Dr. Antonio Martorell: “Approach the stress and emotional disorders may reduce the severity on psoriasis”

Skin is not just the biggest organ in the human body, but also the most exposed one. 

When a skin health issue happens, it is detected quicker than in any other place. Sometimes what we see reflects inner conditions. 

That’s why dermatology is unique. It combines invisibility with complexity. That also makes it a very versatile specialty. The dermatologist must keep in mind the medical aspects along with the surgeon and esthetics ones. 

But one of the biggest problems is how this disease creates a big impact in the quality of their lives. 

Patients who suffer from psoriasis are a clear example. 

“Psoriasis is more than a skin disease”, says Dr. Martorell, dermatology specialist at the Hospital de Manises and the RBE Clinic in the city of Valencia. He is also the coordinator of the Hydradenitis Workgroup  and the SKIANA project. “It is an inflammatory condition that affects deeply the patients’ lives”. 

What is the role of the dermatologist? 

The emotional weight psoriasis has is very big. Anxiety and depression may appear when the patients starts to see how their outer appearance changes. This can create a social stigma that is very hard to erase.

Dr. Martorell recognizes that “ignoring this aspect can be equivalent to only treating half of the problem”. 

That’s why a lot of specialists like him, along with associations such as the “Grupo Español de Psoriasis” (Spanish Psoriasis Group), worked to integrate mental health along with the treatment of psoriasis. 

To give them the best treatment, it is necessary to have holistic focus. That means that the patient is considered the whole thing, instead of focusing just on the disease or the specific symptoms. That way they can treat the physicial aspect, the emotional aspects and the social aspects. 

During the clinical practice that could include: 

• Medical attention based on evidence. 
• Mental and emotional health care. 
• Life habit recommendations, like food, exercise or sleep. 

“By approaching the stress and emotional disorders we might be able to reduce the severity of the disease”, he recognizes. 

Results are much better by integrating the management of the psychosocial sphere on the clinical side. Also, it provides them with an extra quality treatment. 

I think we got it clear; to improve the patient’s quality of life it is important to listen to the patient. 

Looking back, Dr. Martorell remembers that before, approach on psoriasis was much more paternalist. 

Doctors use to make decisions about the treatment without involving the patient too much, being relegated to a more inactive position. The health professional knew what was better for the patient and this one only had to follow the instructions without questioning why. 

“Now the patient is in the center of the system, and he is surrounded by all the specialists”, he says, after more than two decades as a dermatologist. 

Any changes on the results? Sure. 

“Listening to the patient completely changes the focus of the treatment. The patients look to control the symptoms and recover his functionality, his trust in daily life”. 

“During my clinical practice I’ve seen that working together and in close collaboration with the patients transforms the approach of psoriasis”, explains Dr. Martorell. “The results are more sustainable, because we adapt to every single person’s needs”. 

The patient’s perspective helps the specialists to make priorities on the treatments that adjust to the patient’s real needs. For example, the ease of the use of the drug or the control of the emotional impact.

By incorporating the patient’s experiences and expectations, the relationship between the doctor and the patient increases and the trust too. 

When we ask him a bit more about that, Dr. Martorell explains that a lot of his patients don’t even recognize their own condition. They don’t realize how much impact psoriasis was having on them. 

“When they look at themselves and their psoriasis is under control, they start to change their habits, their way of dressing and the way they interact with people… These are the most grateful ones, because there is a before and an after effect”. 

It is quite shocking to realize that a lot of people live their lives based upon the word “psoriasis”. 

That’s why they get so emotional when they discover that they were living for a disease and now they can live with the disease. 

But the patient is not the only one who benefits from this. 

Dr. Martorell talks about the big satisfaction that the physician feels when he sees the positive results acquired by giving the patients the attention they deserve. 

“We don’t want to make them feel self-conscious. That’s why we keep adding new help like psychologists and specialized nurses as part of their treatment”. 

There’s a lot of new advances and initiatives to make it possible. One of them is the course Conveniencia y oralidad en psoriasis: perspectiva del paciente. 

With this program we want to help dermatologists to update their knowledge related to the newest oral therapies.  This is opening new doors to improve the patient’s experience and is optimizing the results. 

This 6-hour course is accredited by the Spanish National Health System with 1 credit. 

If you’re a dermatologist and you want to expand your knowledge by improving the attention you provide to your patients, this course is perfect for you. 

Join us by clicking the button below!