Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic condition that can be mild or debilitating. It can cause a variety of symptoms that can interfere with your ability to work and participate in daily activities. However, there are treatments that can help, especially if your condition is diagnosed early. Learning all you can about this disease and its symptoms will enable you to play an active role in your care.
The typical symptoms of psoriatic arthritis include pain, warmth, swelling and stiffness in the affected joints. You may feel fatigued, have changes in the nails (pitting, ridging, separation from the nail bed) and symptoms similar to conjunctivitis. The symptoms tend to occur where the muscle and ligament attaches to the bone, and can be mild or disabling. In many cases the disease begins as psoriasis on the skin that is identified by a buildup of rough, dry, red or white dead skin cells that form thick scales. This condition then progresses to affect your joints. The disease can go through periods of flares and remissions.
Causes
Your genes and the environment both play a role in the development of psoriatic arthritis symptoms. The condition appears to run in families, and the Mayo Clinic states that it is an autoimmune condition in which the body mistakes itself for a foreign invader and attacks itself. In addition, your body contains a substance called tumor necrosis factor (TNF) which plays a role in initiating inflammation. According to the Mayo Clinic, "People with psoriatic arthritis have high levels of TNF in both their joints and skin."
Considerations
The American College of Rheumatology states that psoriatic arthritis symptoms can occur at any time. However, it is most common between the ages of 30 and 50. It affects men and women equally. There are different forms of this condition: some forms cause symptoms just in the back, others affect just a few joints, while yet other forms cause symptoms in multiple joints.
Diagnosis
Early diagnosis and treatment play a large role in successful treatment to help reduce the severity of the symptoms and the joint damage that can occur. A combination of a physical examination, the history of your symptoms, along with X-rays, will help to confirm a diagnosis. The Johns Hopkins University Arthritis Center states that there are no specific laboratory tests that can be used to diagnose this disease. However, blood tests can show an active inflammatory response.
Treatment
Since there is currently no cure, treatment is aimed at managing symptoms. The National Psoriasis Foundation states that medications can be used to help manage symptoms of pain, stiffness and swelling. These include anti-inflammatory drugs, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, immunosuppressive drugs and steroids. In addition to managing symptoms with medication, patients need to participate in regular exercise to hep maintain joint range of motion. Patients may also need to apply heat and cold compresses, and use splints to help joints rest.
