Psoriatic arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis (psoriatic arthritis) is an inflammatory disease that causes pain and stiffness in the joints. Most people who get psoriatic arthritis also have the skin disease psoriasis.

What is psoriatic arthritis?

Psoriatic arthritis (psoriatic arthritis) is a type of psoriasis that does not attack the skin, but the body's joints. That is, a rheumatic disease that consists of both the skin disease psoriasis and a joint disease.

Psoriasis causes a rash that is covered with whitish, scaly crusts, while arthritis causes stiff, swollen and painful joints. 7 out of 10 people who get psoriatic arthritis have already been diagnosed with psoriasis (the skin disease). Women and men are affected equally. The usual age of onset is 30-50 years, but younger people can also be affected.

Causes of psoriatic arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis is an inflammatory disease where the immune system attacks the body's joints (autoimmune disease). The reason why this happens is not known, but hereditary factors seem to play a contributing role.

Most people who get psoriatic arthritis (psoriatic arthritis) already have psoriasis. In others, the diseases can occur at the same time and some get psoriatic arthritis before they get the skin disease.

Symptoms of psoriatic arthritis

• Pain, stiffness, swelling and tenderness in joints, ligaments and tendon attachments.

• Reduced movement in the affected joints.

• Most often affects the outermost joints of the fingers and toes, but can also affect large joints such as the hip, elbow and shoulder joints.

• Asymmetric - does not hit both sides of the body at the same time.

• Stiffness in the back.

• Pronounced stiffness in the morning, which often subsides during the day.

• Psoriatic arthritis can also develop elsewhere, such as in the eyes and intestines.

Differences between arthritis (arthritis) and psoriatic arthritis (psoriatic arthritis)

• Arthritis/arthritis normally causes initial pain in several joints, while psoriatic arthritis (psoriatic arthritis) often causes pain in fewer joints (often fingers or toes). Eventually, the symptoms can spread to several or larger joints (pelvis/back). In approximately 70% of cases, only the hands and feet are attacked.

• Psoriatic arthritis often causes milder symptoms than arthritis and it is often only the outermost joints that are affected.

• Arthritis usually affects the same joints on the right and left side of the body (symmetrically). This usually does not happen with psoriatic arthritis (asymmetrical).

• Psoriatic arthritis can go dormant so that you can have little or no pain for periods, which are followed by periods of more pain again. Arthritis, in contrast, is a progressive disease that constantly develops and causes more joint damage.

Who gets psoriatic arthritis?

About 15% of those who suffer from psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis. Both women and men are predisposed to getting the disease, and as a rule the first symptoms of the disease are seen between 30 and 50 years of age.

Treatment - what helps with psoriatic arthritis?

The aim of treating psoriatic arthritis is to relieve symptoms and pain, reduce inflammation and prevent future joint damage.

Medicines for psoriatic arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis is treated with pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory drugs in the same way as for normal arthritis (arthritis).

NSAIDs, such as Ibux (ibuprofen), are the first choice to reduce both inflammation, swelling, stiffness and pain that the disease brings with it. Paracetamol and Pinex (paracetamol) can be used to relieve the pain. Treatment with painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs is often combined with physiotherapy for the best possible effect.

Sources: Norwegian Rheumatism Association, Norwegian Health Information Technology