Psoriatic Arthritis Treatment - Start As Soon As You Can

One important figure to keep in mind is that up to two percent of Americans suffer from psoriatic arthritis. Research into the disease has also found that psoriatic arthritis is contracted by ten percent of all psoriasis patients. Since psoriatic arthritis is a serious, chronic, and destructive disease, it needs to be treated as soon as it possibly can be in order to prevent total joint destruction.

The Body's Autoimmune Function

Doctors currently believe that psoriatic arthritis is an autoimmune function of the body. That means that the body actually turns against itself and uses its immune system to fight itself. This leads to both inflammation of and damage to the joints. Due to the seriousness of this condition, people need to inform themselves about the symptoms related to it and look out for them.

One of the first damaging effects that psoriatic arthritis has on the body is joint impairment, especially to the larger joints of the body such as those in the feet and arms. This does not mean that smaller joints in the hands, for example, will not be affected. Once the joints of the fingers begin to be effected and the fingers swell up, the condition is almost certainly psoriatic arthritis. The disease can also affect the fingernails, thickening and discoloring them.

The above mentioned symptoms of psoriatic arthritis tend to come and go, having times when they flare up and are especially bad followed by periods of light to moderate symptoms. In some rare cases, the spine is also affected by psoriatic arthritis. The pain and discomfort associated with this disease can be anywhere from mild to chronic.

Understanding the causes of psoriatic arthritis would help in understanding exactly what it is. Up to this point, however, medical research has been unable to find a conclusive cause for psoriatic arthritis. Some doctors have found that instable genes and exposure to certain bugs could be responsible for the formation of the disease.

Both men and women can contract psoriatic arthritis; there is no bias on the part of the disease. When the known symptoms of psoriatic arthritis such as joint pain and joint swelling are seen, a doctor may be able to diagnose it.

Treatment of psoriatic arthritis is only possible during the time when symptoms are being experienced. It is still important to begin to treat this disease as soon as possible after it has been diagnosed.