If you are burdened with psoriasis, then psoriatic arthritis could be in your future. Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis typically show up independently, with psoriasis ahead of the arthritis in nearly all cases.
Psoriatic arthritis is a rheumatic disease that causes inflammation in your joints, and possibly causing swelling in your:
Symtoms of psoriatic arthritis range from mildly inflicting a couple of joints to severely affecting many.
This form of arthritis is difficult to diagnosis if it comes on prior to psoriasis symptoms because it’s so similar to other arthritic conditions, such as:
- reactive arthritis
- ankylosing spondylitis
- arthritis associated with Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis
However, if you already suffer with psoriasis, then your joint inflammation pain is dubbed psoriatic arthritis.
Primal symptoms of psoriatic arthritis are joint:
- pain
- stiffness
- swelling
- hot & red
And you’ll generally be stiffest in the morning.
Sometimes, joint inflammation in your fingers or toes can cause these digits to swell to the point of looking like a sausage.
Beyond these symptom, you may also experience other inflammatory type health issues like:
- iritis
- acne
- aortitis
- osteitis
- pleuritis
- synovitis
- spondylitis
- plantar fasciitis
- Achilles tendinitis
- nail abnormalities ~ pitting & ridges
Psoriatic arthritis and psoriasis are chronic diseases that worsen with time. Flare ups followed by periods of remission is its frequent pattern.
No cure exists for psoriatic arthritis, so treatment focuses on controlling your inflammation to prevent joint pain and disability. Drugs routinely used to treat psoriatic arthritis include:
- COX-2 inhibitors
- DMARDs ~ helps limit joint damage caused by psoriatic arthritis
- corticosteroids ~ might be prescribed to control intermittent joint pain flares
- immunosuppressant medications ~ suppresses unhealthy immune system attacks
- OTC NSAIDs ~ aspirin & ibuprofen can help control pain, swelling, morning stiffness
- TNF-alpha inhibitors ~ for severe psoriatic arthritis, blocks inflammation causing protein & improves symptoms of psoriasis
Tumor necrosis factor causes inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis, and it seems to be involved in psoriatic arthritis as well.
Several natural treatments have proven to be helpful for some with psoriatic arthritis. To help manage the condition naturally give these suggestions a go:
- physical therapy
- hot packs before exercise, cold packs after
- glucosamine & chondroitin ~ helps inflamed joint cartilage
- maintain healthy weight ~ less strain on joints, leads to pain reduction
- exercise regularly ~ gear your activity level toward making you feel better afterwards
- limit calories & increase nutrients by consuming more fruits, vegetables, whole grains
- fish oil ~ reduces arthritic pain, swelling, stiffness & enhances anti-inflammatory drug effectiveness
Generally, the treatment of psoriatic arthritis inflammation involves a combination of anti-inflammatory drugs and exercise. And without the drug treatment and the natural treatment of regular exercise, psoriatic arthritis can be disabling.
Another useful natural way some are treating psoriatic arthritis is climate. Try hanging out in a warmer, more stable environment for a bit to ascertain if your joint inflammation pain symptoms subside. You’ll never know unless you try.
