What is Psoriatic Arthritis?
15 Jun
Often when people learn that David has Psoriatic Arthritis, they say, “I’ve never heard of that!” So what is Psoriatic Arthritis? Psoriatic Arthritis is an auto-immune disease. That means the body is attacking itself. It is a form of arthritis. They Mayo clinic says:
It’s interesting to me that on WebMD’s Psoriatic Arthritis Health Center they have tabs for treatment and symptoms of course, but also one for “Emotional Toll”.
There is no cure for Psoriatic Arthritis. Symptoms include inflammation and joint pain. If you asked David what his symptoms were, he’d just say pain. Lots of pain. For David, the psoriasis is extremely mild. He didn’t even know he had psoriasis until he was diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis. We just thought he had dandruff on his scalp. Occasionally he’d get patches in his beard if he let it grow too thick.
For many people, the psoriasis is extremely painful. It’s like having another disease on top of the arthritis. Some people experience patches of raw or bleeding skin. So, we are very grateful that David hasn’t had to deal with anything like that. Once, right before The Weekend from H*** David had patches of psoriasis on his knees, but it was very mild.
The exact cause of Psoriatic Arthitis is still unknown, according to the Arthritis Foundation, but genetics are strongly suspected. It is believed that environmental factors also contribute to the disease.
If you asked me what Psoriatic Arthritis is, I’d say it’s a terrible disease that has changed my life. It’s debilitating and frustrating and taking some Aleve won’t cure it. That’s one of the biggest misconceptions. That David has arthritis like your Grandma got arthritis in her fingers when she was 80 and couldn’t knit any more until the doctor gave her Celebrex and now she’s doing great. It’s not the same kind of arthritis at all.
Psoriatic Arthritis is what drove me to blog and drives me to drink (Diet Coke).
For more information on Psoriatic Arthritis, check out The Arthritis Foundation’s Website.
That sounds so painful. Poor David! And how awful for you to have to watch him be in constant pain.
Bless his heart… there are so many diseases & disorders out there that people dont know anything about. And you just feel like they dont get the attention for cures & help… that’s so frustrating..
Praying for new meds & new discoveries with this for David’s sake!
I have never heard of it but I am interested in learning more! I have an auto-immune disease so I kind of understand.
I am off to research it now!
I have had psoriatic arthritis for 21 years. It can be extremely painful. I also happen have to psoriasis along with the painful joints. I fully understand what David is going through. Hang in there,some days are better than others!
Chronic pain has got to be so hard to deal with! For everyone in the family.
Tell David to hang in there and exercise regularly. I have Psoriatic Arthritis also. I call mine Sir ART. He does what he wants when he wants. And I just try to control him a bit.I have been on Enbrel injections & Methotrexate for several years. I found that Elocon cream works fairly well for the scales and sores. they also have a liquid form that works for the scalp area. David…although it sometimes feels like a losing battle we can’t give in.
I too have psoriatic arthritis. I was diagnosed about a year ago – problems started in 2008. I don’t have any words of wisdom – wish I did – but I understand what you are both going through. Well meaning people tell me all the time the best thing for “arthritis”. They are always talking about osteo and you do get tired of trying to explain.
My boyfriend has this and it is very difficult to watch him struggle to do things that are typically easy for you and me. He is 40 now and doesn’t complain but I witness moments when he’s hurting. They recently started him on new medication though and I feel it’s working well for him. It’s Embrel. You might ask your doctor about it.