Psoriatic Arthritis

Your hand and foot joints especially at risk in psoriatic arthritis, which is associated with psoriasis, a common skin disease. The synovial membrane becomes inflamed. The disease also affects tendons where they attach to bone.
Psoriatic arthritis affects men and women of all races and usually
occurs between the ages of 20 and 50, but can occur at any age.

Symptoms:

Around 95% of the people suffering with psoriatic arthritis have swelling in joints outside the spine and more than 80% of the sufferers have nail lesions. Other symptoms include:

• Swelling of toes/fingers that give a sausage look
• Silver or grey scaly spots on the scalp, knees and/or lower end of the spine, and elbows

Causes:

Doctors are uncertain of its cause. However, it is thought that it may be partly inherited. Also environmental factor is looked up to as something that may be causing this disease.

Diagnosis:

Through X-rays, joint fluid tests, and blood tests psoriatic arthritis can be diagnosed.

Treatment Choices:

Following are the treatment options doctors commonly recommend.

• Splints
• Heat and cold
• Skin care
• Medications such as NSAIDs, glucocorticoids, DMARDs (disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs) like cyclosporine, sulfasalazine, gold, methotrexate
• Rest
• Exercise
• Corrective cosmetics
• Surgery (rarely recommended)
• Light treatment (UVB or PUVA)

If you are suffering from psoriatic arthritis, just never forget this:

Psoriatic arthritis is treatable.

So, contact your doctor and set a meeting with him to discuss the possibilities of getting rid of the disease.