Psoriasis Arthritis Research Paper

Treating Psoriatic Arthritis with Drugs
Psoriasis is a condition which is characterized with red patches on the skin, topped with silver scales, however, people with psoriasis arthritis are firstly diagnosed with psoriasis and later on they may develop psoriasis arthritis.
What is psoriasis arthritis (PsA)?
Psoriasis arthritis is a form of inflammatory arthritis which develops in about 30% of the people suffering from psoriasis. The disease attacks the joints and the skin due to the attack of the body’s immune system on the health tissue. Therefore, inflammation occurs and it’s followed by pain and swelling of the affected areas. If the disease is treated in its early stage, you can control it or slow it down, but if not, there is a possibility of permanent damage of the tissue and joint and inflammation may spread to the entire body. Some people may experience joint pain, without any showings on the skin and others may experience skin problems, first and later on the rest of the symptoms.
Symptoms of Psoriasis Arthritis (PsA)
This chronic disease can get worse with time, but if treated on time, there might be a period where some symptoms subside or they improve with time.
The symptoms are similar to those of the rheumatoid arthritis, including painful joints on one or both sides of the body, they may become swollen and warm.
You may also experience swelling of the fingers and the toes, even before joint pain. Your hands and feet may also be affected or get deformed or swollen. Spondylitis is also a problem which is part of the psoriasis disease and many people face with this problem. It’s an inflammation of the joints between the vertebrae of the spine as well as an inflammation in the joints between the pelvis and spine also known as sacroiliitis. Psoriasis arthritis is also known to affect the feet, especially the Achilles tendinitis. The pain is felt in the joints where the tendons and ligaments connect or in the sole of the
foot.
Treatment and medications for Psoriasis Arthritis
Psoriasis Arthritis is a chronic disease which has no cure in particular. The only thing that one can do is undergo an aggressive treatment in order to reduce the pain and the other symptoms as well as to prevent disability or further inflammation.
Medications used for Psoriasis Arthritis include:
-Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs or DMARDs- these medications are used for controlling or slowing down the disease. They also treat the affected joints and tissues in order to avoid permanent damage and further progression of the disease. Common DMARDs include: sulfasalazine (Azulfidine), methotrexate (Trexall) and leflunomide (Arava).
-Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs- these drugs help with the pain and the inflammation. They reduce the pain and prevent inflammation to be further spread. The medications which are without prescription or the over-the-counter drugs include Advil and Aleve. However, for stronger NSAIDs you will need a prescription and a doctor’s consult.
-Tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors or TNF-alpha- The TNF-alpha inhibitors help to reduce the swollen joints, the stiffness as well as the pain. The TNF-alpha is an inflammatory substance which is produced in the body and among the inhibitors are etanercept (Enbrel), adalimumab (Humira), infiximab (Remicade), certolizumab (Cimzia) and golimumab (Simponi).
-Immuno-suppressants- These medications work in a way that they control the immune system which is out of control due to the psoriasis arthritis. Some of the most common immuno-suppressants include cyclosporine (Neoral, Gengraf, Sandimmune) and azathioprine (Azasan, Imuran).

-All of these medications and options will help you slow down the disease and relieve the symptoms. However, like any other drugs on the market, there are possible side-effect which one may experience due to the use of these medications. If you follow the medication guide or the advice of the doctor, you shouldn’t have any serious complications.