunity to achieve long-term stable remission, in which the disease will not make itself felt for decades.
The essence, signs, causes of psoriasis
Psoriasis (scaly lichen) is a chronic non-infectious dermatological disease in which the cells of the upper layer of the skin die off much faster than normal, and therefore a scaly rash forms on the skin.
In a healthy person, skin regeneration occurs on average within 30 days, while in psoriasis this process takes from 4 to 5 days. As a result, there is a thickening of the skin, the formation of pink spots (plaques) on its surface, covered with white-silvery scales.
Symptoms of the disease also include severe itching and peeling at the sites of the lesion. In some patients, cracks and accumulations of purulent masses appear in the foci of pathology.
Psoriasis can affect all parts of the body. But, as practice shows, it most often develops on the bends of the elbows and knees, arms and legs, nails, in the lower back, on the head under the hair.
Before choosing a medicine for psoriasis in Israel for each patient, doctors determine the type of disease.
There are the following types of psoriasis:
- non-pustular (simple, plaque-like), in which pink flaky spots appear on the body;
- pustular (exudative), which is accompanied by the appearance of bubbles (blisters) filled with a clear, uninfected liquid.
Statistics show that in 30% of patients, the disease develops into psoriatic arthritis, in which an inflammatory process develops in the connective tissue and joints.
Before moving on to the question of how psoriasis is treated in Israel, the causes of the disease should be determined. Doctors consider this pathology multifactorial, that is, one that occurs for a variety of reasons.
On the one hand, these are genetic "breakdowns" of the immune system, which are inherited, and on the other, disorders of immunity and metabolism, provoked by external factors. So, the group at increased risk of developing psoriasis includes people who:
- have suffered a serious infectious disease;
- suffer from constant stress;
- do not adhere to the principles of a balanced diet;
- abuse alcoholic beverages;
- changed the climatic zone of residence;
- over a long period of time taking drugs containing lithium.
Since psoriasis is a pathology of a non-infectious nature, it is impossible to become infected with it upon contact with a sick person.
Examination in Israeli clinics
In order for the treatment to give the desired results, it is necessary to choose the right set of medicines and therapeutic procedures for each patient, which will not only alleviate the condition, but also prevent the further progress of the disease. For this purpose, a comprehensive diagnosis of psoriasis is carried out in Israel, which includes:
- visual inspection of the skin;
- urine tests;
- immunological and biochemical blood tests;
- biopsy of the affected skin areas (tissue sampling for histological analysis);
- ultrasound examination (ultrasound) of the abdominal organs;
- dopplerography (ultrasound of blood vessels) of the liver;
- X-ray examination of the joints (if the disease has developed into psoriatic arthritis).
If necessary, the attending physician can prescribe other types of diagnostic procedures to the patient in order to obtain as much information as possible about the state of the immune, nervous, and endocrine systems of his body.
How Israeli dermatologists are fighting psoriasis
Methods for the treatment of psoriasis in Israel include medication and physical therapy. They are often assigned in parallel.
Medicines are selected depending on the severity of the disease. So, for milder forms of psoriasis, local therapy is indicated. Patients are prescribed topical ointments and creams with vitamin D, salicylic acid, steroids, mineral oils, and coal tar.
In severe cases, patients are prescribed a course of immunosuppressants (cyclosporine, methotrexate), synthetic versions of vitamin A, drugs based on monoclonal antibodies (Adalimumab, Secukinumab, Ixekizumab and others).
Physiotherapy on the coast of the Dead Sea
Both scaly lichen therapy in adults and the treatment of psoriasis in children in Israel in sanatoriums located on the coast of the Dead Sea continue to demonstrate high efficiency. Stable temperature conditions throughout the year, local mud and water saturated with minerals, soft ultraviolet radiation have a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin.
Thalassotherapy (treatment by the sea climate and seafood) is also useful for psoriatic arthritis, since it allows you to forget about joint pain for a long time.
According to information provided by Israeli dermatologists, 88% of patients who have been on vacation at the Dead Sea, within 3-6 months, the area of skin lesions is reduced by 80-100%.
The use of mud and salts from the Dead Sea in the treatment of psoriasis
Dead Sea mud contains 10 times more healing substances than other sulphide mud. They contain microparticles of mica, bentonite, kaolin, feldspar, quartz and other minerals. They also include gases (oxygen, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide), salts (copper, manganese, iodine, lithium, cobalt, bromine, zinc), electrolytes (bromides, sulfites).
The healing mud of the region promotes vasodilation, improves blood and lymph flow, activates the endocrine system, has a bactericidal and anti-inflammatory effect. That is why mud therapy is very popular in the fight against psoriasis in Israel.
The composition of the Dead Sea salts is also unique. They contain chlorides of magnesium (50.8%), sodium (30.4%), calcium (14.4%), potassium (4.4%), bromides, sulfates, iodine. Salts of this reservoir are useful for psoriasis, as they have bactericidal, soothing, anti-inflammatory properties, help restore hormonal balance, accelerate tissue regeneration, and increase skin elasticity.
