Coping With Psoriatic Arthritis :
The aching joints and draining fatigue of psoriatic arthritis can affect everything you do — making workdays last forever, leaving you too tired to play with your kids, and having you long for an early bedtime. When you’re also experiencing the uncomfortable skin lesions of psoriasis, coping can be even harder.
Although psoriatic arthritis is a frustrating disease with special challenges, it doesn’t have to wreak havoc on your life. Using a holistic approach combining medication and lifestyle changes, you can deal with the physical and emotional demands of psoriatic arthritis.
Psoriatic Arthritis: Symptoms Can Change
Between 10 and 30 percent of people with psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis. Like other forms of arthritis, this condition results in painful, swollen joints and can lead to severe joint damage, if not treated early.
And psoriatic arthritis symptoms can vary in intensity among people or even in the same person over time. Symptoms can come and go, sometimes seemingly on a whim. This aspect of the disease can make it incredibly difficult to manage.
“The one that people talk to me most about is the utter unpredictability of it,” says Ted Grossbart, PhD, assistant clinical professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School. “I liken it to going for a drive with no idea how much gas there is in the tank. Experiencing at unpredictable moments not being able to walk or finding that your hands just don’t work in the middle of something is awfully tough. The disease is such a moving target.”
Psoriatic Arthritis Triggers
There’s no doubt about it: Psoriatic arthritis can take a toll on your emotional and physical health, between the embarrassment you might feel about your skin lesions or swollen joints and your painful symptoms.
Although much about psoriatic arthritis remains unknown, studies have discovered that there are some possible triggers behind your flares, including:
Too much alcohol
Smoking
Stress
Stress definitely seems to play an important role in the onset and severity of both psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis symptoms. And although doctors aren’t sure why some people with psoriasis get psoriatic arthritis, evidence suggests that the more severe the psoriasis, the more likely you are to develop psoriatic arthritis.
But don’t be discouraged — the vast majority of people with psoriatic arthritis can find much relief, and a reduction of symptoms, with the right treatment.
Coping With Psoriatic Arthritis: Get Medical Help
If you have psoriasis and also have any symptoms of psoriatic arthritis, one of the most important steps in coping is to get the medical help you need.
Start by talking with your general practitioner or a dermatologist. They can then help you create a treatment team to deal with your unique needs. This team may include a dermatologist, rheumatologist, physical therapist, or psychiatrist.
You can also visit the “Find a Doctor” section on the National Psoriasis Foundation’s website, to search for a doctor in your area.
