According to the National Psoriasis Foundation about 10 to 30 per cent of people with psoriasis also develop psoriatic arthritis (PsA). PsA strikes both men and women, usually between the ages of 20 and 50, although you can be susceptible at any age. It’s most likely to occur in people with severe psoriasis and can cause joint damage, bone loss, and crippling.
What is Psoriasis?
A common skin condition, psoriasis affects millions of Americans. It causes skin cells to produce 1000 times faster than the normal rate. As a result, raised patches of red skin with greyish-white flakes on top (or scales) develop. These patches can appear all over the body, including the scalp, arms, torso, legs and groin area.
In severe cases of psoriasis skin can become inflamed, infected, or ooze fluid. Hair loss and inability to regulate body temperature are also symptoms. People with psoriasis also suffer social costs, including shame, rejection, and depression.
The Arthritis Connection
There are five types of psoriatic arthritis: asymmetric arthritis, distal interphalangeal predominant (DIP), symmetric arthritis, spondylitis — and arthritis mutilans, the most severe form. For each type symptoms vary, but like rheumatoid arthritis, joint pain and inflammation are often present.
Both RA and psoriatic arthritis are autoimmune diseases. It’s not quite clear why psoriasis develops into PsA, but there may be a genetic link. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America several genes are connected to both conditions. Also, both psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis occur more within families. Other research points to a bacterial connection where the infection in the psoriatic skin target the joints.
Certain psoriasis features heighten the risk of developing PsA — nail dystrophy, intergluteal/perianal psoriasis, and scalp lesions. Unfortunately, there is no known way to prevent psoriasis from developing into PsA.
Common Treatment for Psoriatic Arthritis
With no known cure for psoriatic arthritis, reducing triggers and controlling your symptoms are the best ways to cope. The disease can creep up on you at first and quickly worsen. Early interventions reduce the severity of your symptoms and slow the progression of the disease.
Doctors often recommend several treatments, including drugs and lifestyle changes. Medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can relieve stiffness and pain. Corticosteroids fight flare-ups and improve range of motion. Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) reduce pain and inflammation.
According to the Mayo Clinic severe PsA is often treated with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) inhibitors. These drugs, which are sold under brands such as Enbrel and Humira, inhibit the protein that causes inflammation in some forms of arthritis.
Many people find that when their psoriasis gets worse, so does their psoriatic arthritis. Controlling triggers may provide relief. Common triggers include a poor diet, stress, illness, eating too much animal fat, sunburn, and some medications.
Pay attention to what sets off your condition. If stress is the culprit reduce it as much as possible, or find healthy ways to cope with it, such as mediation or exercise. Eat a healthy diet low in animal fat and rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, fish and fish oils. If medications are the triggers, ask your doctor to prescribe an alternate drug.
Learn as much as you can about your condition so you get the best results from your treatment plan.
