Archive for October, 2009
A Guide To Psoriatic Arthritis Treatment
Doctors that prescribe suitable psoriatic arthritis treatment do so with the intention that the treatment will help to control further inflammation and also put an end to destruction of the joints and furthermore the intention is to also improve the functioning of the joints. What’s more, both joint and skin symptoms need to be treated simultaneously.
Use Of NSAIDs
At first, doctors recommend use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) which are prescribed in the initial stages of psoriatic arthritis treatment. The benefits of using NSAIDs are that they will provide suitable relief (over the long term) against chronic pain as well as inflammation.
Another possible psoriatic arthritis treatment option is to take corticosteroids that are known for being powerful anti-inflammatory medicines that can be taken orally or through injections. In this regard, a steroid called Prednisone is a good option though care should also be taken to take this steroid only when absolutely required.
Another psoriatic arthritis treatment option is taking of disease modifying antirheumatic drugs or DMARDs that are able to retard as well as slow the further progression of psoriatic arthritis. In fact, doctors hope that by retarding further progression of the disease patients will be able to regain normal joint functionality.
In addition to the above mentioned psoriatic arthritis treatment options the patient must also try and exercise regularly as this will help in providing relief from joint stiffness as well as helps reduce pain caused by psoriatic arthritis.
Even water therapy is a useful psoriatic arthritis treatment option. This method involves following a program that consists of performing exercises in a large sized pool. Water therapy can help provide relief from pain in the joints as when the patient is submerged in the water some of the pressure and weight on the affected area is lifted thereby providing relief.
Last but not least, heat as well as cold therapies are useful forms of psoriatic arthritis treatment. These methods involve using hot and cold applications alternatively which provides the affected areas with relief from pain and also from the swelling.
Of course if all these psoriatic arthritis treatment methods fail then there is always surgery that is used as a last resort to provide relief.
It is believed that a proper arthritis diet can provide patients with much relief. This is on account of the fact that what a person eats and drinks has a noticeable impact on their body condition. Certain diets cause arthritis while others help prevent the disease and so it pays to be very careful about what you eat and drink.
Tags: psoriatic arthritis treatment, arthritis diet, arthritis
An Introduction To Psoriatic Rheumatoid Arthritis
The first thing that needs to be understood is that psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are not the same and in fact it is necessary to be clear about the differences between psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. In fact, arthritis has more than a hundred different forms and so there is much to learn about this disease including also understanding the differences between psoriatic and rheumatoid arthritis/
Common Symptoms
That is not to say that there are no common symptoms between psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis because many symptoms including inflamed joints and stiffness in the joints are experienced in both psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, both conditions develop on account of inflammatory arthritis that is erosive by nature.
The differences between psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are notable and in the case of rheumatoid arthritis it would mean that the disease will mainly affect the wrists and PIP joints. In the case of psoriatic arthritis the symptoms show up in the form of sausage shaped deformed toes and fingernails.
The common features of psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis also extend to the way that both conditions are treated. This can be seen in the fact that psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis is treated by using anti-inflammatory agents as well as anti-malarials and also by using Methotrexate which is used in the treatment of particularly stubborn cases.
Another fact related to psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis that needs to be known and understood is that both conditions are very disabling and rheumatoid arthritis in particular is known to affect approximately one in every 100 adult Americans which works out to about two million people. It is also an autoimmune disease and it mostly affects a person’s smaller joints such as those found in the hands and feet.
In regard to psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis it has also been found that psoriatic arthritis affects fewer people as compared to rheumatoid arthritis patients and in fact psoriatic arthritis is more of a disease that is closely linked with psoriasis and involves experiencing pain as well as developing inflamed joints. Both psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are highly disabling and so treatment should be begun as soon as symptoms begin to show up.
Getting the right and prompt psoriatic arthritis treatment is essential for your good health. At one time psoriatic arthritis was treated as effectively as is being done today; but now that disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) have become available it is possible to prevent deformities and destruction as well as disabilities that an unchecked psoriatic arthritis condition can cause.
Tags: psoriatic rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis treatment
