Psoriatic Arthritis Treatment

Psoriatic arthritis is a debilitating illness that is a combination of psoriasis and arthritis. Generally only people who have psoriasis get psoriatic arthritis with the arthritis coming on after the onset of psoriasis although sometimes the arthritis can manifest itself before the onset of the psoriasis. 

There is no known cure for psoriatic arthritis, and the treatment is based around the treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. In fact the symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis is almost the same as for psoriatic arthritis except that for the latter there is also a sausage like swelling of the fingers and toes. It is also more debilitating and can lead to permanent damage of the joints if left untreated. 

Treatment involves using NSAID's which are Non Steriodal Anti Inflammatory Drugs that will reduce the swelling and pain. Unfortunately almost all NSAID's cause stomach problems to varying degrees, and may also worsen the skin condition for psoriasis. They may also carry the risk of kidney disease, heart failure and high blood pressure. 

There is another class of drugs called DMARD's which is Disease Modifying Anti Rheumatoid Drugs which not only reduce the symptoms, but also limit the damage to joints. Once again these drugs carry a lot of side effects like kidney, liver and lung damage. 

Immunosuppressants are used only in the worst case scenario because they suppress the body's immune system. Because of this this class of medicines will leave the person both severely anemic as well as more prone to illnesses. 

There are also lifestyle changes that you can incorporate to lessen the effects of the disease. For example exercise is known to lessen the symptoms and keep the joints strong so gentle exercise like walking, swimming or even biking is good. 

The use of hot and cold packs alternatively also relieves the symptoms of arthritis. The heat will relax stiff muscles while the cold will reduce blood flow and swelling. Always end with the hot pack though. 

Since psoriatic arthritis treatment is a combination of drugs and a change in lifestyle. It is a disabling disease only if you let it be, and taking care of your overall health, reducing weight, and eating healthy will all help you combat the illness. It is also important that you accept that you have the disease and pace your life accordingly. It is not that you cannot accomplish as much, just at a slower pace.

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