Inflammation can cause a myriad of health conditions and disorders in the body. Sometimes the inflammation isolates itself in one part of the body, and sometimes the inflammation can be comorbid. In the case of Psoriatic Arthritis, this condition feels like two diseases in one, affecting both the joints and the skin.
Living with chronic joint pain negatively affects one’s quality of life and coupling that with an inflammatory skin condition makes matters even worse. This is the reality of living with this condition, however, there are many treatments and medications on the market today to reduce its symptoms, and many lifestyle choices that greatly enhance the quality of life while living with Psoriatic Arthritis.
We’re exploring what it is, the symptoms, the triggers, and personal choices and habits that can reduce pain, lower inflammation, and enhance joint health.
Psoriatic Arthritis: What Is It?
An arthritis condition that causes joint pain and swelling, Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) also manifests as common symptoms found in Psoriasis, an inflammatory skin condition that causes rashes and lesions on the skin. It attacks the joints as well as skin tissue. Sufferers experience joint pain and stiffness in addition to rashes on the skin, especially on the hands, and may have poor nail health.
There are several other symptoms caused by Psoriatic Arthritis. These are the most common signs and symptoms.
8 Most Common Symptoms in Psoriatic Arthritis:
Pain and stiffness
Just as in arthritis, PsA causes stiffness and chronic pain in the joints, especially in fingers, hands, feet, and heels. Over time, the chronic inflammation caused by PsA erodes the cartilage in the joints, which only leads to more pain and stiffness, if not treated properly.
Swelling
Joints, hands, and feet can swell up and get puffy and large. This swelling can also be painful and even cause immobility in the joints.
Lower back and shoulder pain
Though the pain usually isolates itself in the hands and feet, PsA can cause pain in other parts of the body, namely the lower back and shoulders because of inflammation caused by the condition.
Nail lesions
PsA causes plaque psoriasis on the nails, including lesions, roughness, thickened nails, crumbling nails, and discoloration. Psoriasis speeds up the creation of new skin cells, which is why nails get thick and weak.
Skin psoriasis
Because of the increase in the life cycle of skin cells caused by PsA, nails are not the only part of the body impacted by psoriasis caused by PsA. The skin can also get lesions, rashes, dryness, flakiness, and roughness.
Eye inflammation
PsA is an inflammatory condition, so naturally, many parts of the body become inflamed. A common organ that experiences this is the eyes. If the inflammation is bad enough and without treatment, it can also cause loss of vision.
Chronic fatigue
Living in a constant state of flare-ups is going to impact your energy levels. Chronic fatigue is a very common symptom in PsA and other autoimmune conditions. Chronic fatigue can cause sleep disorders like insomnia, which decreases energy levels even more. Getting a handle on fatigue associated with PsA will help in reducing other symptoms.
Weakened immune system
Psoriatic Arthritis is an autoimmune disease, and with that comes a weakened and compromised immune system. PsA makes you more susceptible to viruses and getting sick. This is also another reason why PsA attacks the skin. A weak immune system can increase skin rashes and infections.
Things that can trigger flare-ups
Although PsA is chronic and there is no cure, there are ways to avoid flare-ups and reduce symptoms and their severity. One of these ways is being able to identify what triggers could cause a flare-up in PsA.
Overall, an unhealthy lifestyle will make PsA worse. There are some triggers that are lifestyle choices and some triggers that are out of your control, like the weather. Being aware of which ones are in your control and which ones aren’t can help you be better prepared in fighting pain and symptoms. Here are some triggers that could possibly cause an inflammatory response in PsA:
- Stress
- Tobacco
- Alcohol
- Weather
- Not enough sleep
- Unhealthy diet
- Depression or anxiety
- Traumatic events
Keeping a journal of your daily occurrences, what you eat, how you feel, what the weather is like, your stress level, the amount of sleep you had, etc., will help you narrow down things that could inflame and make your symptoms even worse.
How to treat symptoms
There is no cure for PsA, however, there are many ways someone can lessen symptoms and avoid inflammation. In addition to any medications and treatments your doctor may prescribe, there are many lifestyle changes you can begin implementing today to help reduce the symptoms of PsA.
The following tips could be of help to you if you suffer from PsA:
- Physical activity
- Acupuncture
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Healthy eating
- Massage therapy
- Vitamins and supplements targeting joint health
At Jupiter Labs, we have created JointFuel360 with joint pain in mind. We know how impairing arthritis pain can be, so that is why we’ve formulated a powerhouse blend of anti-inflammatory ingredients, including Turmeric, Type II Collagen, Resveratrol, Boswellia Serrata, Hyaluronic Acid, and Black Pepper. All backed by significant scientific research, these ingredients lower inflammation, which reduces pain, and increases overall joint health.
Healthy diets are good, but you can’t always fit in all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals you need on a daily basis from diet alone. Supplementing will give your joint health the boost it needs to help reduce symptoms.
