What is Psoriatic Arthritis?

Psoriatic arthritis is a form of arthritis that affects some people who have psoriasis, a serious skin condition. It is a chronic disease characterized by inflammation of the skin (psoriasis) and joints (arthritis). Most people develop psoriasis first and are later diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, but arthritis can sometimes develop before skin lesions appear. Joint pain, stiffness and swelling are the main symptoms of psoriatic arthritis. They can affect any part of your body, including your fingertips and spine, and can range from relatively mild to severe. In both psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, disease flares may alternate with periods of remission.

Symptoms

Some of the basic symptoms of psoriasis are as follows:

Psoriatic rash consists of patches of raised red skin covered by a flaky white or silver buildup
The rash can cause intense itching and burning
Lesions frequently are found on the knees, elbows, scalp, hands, and feet or lower back.

In addition to the symptoms of psoriasis, people with psoriatic arthritis may have the following symptoms:

Changes to the fingernails and toenails, including pitting (small holes in the nails), onycholysis (separation of the nail from the underlying nail bed), transverse ridging and cracking and discoloration
Inflammatory arthritis usually starts many years (an average of 10 years) after the onset of psoriasis
Inflammation at the site of attachment of tendons and ligaments to bones is a common symptom of psoriatic arthritis
Ocular involvement, usually conjunctivitis, occurs in about one-third of people with psoriatic arthritis.

Causes

The cause of Psoriatic arthritis is not yet known however it is believed to be caused by:

Hereditary factors
Abnormalities of the body’s immune system
Environmental factors

Western medicine treatment

Treatments focuses on controlling inflammation in your affected joints to reduce pain and swelling in the joints, control patches of psoriasis on the skin and slow down or prevent joint damage. Often, a multidisciplinary approach is used to treat both skin and joint symptoms such as:

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
Corticosteroids
Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs
Immunosuppressant medications
Surgery


Adopted from Wei Laboratories, Inc.