Friday, August 21, 2009

Arthritis Psoriasis - The Treatment Options

By Kelly Limpert

Psoriatic arthritis, also called arthritis psoriasis, is an illness of the skin and joints that results in inflammation. Symptoms of psoriasis are patches of skin that are raised, scaly, and red. About ten percent of people with psoriasis also develop inflammatory arthritis. When these two diseases are present it is called arthritis psoriasis.

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.

Both women and men, usually in their forties and fifties, can get arthritis psoriasis. There is no known cause of arthritis psoriasis. At this time there is no cure but there are a wide variety of treatments.

Psoriasis can occur anywhere on the body. The scalp, knees, and elbows are three of the most common areas affected by psoriasis. Arthritis causes joints to inflame and become swollen, hot, painful, and red. The hip, knees, ankles, and wrists are some of the most affected joints with arthritis psoriasis.

There are numerous treatment options to help control the inflammation, but many of them do carry severe side effects if used on a long term basis. Your doctor may prescribe corticosteroids, NSAIDs (non-setroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), DMARDs (disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, TNF-alpha inhibitors, or immuno-suppressant medications. TNF-alpha inhibitors and immuno-suppressant medications may be prescribed for severe cases of arthritis psoriasis. Their potential for causing severe side effects must be weighed against their effectiveness.

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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