DR. CORA LIMOCT. 1, 2023
Psoriatic ArthritisOur topic today is “Psoriatic Arthritis”.
It is a condition that causes painful inflammation of the joints and is often linked with the scaly skin condition called psoriasis. However, some people develop the arthritis symptoms before the psoriasis, while others will never develop the skin condition. Psoriasis can affect people of any age, both male and female, but psoriatic arthritis tends to affect more adults than young people.Symptoms for Psoriatic Arthritis include the following:• Red, scaly rashes (psoriasis)• Swollen, stiff and painful joints• Sausage-like swelling of fingers or toes• Thickening, discoloration and pitting of the nails• Pain and swelling at the back of the heel• Back pain (greater after rest/upon waking up in morning)• FatigueCan Psoriatic Arthritis affect other body parts? Yes, Psoriatic Arthritis can affect other parts of body too:1. A patient may develop a painful red eye. Don’t ignore it. It can cause blindness.2. People may also have a slightly greater risk of developing heart disease.How do we treat Psoriatic Arthritis? The processes of inflammation are similar in the skin and joints, so treatments aimed at one area of the condition often help the other as wellSeek help from a rheumatologist!Seek timely help from a rheumatologist because the earlier the treatment, the better the outcome.How is it diagnosed?It’s important that psoriatic arthritis is diagnosed early so treatment can be started as soon as possible.There’s no specific test for psoriatic arthritis, but the diagnosis is based on your symptoms and a physical examination. Your doctor will check for psoriasis and may ask if there’s a history of psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis in your family.With history and appropriate blood tests and radiologic findings, your doctor should be able to reach the diagnosis.Once treatment is started, regular follow-up and monitoring is necessary. You may be given some of the following treatments, depending on your symptoms:• Pain relieving drugs• Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs)• Biologic agents• Steroid injections to the joints• Ointments/light therapy for skin• Exercise and physiotherapy• Surgery