Psoriatic arthritis is actually a combination of two different medical conditions. Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition which causes a patchy rash. The affected area is usually inflamed and scaly. Arthritis is described as an inflammation of the joints and is also chronic. Both conditions are fairly common but psoriasis is predominant in the white population. Some people who develop psoriasis will go on to develop arthritis and this condition is known as psoriatic arthritis.
With certain types of arthritis the female is more prone to having the disease. With psoriatic arthritis both male and female are equally affected. Both conditions usually do not appear at the same time. The majority of the people affected will develop psoriasis before they develop arthritis. Since both conditions are inflammatory, the condition can have an impact on many parts of the body such as the heart and other major organs. The spine is another place which is often affected by psoriatic arthritis. There is currently no known cause or cure for the disease.
What Are Psoriatic Arthritis Symptoms?
Many people who are diagnosed with this disease will experience severe cases of acne, even at an advanced age. The acne is not limited to the face; it often causes other parts of the body to break out in an acne type rash. The nails may also develop ridges and pitting.
The arthritis may involve the knees, feet, hands, ankles, and the spine. People with psoriatic arthritis tend to have more spinal pain than other arthritis sufferers. Joints tend to swell and become stiff which causes moderate to severe pain. The pain and stiffness is most often worse during the morning hours after the patient has been in bed all night. For many people the pain and stiffness gets better as they get up and begin moving. Often a hot shower will also help relieve the joint stiffness.
Patients who are diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis will often develop pain and inflammation in their tendons which makes it more difficult and painful to walk. Many times steroids may be used to reduce the inflammation.
Psoriatic arthritis can cause many other health problems such as lung inflammations and eye disease. People with this diagnosis who experience eye problems should immediately contact their physician since this condition could possibly lead to blindness. The same goes for the lungs. When inflammation is present in the lungs, people may experience difficulty with breathing, or they may develop chest pain. It is extremely important to get medical attention if any of these symptoms occur since they could possibly lead to death.
Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic destructive arthritic condition, which, if left untreated, may eventually lead to joint destruction. Psoriatic arthritis is thought to be an autoimmune process, in which the body mounts an immunogenic response against self, which results in widespread inflammation and destruction.
What are the symptoms of psoriatic arthritis? Psoriatic arthritis can affect any joints in the body, with predilection for larger joints in arms and feet and also smaller joints in the hand. When psoriatic arthritis affects joints in the fingers, it can cause a sausage-like swelling of the fingers, which is typical to psoriatic arthritis. When it affects fingernails, it causes them to be pitted, thickened and discoloured.
Symptoms of psoriatic arthritis are relapsing and remitting, which means they come and go, periodically flare up and then subside and also vary in intensity. In some cases, the arthritis persists, causing considerable pain and discomfort. Sometimes, the spine may be affected, resulting in bending difficulty.
What are the causes of psoriatic arthritis? The causes of psoriatic arthritis are still unknown. Some researchers believe that the disorder develops as a result of genetic instability, while others suspect external exposure to bugs has to do with the cause. In some cases, psoriatic arthritis arise after exposure to streptococcal throat infection, which leads to researchers to believe that both genetic make up and environmental factors have an important role in triggering psoriatic arthritis.
Which population group gets psoriatic arthritis? Both men and women are at equal risk of getting psoriatic arthritis. The onset of psoriatic arthritis is usually between the third and fifth decades. About 10% of those who have psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis.
How is psoriatic arthritis diagnosed? Psoriatic arthritis is diagnosed by identifying the typical features of psoriatic arthritis. Joints are usually swollen and painful. Blood tests may show features of inflammation for example elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and mild anemia and elevated uric acid.
How is psoriatic arthritis treated? Since symptoms of psoriatic arthritis come and go, psoriatic arthritis may only necessitate treatment when symptoms arise. When symptoms subside, treatment can be stopped. This is contrary to the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, which usually requires treatment on a regular basis. First line treatment may include non-steroidal inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) which include ibuprofen and naproxen. Occasionally in refractive cases, disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) can be considered and these include sulfasalazine, methotrexate, cyclosporine, azathioprine, etc. Surgery is the last resort, which can be helpful to replace badly damaged joints.
Conclusion: In conclusion, psoriatic arthritis is a chronic destructive joint disorder that comes and goes. It affects 10% of those who suffer psoriasis. Treatment of psoriatic arthritis is only justified when it becomes symptomatic and can be stopped when symptoms subside. Surgery to replace damaged joints is the last resort.
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