What Are The Arthritis Psoriasis Treatment Options?

November 22nd, 2008

by Andy Austim

Arthritis psoriasis, also known as psoriatic arthritis, is a disease with both inflammation of the joints and the skin. Psoriasis is characterized by raised, patchy areas of skin that are red and scaly. Inflammatory arthritis develops in around ten percent of the people who have psoriasis. When this occurs, arthritis psoriasis is diagnosed.

The psoriasis and arthritis usually don’t appear at the same time. In around 80% of the cases of psoriatic arthritis, the psoriasis occurs first. Arthritis happens first in around 15%. The time between the two conditions varies for each individual, but they can appear years apart.

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.

Psoriasis can happen anywhere on the body, but the elbows, knees, and scalp are some of the most commonly affected areas. The arthritis causes joints inflammation. The joints become red, swollen, hot, and painful. The most common joints to be affected by arthritis psoriasis are the knees, ankles, wrists, and hip.

Discuss with your doctor the best medications to control your condition. Common drugs for arthritis psoriasis include corticosteroids, immunosuppressant medications, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), disease-modifying ant-irheumatic drugs (DMARDs), or TNF-alpha inhibitors. Immunosuppressant medications are prescribed for severe cases, as are TNF-alpha inhibitors. Due to the side effects these can cause, they are only prescribed if the arthritis psoriasis is too severe to respond to other medications.

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.

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