Some autoimmune joint pathologies that occur on the basis of skin lesions are psoriatic arthritis. This disease is characterized by a chronic or acute course.
Pathology Description
The occurrence of such arthritis occurs equally in both men and women, usually in adulthood. Pathology is a consequence of the inflammatory process in the bone tissue of the joints. Its main predecessors are rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis, which occur both individually and in parallel.
The manifestation of the pathology is based on growing cells that form on the surface of the skin. With psoriatic arthritis in humans, the onset of acute pain in the joints is noted, which indicates the onset of the inflammatory process. Pathology most often manifests itself in the head, elbow and knee joints. When a person has signs of psoriasis, the subsequent occurrence of complications in the form of psoriatic arthritis is not ruled out.
At the present stage, there is a tendency towards an increase in the incidence of this pathology not only in older people, but also among young people. In order to successfully deal with such a dangerous disease, you should understand the causes, types and symptoms of this ailment.
Varieties of pathology
Psoriatic arthritis is divided into several types that have characteristic symptoms and manifestations. Varieties of this disease are:
- Asymmetric, which is characterized by the defeat of several joints simultaneously. In most cases, there are three of them, and both the small bone element and the large one are affected.
- Symmetric. This type characterizes the defeat of paired joints, which as a result entails a person's disability. In terms of symptoms, it has many similarities with a pathology such as rheumatoid arthritis.
- Arthritis of the distal interphalangeal joints of the feet and hands. This type of disease is characterized by damage to the small joints of the fingers located near the nail plates. This mainly applies to the upper limbs, but it can also occur on the lower limbs. This type of disease is similar to osteoarthritis, which is why at the initial stages it is sometimes very difficult to distinguish between these diseases.
- Spondylosis The occurrence of this ailment indicates damage to the bone tissue of the spine, and sometimes the hip region, while pathology can develop in several or one department of the spinal column.
- Mutating or deforming arthritis, which is the most complex form, when a person usually becomes disabled for life. The causes of disability are the fact that the affected joints cease to perform their main functions and a person cannot perform simple manipulations of his legs and arms. In rare cases, with deforming psoriatic arthritis is fatal.
Causes of the disease
Each variety of this disease type has its own characteristic features, in the presence of which a person manifests certain symptoms. In addition, there are certain prerequisites that cause the formation of psoriatic arthritis, which are very important to know.
The development of the disease can occur against the background of the transformation of epidermal cells, which, in turn, are provoked by certain changes in biological and chemical processes. The same factors determine the development of foci of the inflammatory process in bone tissues and joint cavities. The specific causes of the formation of psoriatic arthritis have not yet been fully studied, but medical researchers suggest that the main factors that affect the development of the disease are disorders in the nervous system. All kinds of nervous shocks, stresses and mood swings over time can trigger the symptoms of such a serious illness.
Nevertheless, this is not the only reason, since hereditary factors should not be excluded, as a result of which offspring can develop psoriatic arthritis (in the photo in the article you can see where the disease is localized).
Provocative factors
There are a number of factors that entail the development of such a pathological deviation. For example, when infected with various types of viruses or bacteria, some of which are able to dwell inside the human body for quite some time, becoming the causative agents of this disease.
In cases where the joints have been bruised or damaged, the formation of psoriatic arthritis can also begin, since even a minor injury can cause very serious consequences.
In violation of metabolic processes in the body, all organs experience large overloads, which leads to malfunctions in their work and provokes the development of this pathology. This phenomenon is especially characteristic of the spine.
In addition to the above, arthritis can be caused by surgery, which could result in infection of any infection.
When processes of transformation of connective tissues occur, as a result of which psoriasis can occur in a person, psoriatic arthritis also develops.
Less frequent causes
Other, less frequent causes of occurrence:
- Nervous disorders, frequent stresses. Any psycho-emotional malfunctions lead to dysfunction of various organs, which can cause the development of this disease.
- Bad habits. Alcohol and tobacco smoking lead to a decrease in the human immune defense, which increases the possibility of the active spread and growth of the number of pathogenic bacteria.
- Hormonal changes. A similar reason is typical mainly for women, since the body needs to constantly adapt to changes in the ratio of hormones during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and menopause. For example, during pregnancy, the symptoms of the disease can be completely unpredictable. In some pregnant women, there is an increase in the signs of pathology, while in others, the symptoms of the disease fade away. During menopause, signs of psoriatic arthritis tend to worsen. This is due to the fact that at this period in women there is insufficient absorption of calcium, which provokes osteorosis, bone disease.
