Psoriatic Arthritis in San Antonio & Windcrest, TX
What is psoriatic arthritis?
Psoriatic arthritis is one of many varieties of arthritis. Like the other types, joint pain is a primary symptom of psoriatic arthritis. However, psoriatic arthritis affects people who have psoriasis, an autoimmune condition causing irritating red, scaly skin patches.
If you have psoriatic arthritis, your immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells and tissues and causes inflammation in your joints and on your skin. You might go through long periods with no inflammation or symptoms, but the condition is chronic and can get worse over time despite these periods of remission.
At Rheumatology Solutions, the team can help you manage your condition to ease symptoms during a flare-up and avoid complications like eye problems or arthritis mutilans, a severe form of arthritis that destroys the delicate bones in your hands and fingers.
What are the signs and symptoms of psoriatic arthritis?
Psoriatic arthritis comes with similar symptoms to other types of arthritis. For example, it makes your joints swollen, inflamed, painful, tender, and warm. Psoriatic arthritis can also cause:
- Low energy or fatigue
- Swelling in your fingers and toes
- Foot pain
- Low back pain
- Fingernail and toenail changes
- Eye irritation
Additionally, you must have some symptoms of psoriasis for a psoriatic arthritis diagnosis. Even if your skin patches are small and mild, your arthritic symptoms can be severe and debilitating.
To diagnose you, the team at Rheumatology Solutions might perform a series of tests, including a physical exam, X-ray imaging, bloodwork, joint fluid tests, and more to rule out other possible causes. There is no single conclusive test to diagnose psoriatic arthritis.
What are my treatment options for psoriatic arthritis?
The experts at Rheumatology Solutions work with you to design a personalized treatment and management plan for your psoriatic arthritis. Although there isn’t a cure, you can control inflammation with specific treatments to ease pain and minimize long-term damage. Your psoriatic arthritis plan might include:
- Anti-inflammatory oral medications
- IV infusion therapy with biologics
- Immunosuppressant medications
- Local corticosteroid injections
- Healthy lifestyle changes
With healthy habits and successful treatments, you can maintain your mobility and reduce the number of psoriatic arthritis flare-ups you experience. Your provider might also encourage you to find social support and stress relief strategies to ease stress in your life, which can aggravate inflammatory conditions like psoriatic arthritis.