Psoriatic Arthritis Specialist

What is psoriatic arthritis?

Psoriatic arthritis is a disease with two distinctive elements. The first is psoriasis, which is a condition that results in flaking and peeling skin that forms white and red patches and can cover large areas of your body.

Some people who have psoriasis also develop arthritis, which causes stiff, painful joints. Psoriatic arthritis can affect any joint but is often worse in the hands and knees. Your fingers and other joints might start to distort and twist as the arthritis progresses.

Another typical symptom of psoriatic arthritis is enthesitis, which is tenderness at the points where your tendons attach to your bones. Enthesitis often affects the feet, heels, and elbows.

What causes psoriatic arthritis?

Psoriatic arthritis is an autoimmune disorder. It develops when your immune system develops a flaw that makes it target particular cells in your body as though they were a threat to your health.

The reason why some people develop autoimmune disorders like psoriatic arthritis, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis isn't clear, but it's likely there's a genetic link.

How is psoriatic arthritis diagnosed?

There isn't a specific test for psoriatic arthritis, but the team at Sahni Rheumatology & Therapy has considerable experience in identifying the disease’s signs and symptoms.

You need to undergo a physical exam, during which your provider checks your skin and nails for indications of psoriatic arthritis. You might also need to give blood and skin samples and have X-rays or other diagnostic imaging tests.

What treatments are there for psoriatic arthritis?

Initially, if you have mild psoriatic arthritis, your provider at Sahni Rheumatology & Therapy might suggest nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to reduce pain and inflammation.

If these aren't effective, or your psoriatic arthritis is severe, you might need to take disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). These drugs help to manage joint pain and slow down the rate of deterioration in your joints.

Another option is biologic medications. These contain living organisms or substances extracted from them. You can have biologics in injectable form or as an IV (intravenous) infusion. Examples include:

• TNF (tumor necrosis factor) inhibitors

• Ustekinumab

• Abatacept

• Secukinumab

Short courses of steroid medications might also be necessary for some patients.

If you have psoriasis and have started to experience joint pain, contact Sahni Rheumatology & Therapy without delay. The sooner you start treatment, the more successful the results are likely to be, so call us today.