- With the use of certain medications, the likelihood of developing this disease is also possible. These drugs include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Ibuprofen and Diclofenac.
From the foregoing, we can conclude that there are a lot of reasons for the development of such a disease, so almost everyone can get sick with such an ailment.
Before considering how to treat psoriatic arthritis, let's talk about its symptoms.
Symptoms of the disease
Symptoms of the pathology often occur in people suffering from psoriasis. The time interval from the onset of psoriasis to the onset of arthritis is different - from several weeks to entire decades. Arthritis can be preceded by the appearance of dermatosis, when damage to the nail processes is observed. As a result of the development of dermatosis on the nails, small depressions appear, clouding and depletion of the nail surface is noted. As a result, the nails begin to crumble and fall away.
Most often, the symptoms of psoriatic arthritis (you can see them in the medical manuals) are unnoticed and gradually acquire a chronic form, however, in cases when the signs of the disease prevail in the acute form, the disease can be successfully treated.
Symptoms of arthritis in the form of spondylosis and lesions of the interphalangeal joints are less common. In this case, swelling and enlargement of the joints in size can be observed. In most cases, these symptoms of psoriatic arthritis gradually spread and extend beyond the joints. The skin in such areas acquires a bluish color, and the nails atrophy and stop growing. The fingers become curved, with a characteristic increase in interphalangeal joints.
Most often, doctors diagnose the pathology of large joints: elbow, knee, ankle. Only in five percent of cases, people have a vertebral or hip type of the disease. The inflammatory process is also characterized by symptoms of acute pain, which occurs depending on the location of the lesion.
Symptoms and treatment of psoriatic arthritis are interrelated.
Diagnosis of the disease
Diagnosis should be based on the patient’s history and some methods of physiological studies. If we consider laboratory research methods, then it is impossible to diagnose this joint disease. Patients may experience only a slight increase in ESR levels.
Roentgenography
To detect psoriatic arthritis, there is a reliable method that allows you to accurately diagnose, and this is radiography. Using X-ray data, the specialist has a visual confirmation of the picture of pathological changes in the joints, since their deformation and damage, as well as the growth of osteophytes in some areas of bone tissue, are clearly visible.
Inspection
In addition to radiography, the doctor will also examine the patient. If he has signs of damage to the skin, rashes on the skin or deformation of the nails, then this primarily indicates the development of the disease. Based on a properly organized diagnosis, a specialist prescribes appropriate treatment for psoriatic arthritis.
Disease treatment
Therapy of this pathology is a complex and lengthy process, and it cannot be completely cured, however, the sooner the measures are taken, the higher the chance that the disease will be in remission. The main goal of treatment is to stop further tissue damage, reduce inflammation and restore motor function.
Medicines
In the traditional treatment of psoriatic arthritis, such medications as Naproxen, Butadion, Ibuprofen are used. Injections with corticosteroids and glucocorticoids are also used, monoclonal antibody preparations and sedative medications are used.
Physiotherapeutic effects are also advisable - ultrasound, laser therapy, massage, etc.
Diet for Psoriatic Arthritis
The treatment of this disease includes following a special diet, which helps to reduce the symptoms of pain and prevent the further development of the disease. When organizing the diet, it is worth paying special attention to dairy products, low-fat meat, vegetables, fruits, herbs, chicken eggs. Food should not be high-calorie, but it is recommended to eat foods rich in calcium and phosphorus. Cooking also plays an important role, as steamed dishes are more healthy than fried and smoked. Fatty foods should be discarded, as well as spicy and salty foods.
Consider reviews of psoriatic arthritis.
Reviews
Given the information obtained from patient reviews, such a disease is not a very common pathology. It mainly develops in people with psoriasis, but not with every known case. Patients describe this ailment as the occurrence of changes in the joints, accompanied by pain, redness and peeling of the skin, degradation of the nail plates.
The reviews also contain a large amount of information about the treatment of such a bone disease. According to people suffering from this disease, as well as specialists involved in its treatment, the disease is practically incurable, especially in the later stages. In the early stages, you can only suspend its development. In general, the therapy is based on the use of a variety of anti-inflammatory medications and hormones that help reduce pain, swelling and stop joint deformation.
We examined the symptoms and treatment of psoriatic arthritis. Photos were also presented.