Application of phototherapy
Treatment of psoriasis of nails in Israel, as well as the treatment of psoriasis of other parts of the body, is accompanied by a course of phototherapy. It has been proven that the most effective in this regard are light waves, the length of which varies in the range from 311 to 313 nm. Special lamps are used for phototherapy.
In addition, on the coast of the Dead Sea, patients have the opportunity to regularly sunbathe. Thanks to the vapors of water saturated with minerals, a kind of filter is formed in the air, allowing only B spectrum radiation to pass through, which is most useful for patients with psoriasis.
Air therapy
The Dead Sea region is the deepest natural depression on the planet (395 m below sea level). That is why the local air is very rich in oxygen (its content is 10-11% higher than in other resort areas). It also contains the optimal concentration of iodine and bromine.
One of the main features of the air in this area is the complete absence of allergens. All this in combination has a positive effect on the condition of the skin and allows you to get rid of psoriatic plaques.
Israeli clinics for the treatment of psoriasis
Now is the time to move on to the question of where in Israel psoriasis is treated. According to numerous patient reviews, dermatologists of such medical institutions as:
- Sheba Medical Center (Ramat Gan);
- clinic "Assuta" (Tel Aviv);
- Sourasky Medical Center / Top Ichilov (Tel Aviv);
- clinic "Rambam" (Haifa);
- "Herzliya Medical Center" (Herzliya).
Here you can take a course of high-quality drug therapy. If you wish to combine the latter with physiotherapy, you can contact the clinics for the treatment of psoriasis at the Dead Sea in Israel. One of the most popular institutions on the coast is the Paula Clinic, named after the daughter of the physician V. Fridman. It is located in the town of Ein Bokek.
The institution has been operating since 2001. There are 15 medical staff working here, mainly medical doctors. There are also several diagnosticians whose task is to timely identify contraindications in patients for carrying out certain procedures. Today, the Israeli clinic for the treatment of psoriasis "Paula" is the only medical facility in the Dead Sea that has a state license issued by the Israeli Ministry of Health.
On the positive side, the specialists of the DMZ Medical Center have proven themselves in the treatment of psoriasis. It is a German institution that was founded in 1988. It is also located in the city of Ein Bokek in the building of the Lot in Ein Bokek hotel.
Clinic DMZ for the treatment of psoriasis in Israel collaborates with the Jerusalem Hadassah Clinic, as well as the Munich University Hospital Ludwig Maximilian, is one of the leading research centers in the field of climate therapy on the Dead Sea coast.
Pricing policy of Israeli medical institutions
The country's Ministry of Health gives clinics the right to independently set prices for psoriasis treatment at the Dead Sea in Israel. But tariffs should not go beyond the framework established at the state level. Therefore, diagnostics and treatment will be somewhat cheaper here than, for example, in some countries of Western Europe.
The final amount that the patient will need to transfer to the account of the selected medical institution will be influenced by the number of diagnostic and therapeutic measures assigned to him, the quality of service, and the qualification level of the attending physician. Therefore, the cost of psoriasis treatment in Israel is calculated for each individual.
How to travel to Israel for treatment
Citizens of Russia who want to leave for Israel in order to receive medical services, first of all, need to decide on a clinic and personally contact it. The contact details of the medical institution can be found on its official website in the corresponding section.
To make an appointment for treatment in Israel, you should send a letter of appeal drawn up in Hebrew and an extract from your personal medical record translated into Hebrew to the email address of the medical institution. After an approving response from the clinic, you can book accommodation, buy tickets for transport.
An alternative to organizing your trip yourself is to contact a specialized agency that provides mediation services. Its staff will offer affordable tours to Israel for the treatment of psoriasis, will take care of the registration of the voucher and the preparation of all the necessary official papers.
To travel, Russian citizens will need the following documents:
- a passport that will be valid for at least another 6 months from the date of entry into Israel;
- medical insurance that can cover the costs of treating diseases that arise during the trip;
- the conclusion of domestic doctors;
- a treatment plan developed by the host;
- certificates confirming the patient's solvency;
- confirmation of hotel reservation or an invitation from relatives who will provide the traveler with accommodation.
Russia is one of the states whose citizens are entitled to visa-free travel to Israel. Upon arrival at the airport during passport control, they receive a tourist visa, which allows them to stay in the country for a maximum of 90 calendar days within 6 months.
If more time is needed for treatment, the patient will need to pre-issue an appropriate visa at the embassy, based on the visa requirements for Russian citizens. These are the main recommendations on how to get treatment in Israel.
Output
The main advantages of psoriasis treatment in Israel include the democratic policy of medical institutions, the use of innovative therapeutic protocols by local doctors, the opportunity for patients to undergo effective physiotherapy in the unique climatic conditions of the Dead Sea.
The main disadvantage of traveling abroad is the need to travel a considerable distance, which can become a source of discomfort for many patients. But traveling to Israel will take less time than, say, a trip to the United States, so this option is much more convenient.
