Psoriatic Arthritis is a condition that is a part of a group of conditions that are Arthritis. Arthritis means inflammation of the joints, and Psoriatic Arthritis gives rise to pain, stiffness, swelling in the joints, and skin manifestations, i.e., reddish patches on elbows, knees, etc. It usually affects people between 20-30 years. Typically it involves at least three or more fingers or toes in psoriasis & at least one joint beyond the wrist or ankle in psoriatic Arthritis affecting approximately4% – 5%of all adults. Often patients mistake their symptoms for other rheumatological disorders such as Reiter’s syndrome, lupus erythematosus, or gouty Arthritis.
Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) is an inflammatory type of arthritis that occurs in people with psoriasis. Psoriasis is a skin condition that causes cells to build up rapidly on the skin’s surface, creating patches of thick, silvery-white scales. If you have psoriasis, you can develop joint inflammation (Arthritis) at the site where your skin disease first appeared or at another joint, such as your spine or knees.
People at higher risk of Psoriatic Arthritis include:
Swollen Joints
Psoriatic Arthritis can cause joint pain, stiffness, and swelling, especially in the hands and feet. The joints most often affected are those closest to where psoriasis appears on your body, such as the knuckles of your fingers or toes. If you have more than one joint affected beyond your wrists or ankles, you may have a form of Arthritis called peripheral spondyloarthritis.
Skin Symptoms
Skin symptoms are common in people with Psoriatic Arthritis. These signs include red, scaly, swollen, warm to the touch, and covered with white scales. Skin symptoms can appear before joint symptoms; sometimes, skin symptoms come and go while psoriatic Arthritis progresses slowly over the years. Occasionally, psoriatic Arthritis is the only sign of the disease.
Stiff Joints
Psoriatic Arthritis can cause stiffness in joints. Paralysis occurs most often in the morning but can also occur later in the day. Stiffness occurs when your joints are inflamed, which makes it difficult to move them, or the joint is injured.
Swelling (Bumps) on Joints
Psoriatic Arthritis can cause bumps to develop on your skin or joints. These bumps are called nodules and typically appear around the toes, fingers, ankles, knees, elbows, and wrists. They rarely affect your spine. If you have this type of psoriatic arthritis, it is essential to see your doctor regularly so that treatment can prevent or slow its progression. Nodules may disappear without treatment, although they may never go away entirely if you have a chronic form of Psoriatic Arthritis. In some people with Psoriatic arthritis, the disease progresses from the above symptoms to a more deadly form of Arthritis, leading to changes in bone or loss of joint function.
Fatigue
People with psoriatic arthritis often experience fatigue. This is because the disease can affect your whole body, not just your joints. Fatigue prevails even after adequate rest and worsens over time. You may feel more tired than usual or develop new sleep patterns that include insomnia, excessive sleepiness or early morning awakening, difficulty falling back to sleep at night, and waking up too early in the morning. Your fatigue will improve once your psoriatic arthritis symptoms are under control.
Weight Loss (Unexplained)
Loss of appetite is common among people with Psoriatic Arthritis, but weight loss can also occur. This is because people typically eat less when their arthritis symptoms are severe or lose interest in eating. Weight loss may also happen if you do not eat enough calories to compensate for increased energy demands caused by your psoriatic Arthritis.
Changes in Joint Motion
You may notice changes in the way you move your joints. You may feel stiffness or tightness as you move, or your movement can become limited. Stiffness is joint among people with Psoriatic Arthritis and may worsen during the winter months, but it occurs even without cold temperatures. If you have damage to bone tissue, this can cause hypermobility (joint instability), which is marked by abnormal joint motion that makes affected areas more likely to dislocate (come out of place).
Red or Dark Lines on Your Skin
People with psoriasis often experience red or dark lines on their skin, known as erythema nodosum. Erythema nodosum occurs when there is inflammation in your fat cells under your skin, which leads to lumps that range from one-quarter of an inch to six inches wide. Psoriatic Arthritis causes erythema nodosum more often than it does not, so this symptom should be considered if you have skin or nail psoriasis.
Psoriatic Arthritis can be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms frequently mimic other forms of inflammatory arthritis like rheumatoid and osteoarthritis. Furthermore, there are many types and variations of psoriasis, some more benign than others. Since people with psoriatic Arthritis usually have both Arthritis and skin involvement, it may take several visits to your doctor to confirm your diagnosis.
If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above, see your doctor. It’s essential to be diagnosed and evaluated by a medical professional as soon as possible because psoriatic Arthritis can cause permanent damage over time. Your doctor will likely perform a physical exam, including checking for tenderness, swelling, or redness in your joints. They may also ask about specific pains you experience at night or when you wake up in the morning. Depending on your initial diagnosis, they may also order imaging tests such as MRIs, X-rays, or CT scans to check for structural problems with your joints.
Homeopathy is a medical system that treats the whole person. It focuses on your specific symptoms and personal experience with any condition—not just your lab test results or diagnosis—to determine the appropriate remedy to alleviate your suffering. More than 2500 homeopathic remedies exist, most of which can be taken by mouth (although there are some remedies available in suppository form). When choosing one for you, your homeopath will consider your constitutional type (physical, mental and emotional makeup) as well as all of your individualized symptoms to find the best remedy to give you relief. Although it’s impossible to say precisely what treatment would help without examining you first, you must visit registered homeopahty doctor for detailed information. You can book an appointment through OHO Homeopathy now!
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