Psoriatic Arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a common type of inflammatory arthritis - about one in ten people will develop it. It’s a chronic condition that occurs when the immune system attacks the joints and the skin for reasons unknown. In most cases, PsA affects a few joints in the body, such as the knee, toe or wrist. As the disease progresses, more joints can be affected by psoriatic arthritis – even the bottom of the feet, between the ribs or the outer hips.
Psoriatic Arthritis Symptoms
Symptoms of psoriatic arthritis include warmth, swelling and pain in the joints. The skin is also affected with psoriasis, becoming red, scaly and inflamed. Psoriasis patches or plaques often appear on the scalp, elbows, lower back and knees, although it can appear on the scalp, fingernails or toenails. Once someone experiences joint damage from PsA, it can’t be reversed. Psoriatic arthritis can even destroy the joints if the disease isn’t properly treated or controlled.
Psoriatic Arthritis Treatments
If you think you have psoriatic arthritis it's important to get the diagnosis as early as possible, because that makes it much easier to treat. If you’re diagnosed with PsA, your family doctor will likely refer you to a rheumatologist for the arthritis and a dermatologist for your skin. Dermatologists typically treat the skin with topical, or lotions and creams, and rheumatologists and other physicians will treat the joints with anti-inflammatories and other treatments very similar to rheumatoid arthritis treatment.
Treatments for PsA are designed to prevent joint damage and control inflammation, and include disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and biologics (drugs made from living organisms or components of living organisms). You also need to control blood pressure and cholesterol to prevent heart disease. People with psoriatic arthritis have an increased frequency of myocardial infarction, heart attacks, strokes, and often have high cholesterol, hypertension and other conditions that go along with metabolic syndrome.
There are things that can be done to improve quality of life other than medications. For example, for some patients quality of life can be limited due to social embarrassment of the psoriasis. Sun exposure can help with the psoriasis, but one has to balance sun exposure and skin cancer from the sun. If you're overweight, it's important to manage your diet, weight, and exercise to limit reduce extra weight on your joints, which can decrease the symptoms of psoriatic arthritis.
Talk to your rheumatologist if you'd like more information on psoriatic arthritis.
Visit HealthChoicesFirst.com for more videos and resources on arthritis.
Print this Action Plan and check off items that you want to discuss with your healthcare provider
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Symptoms of psoriatic arthritis include warmth, swelling and pain in the joints. The skin is also affected with psoriasis, becoming red, scaly and inflamed. Psoriasis patches or plaques often appear on the scalp, elbows, lower back and knees, although it can appear on the scalp, fingernails or toenails.
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Once someone experiences joint damage from PsA, it can’t be reversed. Psoriatic arthritis can even destroy the joints if the disease isn’t properly treated or controlled.
-
Treatments for PsA are designed to prevent joint damage and control inflammation, and include disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and biologics (drugs made from living organisms or components of living organisms).
-
You also need to control blood pressure and cholesterol to prevent heart disease. People with psoriatic arthritis have an increased frequency of myocardial infarction, heart attacks, strokes, and often have high cholesterol, hypertension and other conditions that go along with the metabolic syndrome.
-
If you're overweight, it's important to manage your diet, weight, and exercise to limit reduce extra weight on your joints, which can decrease the symptoms of psoriatic arthritis.
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Psoriatic Arthritis
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Information - Psoriatic Arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a common type of inflammatory arthritis - about one in ten people will develop it. It’s a chronic condition that occurs when the immune system attacks the joints and the skin for reasons unknown. In most cases, PsA affects a few joints in the body, such as the knee, toe or wrist. As the disease progresses, more joints can be affected by psoriatic arthritis – even the bottom of the feet, between the ribs or the outer hips.
Psoriatic Arthritis Symptoms
Symptoms of psoriatic arthritis include warmth, swelling and pain in the joints. The skin is also affected with psoriasis, becoming red, scaly and inflamed. Psoriasis patches or plaques often appear on the scalp, elbows, lower back and knees, although it can appear on the scalp, fingernails or toenails. Once someone experiences joint damage from PsA, it can’t be reversed. Psoriatic arthritis can even destroy the joints if the disease isn’t properly treated or controlled.
Psoriatic Arthritis Treatments
If you think you have psoriatic arthritis it's important to get the diagnosis as early as possible, because that makes it much easier to treat. If you’re diagnosed with PsA, your family doctor will likely refer you to a rheumatologist for the arthritis and a dermatologist for your skin. Dermatologists typically treat the skin with topical, or lotions and creams, and rheumatologists and other physicians will treat the joints with anti-inflammatories and other treatments very similar to rheumatoid arthritis treatment.
Treatments for PsA are designed to prevent joint damage and control inflammation, and include disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and biologics (drugs made from living organisms or components of living organisms). You also need to control blood pressure and cholesterol to prevent heart disease. People with psoriatic arthritis have an increased frequency of myocardial infarction, heart attacks, strokes, and often have high cholesterol, hypertension and other conditions that go along with metabolic syndrome.
There are things that can be done to improve quality of life other than medications. For example, for some patients quality of life can be limited due to social embarrassment of the psoriasis. Sun exposure can help with the psoriasis, but one has to balance sun exposure and skin cancer from the sun. If you're overweight, it's important to manage your diet, weight, and exercise to limit reduce extra weight on your joints, which can decrease the symptoms of psoriatic arthritis.
Talk to your rheumatologist if you'd like more information on psoriatic arthritis.
Visit HealthChoicesFirst.com for more videos and resources on arthritis.
Print this Action Plan and check off items that you want to discuss with your healthcare provider
-
Symptoms of psoriatic arthritis include warmth, swelling and pain in the joints. The skin is also affected with psoriasis, becoming red, scaly and inflamed. Psoriasis patches or plaques often appear on the scalp, elbows, lower back and knees, although it can appear on the scalp, fingernails or toenails.
-
Once someone experiences joint damage from PsA, it can’t be reversed. Psoriatic arthritis can even destroy the joints if the disease isn’t properly treated or controlled.
-
Treatments for PsA are designed to prevent joint damage and control inflammation, and include disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and biologics (drugs made from living organisms or components of living organisms).
-
You also need to control blood pressure and cholesterol to prevent heart disease. People with psoriatic arthritis have an increased frequency of myocardial infarction, heart attacks, strokes, and often have high cholesterol, hypertension and other conditions that go along with the metabolic syndrome.
-
If you're overweight, it's important to manage your diet, weight, and exercise to limit reduce extra weight on your joints, which can decrease the symptoms of psoriatic arthritis.