While there is no cure for psoriatic arthritis, there is a combination of psoriatic arthritis treatments available today. A doctor must first look to make sure that a patient does not have proteins in their blood that are only present with rheumatoid arthritis. People who do have psoriatic arthritis can find many ways to help them live with it by getting some pain relief. In fact, most psoriatic arthritis treatments concentrate on pain management.
Medical Therapies
There are some medicines that clinics are using to help treat people who suffer from soriatic arthritis. Each of these drugs has been accepted by the FDA. The latest medications include...
The first drug is Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) blockers. This is a type of biologic response modifier. It is a new way to treat psoriatic arthritis. The most common drugs here are Enbrel and Remicade. It blocks cytokines. These are components of the body's immune system. When they are blocked, the cause of inflammation is blocked and a patient gets some relief from pain, morning stiffness, and swollen joints. There are some serious health risks related to these drugs though. Even though this is true, a lot of doctors are still using these drugs.
The second drug that is used to treat psoriatic arthritis is Humira. A person takes Humira at home by giving themselves an injection every other week. This is like a diabetes patient who gives themselves an insulin injection. This medication has been shown to offer patients a lot of help with their illness. The health risks with Humira are not as serious as those that patients who take TNF may get.
The third drug that is used to treat psoriatic arthritis is glucocorticoids. These are usually just called “steroids.” They are also received by injection. Some treatment centers only use these as a last resort due to the problems that a patient may have with them. Most doctors would rather use NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) to reduce inflammation, joint pain and stiffness.
The fourth type of drug is called DMARDs (disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs). They are sometimes prescribed for severe cases of psoriatic arthritis. Some of the most common names for these drugs are Methotrexate, Sulfasalazine, Gold, and Cyclosporine.
The fifth and final drug is called Synvisc. This is also taken by injection. It is mostly used in mild to moderate psoriatic arthritis patients.
Specialists don’t use surgery very often for these patients because surgery is very risky. However, sometimes it is recommended when other drugs and treatments do not work.
Another option that is available is to use natural therapies.
Alternative or Holistic Therapies
There are many natural remedies available for treating a person who suffers with psoriatic arthritis. It is important to understand that these are experimental.
The first thing that a person may try is corrective cosmetics. These don’t help your pain but they can help how you look at life. This can then make it easier for you to manage your pain.
Secondly a person may try to watch their diet. This is because nutrition plays an important part in the treatment of psoriatic arthritis. People with arthritis should take vitamins C, E and A. They should also eat a lot of olive oil, vegetables, and cold-water fish like salmon, mackerel and herring can help reduce your pain. People should also see if they have more pain when they eat citrus fruits, red meat, potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, and alcohol. If they do have more pain, then they should not eat these things.
The third thing that may help is exercise. Exercise is important because it keeps the muscles around a joint strong. When you don’t use a sore joint, the muscles will become weak and there will be more pain.
Fourth, a person may find some relief in hot and cold treatments. Heat can ease pain, relax tense, painful muscles and increase blood flow. Cold has a numbing effect. It can dull the feeling of pain. This is why a lot of physical therapists use heat as part of their treatment.
The fifth alternative therapy is that of light treatment (UVB or PUVA). A person can use either natural or artificial light. Light helps a person feel better and increase their energy level.
Sixth, a person may find that rest is a big help. This does not mean that a person should not be active. A person should just stop before becoming too tired. Some people with psoriatic arthritis do have extreme fatigue. They may need to rest more than normal.
A part of this resting may include splints. Splinting a joint in a comfortable resting position may help to reduce swelling. This can help reduce pain, swelling, and stiffness.
Seventh, since psoriatic arthritis has to do with psoriasis, skin care can be very important. This means that a person who has soriasis should keep their skin moist with lanolin cream, light mineral oil, petroleum jelly, cocoa butter lotion or baby oil. Doctors often give patients a prescription cream to control really dry areas. A humidifier should be used in the winter. Strong soaps, deodorant soaps, and chemicals should not be used.
Eighth, a person may try different supplements to help ease their pain. The dietary supplements glucosamine, S-adenosyl-methionine (SAM-e), and chondroitin can help with joint pain and movement. However, they do not help with inflammation.
Support for Living with Psoriatic Arthritis
Help coping with this arthritis can come from doctors, families, and group support. This group support can be found online. People can search for forums (also known as message boards) and chat rooms by using their favorite Search Engine (ie Google). These groups can provide some important help.
