One of the possible causes of joint pain is psoriatic arthritis. This chronic, autoimmune disease causes inflammation of the joints that is associated with skin lesions. It is rare, but it can affect your quality of life, which is why we want you to know about it. Read on!

What is psoriasis?

It is a skin pathology with characteristic and symmetrical lesions that generally take the form of plaques in the areas of friction. They are reddened, raised, with defined borders. In addition, they are covered with a silver-colored desquamation and produce intense itching.

You should know that these plaques are due to the accumulation of dead cells in a thickened layer and evolve with outbreaks and periods of remission. Psoriasis is not contagious due to its autoimmune origin. The age of onset is between 30 and 50 years, although it can appear from childhood.

Moreover, 40% of people with psoriatic arthritis have a relative with the same diagnosis or with psoriasis, suggesting a hereditary tendency. Another interesting fact is that about 15% of those affected by the skin disease develop psoriatic arthritis.

Psoriatic arthritis

Joint inflammation associated with psoriasis may occur earlier than skin lesions. Psoriatic arthritis is chronic, non-contagious, affects several joints and presents with symptoms such as local heat, redness, pain and swelling. With the passage of time, it produces deformation and limitation of mobility, as happens in osteoarthritis.

Its evolution is very irregular, with periods of activity and inactivity, and involves different regions of the body. For this reason it has been classified according to the forms of presentation. The most common, which is observed in about half of the patients, affects a few joints of the legs and arms, but there are other locations:

• In the distal joints of the fingers.
• In the pelvis and spine.
• The asymmetric form is mild and appears in one or more joints on only one side of the body.
• Mutilating arthritis, which destroys and deforms, is rare and arises in the hands and feet.

What are the symptoms?

General symptoms can be seen in both the skin and joints and vary from patient to patient. The most common include the following:

• Joints with signs of inflammation on one or both sides of the body.
• Increased volume in the fingers or toes.
• Morning stiffness.
• Back or hip pain.
• Chronic fatigue.
• Nails that are split or tend to separate from the nail bed.
• Redness and pain in the eyes, when these organs are affected.

Diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis

One of the evidences that indicates the presence of this pathology is the existence of psoriasis in the patient himself or in a close relative. It is also suggested by joint inflammation, if it coincides with the patterns mentioned above.

Blood tests for other types of diseases that involve joint inflammation, such as antinuclear antibodies or rheumatoid factor, are usually negative. Although there is no specific test to confirm the diagnosis, there are important radiological findings.

In the so-called “ivory phalanx”, a characteristic sign, there is condensation and thickening of the bony framework and periosteum, which increases the density of the bone homogeneously. Another radiological image is the “pencil and cup” pattern, and is due to the coexistence of bone resorption and proliferation.

Most commonly used treatments

When treating this pathology, the objective is to soothe pain and inflammation, as well as to slow down the damage generated in the joints. As the manifestations are so dissimilar, treatment must be individualized according to each patient’s ailments. Physiotherapy plays an important role in preserving joint mobility and muscle flexibility.

The most commonly used drugs are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen or naproxen. However, it is sometimes difficult to tolerate their adverse effects and it is preferable to opt for other drugs.

Corticosteroids reduce inflammatory processes because they inhibit certain related mechanisms. In the case of this pathology, they are frequently administered by injections, directly into the joint.

Disease-modifying drugs, or DMARDs, are of more recent use and can be either conventional or target-specific. Their action is relevant, as they prevent joint deterioration and attenuate symptoms by halting the progression of arthritis.

Psoriatic arthritis can impair your quality of life, but rheumatologists have a wide therapeutic arsenal to control joint pain. The most important thing is to maintain your quality of life, for which Phytogen Medical Foods nutritional supplements are also available. Visit our website today and you will see for yourself!