Psoriatic Arthritis Treatment

David Jenkins Review by editorial staff 1-2-2012

Psoriatic arthritis is caused by the autoimmune disease psoriasis . There is no cure for this condition. . Your doctor will look at the specific symptoms of your psoriasis and develope a treatment plan for you in order to manage them most effectively.

Basic treatments for Psoriatic Arthritis

Obviously since psoriatic arthritis is caused by psoriasis the treatments will be similar. The main difference is if you do not have arthritis symptoms with your psoriasis then most of your treatments are centered around treating the skin symptoms of the disease.

Mild forms of psoriatic arthritis are treated like other forms of arthritis. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, such as Advil or Aleve, are used to help control the pain and swelling of the arthritis. Heat and cold therapies may help control the pain and inflammation as well. As with all forms of arthritis exercised is recommended. If only a few joints are affected you may be given injected steroids directly into affected joints more advanced

More advance treatments for Psoriatic Arthritis

When many joints are affected or the inflammation is severe then there are other options your doctor may recommend. These may also be used to control all of your psoriasis symptoms.

Corticosteroids such as Prednisone help reduce inflammation and are used to treat most types of severe arthritis. How ever long term use can have a negative effect on psoriasis. These drugs are used for short term serious flare ups of psoriatic arthritis.

DMARDs (Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs) such as methotrexate, leflunomide, hydroxychloroquine and sulfasalazine. These drugs can reduce the deterioration of the joints as well as slow down the immune attacks against your joints.

TNF-alpha inhibitors (tumor necrosis factor-alpha) such as Enbrel (etanercept), Remicade (infliximab), Humira (adalimumab), and Simponi (golimumab).The drugs work by suppressing aspects of the immune system specifically TNF alpha which is a protein that the body produces during the inflammatory response. Eliminating or lowering TNF alpha in the blood stream significantly reduces inflammation in many people.

Antimalarials drugs such as Plaquenil. These drugs were designed to fight malaria and have been found to help with other conditions. It can take months for these drugs to make a difference and come with many side effects. Most rheumatologists reluctant to recommend these drugs and should only be used when closely monitored by your doctor or rheumatologist.

Surgery may be needed if joint damage becomes two serious such as a joint replacement. .

Your doctor may also refer you to a dermatologist, a doctor who specializes in diseases of the skin, for treatment of your psoriasis.

Alternative treatment for Psoriatic Arthritis

Food allergies/intolerances are believed to play a role in most autoimmune disorders, including psoriatic arthritis. Identification and elimination of food allergens from the diet can be helpful. Constitutional homeopathy can work deeply and effectively with this condition, if the proper prescription is given. Acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, and western herbal medicine can all be useful in managing the symptoms of psoriatic arthritis. Nutritional supplements can contribute added support to the healing process. Alternative treatments recommended for psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis may also be helpful in treating psoriatic arthritis.

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