Insight into Psoriatic Arthritis: Recognizing the Five Classifications of This Skin-Linked Joint Inflammation
Get the Lowdown on Psoriatic Arthritis Types
PsA is a form of arthritis linked to psoriasis. Don't get confused - while they're related, they're different beasts. Psoriasis is a persistent skin condition characterized by red, scaly skin. PsA? Joint pain is its jam. You can have both conditions or just one, but knowing the kind of PsA you've got can help guide treatment. Here's a break down of the five main PsA types, accompanied by a bit of wisdom from the enrichment section.
PsA - The Breakdown
This arthritis baby affects around 20 to 30 percent of psoriasis sufferers. Here's a closer look at its various forms:
- Asymmetric PsA
Asymmetric PsA is the ruling champ, making up at least 60 percent of cases. It thrives on targeting individual joints rather than pairs, so you might feel pain in your right hand without any discomfort in your left.
However, don't expect symptoms to stay contained to one side - you could experience pain in your left knee and right foot at the same time, even with asymmetric PsA. A study from 2019 shows this sort of PsA is more common among men.
Symptoms to watch for include fatigue, blurred vision, swollen fingers or toes, pitting or cracking nails, swollen, tender, stiff, or painful joints, swollen or painful ligaments or tendons.
Treatment typically involves physical therapy, occupational therapy, oral corticosteroids, biologic drugs, NSAIDs, or intra-articular joint injections.
- Symmetric PsA
In symmetric PsA, symptoms tend to show up on both sides of your body simultaneously. This type of PsA comprises 15 to 61 percent of cases and is more prevalent in women.
Symptoms often mirror those of asymmetric PsA, but symmetric PsA typically targets the smaller joints in your feet or hands rather than bigger joints, like your knees or elbows.
Treatment usually follows a similar path as asymmetric PsA, with the ideal treatment plan depending on your age, weight, mobility, pain level, overall health, and whether or not you're a chain smoking cigar-toting badass (smoking has been linked to worsening PsA symptoms and potentially reducing treatment results).
- Distal Interphalangeal (DIP) PsA
An estimated 10 percent of PsA sufferers have distal interphalangeal (DIP) PsA, which goes after the DIP joints, situated near the tips of your toes and fingers.
Symptoms may include swollen fingers or toes, ligament or tendon pain, reduced range of motion, and joint stiffness in fingers or toes. Nail problems, like pitting, cracking, discoloration, and detachment, are also common.
Treatment can include NSAIDs to tackle mild inflammation and discomfort, and, for more severe cases, TNF inhibitors to potentially slow disease progression. You can also try a DIY treatment combo, such as:
- Cold therapy (ten minutes of icing the affected area should do the trick)
- Regular nail care to minimize irritation
- Moisturizing cuticle oils and creams
- Short, relaxing baths followed by a nourishing moisturizer
- Drying your skin gently after showers and using sweat-wicking socks
However, always double-check any home remedies with your doctor to ensure they won't interfere with your treatments or exacerbate your unique symptoms.
- Spondylitis PsA
Around 7 to 32 percent of PsA sufferers have spondylitis PsA, which targets the joints connecting your spinal vertebrae. Symptoms can include pain, stiffness, and swelling in your neck and back, but they can also affect your feet, hips, arms, legs, and hands.
Treatment options include NSAIDs, physical therapy, occupational therapy, immunosuppressants, sulfasalazine, biologic medications, and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs).
- Psoriatic Arthritis Mutilans
PsA mutilans is a rare and severe form of PsA that affects approximately 5 percent of sufferers. It's known for causing extreme inflammation and joint damage, leading to deformities in affected joints, bone loss, loss of movement or reduced range of motion, and pain radiating to other areas of the body.
Treatment for PsA mutilans involves aggressive therapy, focusing on anti-TNF inhibitors, DMARDs, or biologic medications to slow the disease's progression. A 2011 study also suggests that the drug etanercept (Enbrel) could help restore joint function, though more research is needed to confirm this.
All in all, PsA is a versatile beast, affecting up to 30 percent of psoriasis sufferers. Treatment plans rely on a unique combination of medications to manage symptoms and slow disease progression. So, get a good understanding of your particular PsA flavor, and work closely with your doctor to craft a treatment plan tailored to your needs.
- Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a form of arthritis related to psoriasis, a persistent skin condition characterized by red, scaly skin.
- PsA, unlike psoriasis, primarily causes joint pain and can be categorized into several types, with asymmetric PsA being the most common, affecting around 60% of cases.
- Each type of PsA requires different treatment approaches, such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, oral corticosteroids, biologic drugs, NSAIDs, or intra-articular joint injections for asymmetric PsA.
- It's essential to understand the distal interphalangeal (DIP) PsA type, which specifically targets the joints near the tips of toes and fingers, often causing swelling, reduced range of motion, and joint stiffness.
- Home remedies for DIP PsA can include cold therapy, regular nail care, moisturizing cuticle oils, short baths, and drying skin gently after showers, but should always be discussed with a doctor to avoid interfering with treatments.
- Spondylitis PsA is another type that targets the joints connecting the spinal vertebrae, and treatment options include NSAIDs, physical therapy, immunosuppressants, biologic medications, and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs).
- Psoriatic Arthritis Mutilans is a rare and severe form of PsA, affecting around 5% of sufferers, and requires aggressive therapy with anti-TNF inhibitors, DMARDs, or biologic medications to slow the disease's progression, with the drug etanercept potentially helping restore joint function.
