An Overview of the ConditionPityriasis rosea is an inflammatory disease characterized by diffuse, scaling papules or plaques.-The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy. 18th edition.Thought to have some correlation with the Human Herpes Virus 7, Pityriasis rosea (PR) is still considered to be idiopathic. Though PR was once assumed to be caused by bacterial infection, medicinal use, food or stress, studies have shown otherwise. PR is considered very common and non-contagious. Although the condition effects both sexes, it most commonly occurs in women, aged 8-40 in the spring or autumn. One correlation noted were occurrences happening in cooler months in temperate climates. PR is ...view middle of the document...
In 25% of cases, it is considered severe. In others, it does not happen at all. In some cases, feelings of a cold or upper respiratory infection can come before the herald spot. These cold symptoms can include: stuffy nose, sore throat, fever, headache, nausea, cough, congestion and fatigue. Upon disappearance of the papules, skin returns to normal and there are no permanent scars or damage to the skin. However, in darker-skinned people, pale or brown marks can stay on the skin for months afterwards.The Economic Burden of Pityriasis RoseaThe economic burden of PR varies. One concern would be the effect it has on the female psyche. Girls and young ladies are prone to having issues about their appearance due to the bombardment on their senses from the media. Something like PR, which is mainly an aesthetic pathology, can cause an increase in the depression some of these girls feel. Many may choose to purchase expensive hypo-allergenic make-up or cover sticks to lessen the visibility of the rash or papules. Also, the cold symptoms can cause people to miss work and be unproductive; not knowing it is the beginning of PR. In this case, expensive medication would be a unproductive cost.The Traditional Management of this Condition by the Medical CommunityBecause of the transient nature of PR, there is no medical treatment prescribed for the resolution of PR. Treatments prescribed are for the decrease of symptoms. These could be antihistamine pills, steroid or zinc oxide creams, calamine lotion, oatmeal baths and sometimes steroids to try to help clear rashes that persist longer then their usual time. Another technique used to try to decrease the rash is phototherapy (the use of UVB rays). They will also recommend avoidance of things that may exacerbate the condition, such as scented soaps and lotions.Newer studies are attempting to see if acyclovir, famiciclovir, or erythromycin might speed recovery time be up to two weeks.The Clinical Significance of this ConditionThere are many conditions that can have the same symptoms as PR. Such conditions are: eczema, psoriasis, ringworm, or syphilis infection. These make it possible to be...