Complicationso Psoriasis

Fight psoriatic arthritis with a healthy diet and exercises.

 

It is a well known fact that Psoriasis is a skin condition that involves excessive formation of skin cells over some areas of the body and can cause itching and peeling off of the skin. It can appear as rough patches during certain seasons of the year and also by environmental factors apart from stress.

But the lesser known facet of Psoriasis is that it can also lead to pain, swelling and stiffness of joints of the body in about 30 per cent of patients suffering with this problem. This condition usually occurs in people in the 30-50 age group.

No particular reason can be cited as the cause of arthritis; it does appear to be an auto immune response — the body’s immunity system seems to think that the cartilage of the joints is not safe for the body and produces antibodies against the same. The nails usually are dry and cracked.

The joints nearest to the nails of fingers and toes are the most affected whereas in another condition of rheumatoid arthritis, any joint can be affected to start with. The shifting type of pain found in rheumatoid arthritis is not to be seen in psoriatic arthritis.

l Stiffness of the joints and fatigue are the most common symptoms.

l It is also a known fact that psoriatic arthritis can involve the spine causing symptoms similar to spondylitis.

l More often than not, the skin condition precedes the development of arthritis.

l The joints could be affected symmetrically — similar fingers of both hands, or it could be asymmetric i.e the right hand and the left foot or vice versa.

l The problem with this kind of arthritis is that it could lead to permanent disability or stiffness of the joint affected.

l To start with, lifestyle changes like appropriate diets rich in fruits and vegetables will help in seeing that there is no further increase in weight of the body and thereby the severity of pain and stiffness of the affected joints is not compounded further. By performing aerobic exercises, the strength and mobility of the joints can be improved and low impact exercises like swimming will prevent any further damage to the joints.

To clear skin lesions apart from lessening the inflammation of the affected joints should be the priority of treatment. Homoeopathic medicine has good remedies like Petroleum, Ars iod, Ars. Alb, while remedies like Rhus tox, Bryonia, guiacum etc. which help in relieving the pain , stiffness and inflammation of the affected joints. To keep the autoimmune disease at bay, homoeopathic medicines are the best bet.