Psoriatic Arthritis

Psoriatic Arthritis General Information

Psoriatic Arthritis Symptoms

It is very important for every patient to know the characteristics of his/her disease. We will present you a list of the most common signs and symptoms of Psoriatic Arthritis that are usually experienced by almost all the patients. As any in the case of any other type of medical conditions, these manifestations may vary, from mild to severe and in some cases, they can be particular, characteristic only for that case. This usually happens because the organism of each person reacts in a different manner to the harmful bacteria that are attacking it. When Psoriatic Arthritis usually occurs, one or more joints are infected. The main characteristics of this medical disorder are: joints that feel warm when touched, pain felt in the affected joints, swollen joints etc.

Scientists discovered the existence of five patterns specific for this illness; most patients move from one pattern to another throughout their lives and often the treatment options that are applied depend on these patterns. These forms of the disease present unique signs, for example when a patient is dealing with pain in joints on only one side of his/her body, dactylitis occurs (when the toes and fingers look like small sausages). Spondylitis, another form of Psoriatic Arthritis, can determine stiffness and inflammation of the neck as well as sacroillac joints; with the progress of the disease, movement becomes painful and very difficult. If it reaches to a more sever stage called arthritis mutilans, the bones of the patient’s hand are destroyed, leading to disability and deformity for the rest of his/her life.

Psoriatic Arthritis Treatment

As in other many cases, the right treatment applied in time can ease the patient’s signs and symptoms and can increase the chances for a full recovery. It is very important to seek medical attendance as soon as you start experiencing any of the specific signs and symptoms that we have listed above. If you accuse permanent discomfort and swelling of multiple joints, then it is time you see a doctor. With the help of a specialist, a patient can develop easier pain management and treatment planning. If not discovered in time and treated properly, Psoriatic Arthritis can lead to the appearance of several side effects. During the medical examination, your health care provider will ask about the signs and symptoms you are experiencing, about the medical history of your family and of your own and then. After this, he/she will perform a physical exam. Other more tests may be needed to be sure in what concerns the exact diagnosis. Usually, when dealing with Psoriatic Arthritis, the doctors do not believe the results of only one test. Other possible medical conditions must be ruled out, for example rheumatoid arthritis or osteoporosis.

Some of the most common types of tests that are usually done include X-rays, ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate) or sed rate, joint fluid test and RF (rheumatoid factor). The X-rays reveal changes in the joints only in the case of Psoriatic Arthritis, while the joint fluid test is used to see if there are any uric acid crystals in the joint fluid that could indicate gout. After the doctor sets the diagnosis, proceeding with the adequate treatment option is highly necessary. As in the case of regular psoriasis, this medical condition has no cure. The aim of every therapy is to relieve symptoms, to prevent the intense pain and the disability or deformity and to improve/to maintain the patient’s quality of life. This usually works by managing the inflammation with various types of drugs, and very rarely, surgery. There are several types of drugs that are very popular and give extraordinary effects in this case. NSAIDs (or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are the first option and include medicines as Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil etc) that control morning stiffness, swelling and pain. The negative aspect is that they produce severe complications, for example irritation of the intestines and stomach, and if they are used for a long term, gastrointestinal bleeding may occur. Corticosteroids are another option, especially if the patient deals with a milder form of the disease. These medicines can be taken by mouth (orally) or by injection, directly into aching joints.