What Are The Arthritis Psoriasis Treatment Options?
Arthritis psoriasis is also called psoriatic arthritis and is a condition in which both the joints and the skin become inflamed. The psoriasis causes the skin to become red, raised, scaly, and patchy. It is estimated that ten percent of people with psoriasis will also develop inflammatory arthritis. This results in a diagnosis of arthritis psoriasis.
The psoriasis usually, around 80% of the time, occurs first in cases of psoriatic arthritis. Only 5% of the time do the two conditions begin at the same time. The time between onset of the two conditions can range from months to years.
Arthritis psoriasis typically begins when a person is between forty and sixty. Men and women are both at risk. The exact cause of arthritis psoriasis is still unknown. There is no cure but many different treatments are present.
Some of the more commonly affected areas with psoriasis are the knees, elbows, and scalp. The joints most commonly affected with psoriatic arthritis are the ankles, knees, wrists, and hips. These joints become painful and may be swollen, red, and hot.
A variety of medications exist to control the inflammation. Your doctor may recommend nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosteroids, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), immunosuppressant medications, or TNF-alpha inhibitors. For severe cases of psoriatic arthritis, immunosupressent medications or TNF-alpha inhibitors may be prescribed. Both are effective but can cause damaging side effects.
NSAIDs include ibuprofen and aspirin and can be over-the-counter or prescribed by your doctor. They can help control swelling and pain, but have side effects if used on a long term basis. Corticosteroids are good for mild arthritis psoriasis and may be injected straight into the joint or taken orally. Again, they are usually only prescribed short-term to avoid damaging side effects. DMARDs can actually limit joint damage caused by arthritis psoriasis. DMARDs take weeks or months to work, so they are often prescribed along with a pain reliever.
Arthritis psoriasis is a painful condition that can affect your quality of life. Although there are a variety of treatments, many of them contain side effects. Because of this, discuss all of your options with your doctor. New and more effective treatments are always being developed.