Hives, what patients don’t say

“Urticaria, a still little known inflammation of the skin, also has a weight on the intimate sphere, which is never spoken of out of modesty. For a man affected by the disease, having a protected sexual relationship becomes a problem, as well as for a woman living the days of her period is an ordeal. Result? Patients do not talk about their condition. When we talk about a dermatological disease, the first reaction we hear is ‘it gets worse, what will ever be?’. It is wrong : a dermatological pathology, in an idiopathic and serious form such as chronic spontaneous urticaria, heavily conditions the life of those who suffer from it, it is good to know “. Thus Filomena Bugliaro, coordinator of Federasma and Allergie activities, in an interview published in ‘Aleati per la Salute’ (www.alleatiperlasalute.it), the portal dedicated to medical-scientific information, created by Novartis. “Urticaria has a devastating impact on the daily life of those affected, with significant consequences, up to the loss of work – says Bugliaro – Many patients, when the disease affects the extremities, are forced to wear slippers or stay barefoot because they cannot to bear shoes that are too tight. Well, you can’t work in slippers, unless you do it remotely, in smart working “. One in 5 people in their lifetime has at least one episode of urticaria, with a peak between 20 and 40 years of age and greater frequency in women: the ratio is 2 to 1, particularly in the chronic form. A pathology that, beyond the aesthetic factor, generates stress and anxiety, discomfort and sleep disturbances. In fact, urticaria is not limited only to the difficulty in living with the unpredictable symptoms, including wheals (solid pads of the skin of variable size and shape that resemble ‘mosquito bites’, sometimes large), itching and angioedema, but has a negative impact on the quality of life of patients. However, still too many patients wait even more than a year before consulting a doctor who correctly diagnoses the disease. “Most people when they have symptoms go to their general practitioner or go to the pharmacist – continues Bugliaro – family doctor does not always specialize in dermatology. In this way patients are treated with topical remedies, creams, emollients “. Why does the family doctor not immediately refer the patient to a specialist? “Difficult to answer. Certainly, with Federasma and Allergie – highlights the coordinator – this year we are committed to carrying out a project with the aim of communicating with general practitioners and specialists so that closer collaborations are activated also through territorial networks . It costs nothing for a family doctor to refer the patient to a dermatologist / allergist, but he must know the warning signs of the disease, because urticaria is not a temporary rash. The first thing for the general practitioner is to be able to recognize that there is a symptom, but not all doctors have the time and the right training to do it. Often the patient is told that it is all the fault of the anxiety. Here, we ask not to trivialize a dermatological symptom “. According to Bugliaro, there is also a lack of a territorial network to manage and treat patients with urticaria. “Faced with a symptom that has persisted for some time – he warns – the doctor must not only be able to recognize it, but take immediate action to guarantee the patient a correct diagnostic-therapeutic path. He must know who to contact, because sometimes there are centers specialized who have a partial vision of the person and are limited to treating the skin, or to suspect an allergy by subjecting the patient to in-depth diagnostics, for example, for food allergies that have nothing to do with an immunological disease such as urticaria. Only with a holistic view of the person can a correct diagnosis be reached sooner and better “. In this regard, a survey finds that 46% of respondents would like to have more material for monitoring the progress and severity of the disease. In particular, they ask for teleconsultation (38%), dedicated websites (36%) and psychological support (33%). In light of these data, according to Bugliaro, it is necessary to intervene on several fronts: “Insist on greater awareness, so that people do not give up – the coordinator of Federasma and Allergie points out – and do not stop and think ‘they are stressed, so if I pay attention to nutrition for a few months, everything will pass me by ‘”. Surely it is important that the patient also acquire greater awareness through the information that currently, according to the survey, he obtains above all from the web (45.7% of the sample, 39% of which on sites dedicated to urticaria); doctor and specialist account for 33%. But “it is equally fundamental – concludes Bugliaro – to talk more about the disease, which is still little known, especially since there are effective therapies available, which must be accessed as soon as possible, through an early diagnosis. And again: make the network of dermatological and allergological centers able to take care of the patient with urticaria, to identify the disease he has and to treat it in the best possible way. stronger symptoms and relapses occur “. The complete interview is available on: https://www.alleatiperlasalute.it/i-numeri-del-mese/orticaria-quello-che-i-pazienti-non-dicono.