Psoriatic arthritis

Description

A type of arthritis that affects some people who have the skin condition psoriasis.

Overview

Psoriatic arthritis happens when the immune system attacks healthy cells and tissue. This causes painful swelling in the joints called inflammation. It also causes the body to make too many skin cells. The top risk factor for psoriatic arthritis is having psoriasis. Anther risk factor is having a family history of psoriatic arthritis.

Symptoms

The main symptoms of psoriatic arthritis are joint pain, stiffness and swelling. These can affect any part of the body, including the fingertips and spine. They can range from somewhat mild to very bad. At times, the symptoms may get better or go away for a while.

Treatments

Psoriatic arthritis medicines can ease pain, lower inflammation or slow the disease from getting worse. Physical and occupational therapies can make it easier to do everyday tasks. Sometimes, surgery is done to replace badly damaged joints with artificial ones. Lifestyle changes such as losing extra weight and doing gentle exercise also can help.