Glossary

Here are definitions of medical terms related to psoriasis.

Antibiotics: Substances derived from a microorganism that are able to inhibit or kill another microorganism.

Arthritis: Inflammation of joints due to infectious, metabolic, or constitutional causes.

Biologics: A new class of systemic therapies that contain proteins derived from living cells, as opposed to traditional pharmaceutical drugs that are made up of non-living chemicals. Biologics usually are given through injection because they would be digested if taken orally.

Chronic: Marked by long duration, by frequent recurrence over a long time, and often slowly progressing.

Climatotherapy: Treatment disease by means of residence in a suitable climate.

Dermatitis: Inflammation of the skin characterized by eruption of itching papules, vesicles and lesions resembling hives, typically in clusters.

DNA: The molecules that are the "building blocks" of cells; DNA is an abbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid.

Eczema: An inflammatory condition of the skin characterized by redness, itching and oozing vesicular lesions which become scaly, crusted or hardened.

Lymphoma: Malignant tumor of lymph node tissue.

Phototherapy: Exposing the skin to ultraviolet light in carefully controlled doses.

Pus: Thick, opaque, yellowish fluid containing white blood cells, tissue debris and microoganisms.

Rheumatoid arthritis: Chronic disease of unknown cause and characterized by pain, stiffness, inflammation, swelling and sometimes destruction of joints.

Systemic: Affecting the body generally.

Topical: Designed for or involving local application to a body part.

Ultraviolet light: Light that is situated beyond the visible spectrum, at the violet end.