Psoriatic arthritis is a form of arthritis that appears in people with psoriasis. It causes red patches of skin, topped with silvery scales. In most cases, people develop psoriasis before they diagnose with it. But in some cases, joint problems begin before the skin patches appear or at the same time.
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All About Psoriatic Arthritis
- The body’s immune system attacks the healthy cells and tissue, causing Psoriatic Arthritis.
- In response, it causes inflammation in joints and overproduction of skin cells.
- Many people have a family history of either psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis.
- In rare cases, some people with psoriatic arthritis develop arthritis mutilans, which cause severe joint pain.
- Over time it destroys the small bones in hand, especially the fingers, which leads to disability or deformity.
- There are high chances of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes.
First Symptoms of Psoriatic arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic disease that worsens over time. It can affect one or both joints. Signs and symptoms of psoriatic arthritis are very similar to rheumatoid arthritis. Both diseases cause joints to become swollen and warm to the touch, which is painful.
However, psoriatic arthritis is more likely to cause;
1. Swollen Fingers and Toes
It can cause painful sausage-like swelling of your toes and fingers.
2. Lower back pain
Some people develop the symptoms of spondylitis because of psoriatic arthritis. It causes inflammation of joints between the vertebrae of the spine and joints between your pelvis and spine.
3. Foot Pain
It can be the reason behind the pain in the joints, where ligaments and tendons are attached to the bone.
4. Nail Changes
Nails can form crumble, tiny pits, or separate from the nail beds.
5. Eye inflammation
Psoriatic arthritis can cause redness, eye pain, and blurry vision, which can later cause vision loss.
Diagnosis of Psoriatic Arthritis
- During the check-up, the doctor might examine your fingernails for pitting, flaking, or other abnormalities.
- examine your joints for signs of tenderness or swelling.
- Your doctor might press your feet to check the tender areas.
There is no such test, which can confirm the diagnosis of Psoriatic Arthritis, but there are few tests that can rule out the cause behind Joint Pain, such as Gout or Rheumatoid Arthritis.
- You can go for X- rays, which can help you identify the pinpoint changes in the joints in Psoriatic Arthritis.
- Otherwise, you can opt for MRI to check the problems with ligaments and tendons in your lower back and feet.
Read Also: 7 Best Suggested Medicines to Treat Arthritis
Best Medication for Psoriatic Arthritis
- There is no such cure for Psoriatic Arthritis. The prior focus of the treatment is to control the causes behind the inflammation that affects joints, prevent the disability and joint pain, and control the involvement of the skin.
- Treatment of Psoriatic Arthritis depends upon the severity of the disease and what joints are affected.
Medicines to treat Psoriatic Arthritis include;
NSAIDS
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can reduce inflammation and relieve pain. It works wonders for people with mild Psoriatic arthritis.
Biological Agents
It is also known as biological response modifiers, which target different immune system pathways. Biologic agents include golimumab, infliximab, and ixekizumab. These drugs can increase the risk of infections.
Newer Oral Medication
Otezla decreases the activity of an enzyme in that body that controls the activity of the inflammation within the cells. It is used for people with mild to moderate psoriatic arthritis, which can not be treated with DMARDs. The side effects of oral medications include diarrhea, headache, and nausea.
Targeted Synthetic DMARDs
Tofacitinib can be used if biologic agents have not been effective. Taking a higher dose can cause serious heart-related events and cancer, increasing the risk of blood clots in the lungs.
Knowing about the cure for Psoriatic arthritis
- You can opt for physical or occupational therapies, which might ease the pain.
- You can go for joint replacement surgery.
- Or you can go for steroid injects, which can reduce their inflammation.
Conclusion
Psoriatic arthritis can be sluggish, and the severity of the disease can cause major health issues over time. You need to contact a good dermatologist and take medications and treatments accordingly.
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