Arthritis Living with Arthritis

Managing Psoriatic Arthritis

Fortunately, there are signs that doctors can look for that are considered early indicators of the more severe forms of the disease. These signs include an onset of symptoms at a young age and the involvement of many joints, including the spine. Being female and having a family history of the disease are also considered risk factors that may influence the degree of severity of psoriatic arthritis.

The Five Types of Psoriatic Arthritis
Researchers still don’t know what causes the disease or what occurs to initiate the development of the destructive rather than the mild form of psoriatic arthritis. However, they do know there are five types of this disease, which can be identified by the types of joints that are involved. The five types are:

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• Symmetric arthritis is considered to be similar to rheumatoid arthritis but is a milder form of the disease and results in less deformity.
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• Asymmetric arthritis is often characterized by hands and feet that may have enlarged and swollen digits that are reminiscent of sausages. The joint pain associated with this type of psoriatic arthritis is usually responsive to medical therapy. Asymmetric arthritis is generally a milder form of the disease, although some people may develop a more disabling type.
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• Distal interphalangeal predominant is considered the classic version of the disease, even though it occurs in only about 5 percent of the people who have psoriatic arthritis. Sometimes it can be confused with osteoarthritis, but nail changes are usually prominent, which make it easy to differentiate.
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• Spondylitis involves inflammation of the spinal column. Some of the common symptoms include stiffness of the neck, lower back and spinal vertebrae. All of the symptoms can make motion painful and difficult.
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• Arthritis mutilans is the most severe, deforming and destructive version of psoriatic arthritis. It affects fewer than 5 percent of people who have the disease.

The key to their success is appropriate therapy and regular monitoring by a rheumatologist. Effective medications that relieve the pain and inflammation caused by the disease are available to ensure that the majority of people with psoriatic arthritis have good control of their pain, improved function and limited joint damage.

The future for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis is encouraging. Researchers have made many advances in treatments that will help advance the management of the disease. Genetic markers have been discovered, which can help physicians identify individuals with more severe arthritis. Those markers are also proving useful in helping doctors recommend the best treatments.

At the same time, newer treatments have demonstrated their ability to target the actual mechanisms that cause inflammation and joint damage. And research is underway on even more advanced therapies that may one day prove useful in reducing, and possibly even preventing, progressive joint involvement and damage.

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