Arthritis comes in many forms. A lot of people think that arthritis is a disease that affects only the bones. Contrary to that fact, arthritis affects not only ligaments and joints but the skin as well. If such is the manifestation, we call that variety of arthritis as psoriatic arthritis.

Unlike the other types of arthritis, this type commonly occurs in the skin due to previous psoriasis disease. And unlike the other arthritis types, this disease is easily treatable through several forms of drugs and therapies. Read the items below and find out more about what psoriatic arthritis is. The items you can find below will help you know the nature of the disease and how it is treated.

Psoriatic Arthritis: What Is It?

Psoriatic arthritis can be described as an ailment affecting the skin. Like the other types of arthritis, there is presence of inflammation which typically manifests on the skin. Although it results after psoriasis, the disease is actually an immune or genetic problem. Because of its unknown origins, there is no total cure for the disease.

However, it is easily treated compared to the other types of arthritis. More often than not, the problem with those who have psoriatic disease is self image disturbance rather than the manifestations of the disease itself.

Psoriatic Arthritis: The Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of psoriatic arthritis are basically the manifestations of two diseases, namely: arthritis and psoriasis. The psoriasis symptoms show as scaly patch like skin appearance. They are usually inflamed and appear red upon assessment. Together with these signs are arthritis manifestations such as joint stiffness or swelling, inflammation, and immobilization of the affected body part.

In psoriatic arthritis, there is a usual pattern of inflammation common among the population affected with the disease. Usually, the joint pains are one sided or asymmetrical in nature. The discomfort is felt primarily on the major joints of the body followed by inflammation of the tendons. The symptoms can be easily treated through several anti-inflammatory drugs.

Psoriatic Arthritis: The Treatment

The psoriatic arthritis treatment is generally the same as the therapies given to other types of arthritis. Patients can be given corticosteroids, NSAID's, disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, TNF-apha inhibitors, and immunosuppressant drugs. The treatment for psoriatic arthritis is not as aggressive as the one given to rheumatoid arthritis patients. Because psoriatic arthritis is a milder form of the disease, the therapies given are also mild in nature. In fact, relaxation alone can help a lot in the remission of the disease.