Psoriatic Arthiritis: Causes, Symptoms And Ayurvedic Treatment

Patients suffering from psoriasis are more prone to develop this disease named psoriatic arthritis. It is a inflammatory arthritis associated with psoriasis or it develops as complication of psoriasis. We can characterized this disease by a form of inflammation on the skin and joints.

According to Ayurveda, psoriatic arthritis can be relate as a component between vatarakta and kushtha. Vatarakta is a joint disorder caused by imbalanced state of vata and rakta.

This is an autoimmune disease in which body’s immune system begins to attack healthy cells and tissues, so it is caused by abnormal immune response which is responsible for inflammation in joints with overproductions of skin cells. Cause can be genetic and can be triggered by environmental factors like viral or bacterial infection.

SYMPTOMS

• Pain in foot
• Swelling around fingers and toes
• Fatigue
• Lower back pain
• Stiffness during morning time
• Changes are in your fingers and toes especially in the nails.
• Scaly skin mainly knees,elbows,scalp
• Genetic Environmental factors,
• Injury
• Infection
• Red eyes or conjunctivitis

WHEN TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR FOR  PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS  DISEASE?

• Stiffness in the joints
• Painful or swollen joints
• Changes in fingers or toes
• Conjunctivitis
• Discomfort interferes with daily routine
• Extreme pain
• Whole body tiredness
• Prolonged morning stiffness

CAUSES AND RISK FACTORS

• RISK FACTORS
• Patient of psoriasis
• Family history
• Age factor
• Obesity
• Smoking
• Environmental factors

PREVENTION

• Exercise daily to prevent all diseases not only psoriatic arthritis so that you can manage your weight which takes pressure off your joints.
• Avoid smoking and alcohol intake
• Time to time testing once a year so that early symptoms can be identify early and progression of psoriatic arthritis can be slowed.

DIAGNOSIS

• X rays
• MRI
• Rheumatoid factor
• Joint fluid test

GENERAL TIPS

• Foods usually don’t cause or cure psoriatic arthritis still good eating habits can prevent this disease and can manage your weight too.
• Keep your nails short to avoid risk of injury.
• Wearing gloves while working with your hands and shoes that won’t irritate swollen toes.
• Limit your alcohol intake as it can interfere with medications and increase side effects of drugs.
• Quit smoking to stop worsen the condition.
• Manage stress by activities like meditating,  walking, yoga.
• You can apply cold packs to your aching, swollen joints or burning skin.

HOME REMEDIES

• Taking bath from warm water with Epsom
• salt will help to reduce the joint pain and inflammation.
• Aloe vera is a good option for inflammation, pain, swelling.(apply gel directly on affected areas.)
• Use of heating pads for loosen joints which will relax aching muscles.
• Use of cold packs helps to reduce swelling and pain.(wrap the ice pack in the towel to avoid damaging your skin.)
• Daily stretching and exercise to prevent joint stiffness and for improving muscle strength.
• Stress buster activities like meditation, yoga and aromatherapy.

WHAT TO AVOID

• Avoid fatty red meats
• Eating too many saturated fats
• Processed foods and packaged cookies, cakes, snack foods
• Sugar intake
• Dairy products
• Quit smoking and alcohol
• Avoid stress, anxiety, worries
• Avoid nightshades like potatoes, tomatoes and eggplants.
• Fried foods

WHAT  TO EAT

• Antioxidant like dark leafy greens, dark chocolate, tea and coffee, nuts
• Whole grains like whole wheat, corn, brown rice
• Eating a diet high in extra virgin olive oil, avocados, flaxseed and other vegetable oils.
• Turmeric and ginger to keep inflammation in check.
• Garlic for some of it’s inflammation properties.
• Green and black tea

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q1.What is the exact cause of psoriatic arthritis?
Ans. This is an autoimmune disease and cause can be genetic and environmental factors. Infections, injury, certain medications, smoking and other things can trigger the condition. Psoriasis patients are more prone to develop this disease as it’s complication.

Q.2What are the common symptoms of psoriatic arthritis?
Ans. Symptoms can be Joint pain, swelling sometimes accompanied by skin redness, reduced range of motion in joints with scaly and itchy skin. Other symptoms include pain and stiffness of the neck and lower back, swelling of fingers or toes, separated nails from the nail bed, fatigue and eye inflammation.

Q.3What conditions are associated with psoriatic arthritis?
Ans. Anemia, depression, fatigue, obesity, osteoporosis, high cholesterol, high blood pressure these are some additional conditions that can occur if you have psoriatic arthritis.

Q.4 What lifestyle changes are important in psoriatic arthritis?
Ans. You need to maintain healthy weight, regular exercise, proper rest, Managing your stress levels, quit smoking.

Q.5 What are the complications of psoriatic arthritis?
Ans. Diabetes, heart diseases, inflammatory bowel disease, mood disorders, spondylitis are some of the complications of this disease.

Q.6 Is psoriatic arthritis curable?
Ans. It is a chronic condition and there is no permanent cure but ignoring symptoms and delaying of medical treatment could cause serious damage so there are some preventive aspects and lifestyle changes things  are available to slow the progression of the condition and avoid severe joint damage.

Q.7 How ayurveda treatment considered effective?
Ans.Ayurvedic treatment is effective because it aims at the detoxification of the body or elimination of all the toxins from the body. It can be cured only if the patient is ready to accept all the protocols and conditions for treatment as well as complete change in lifestyle. Strict diet regime should be followed with ayurvedic medicines.