Psoriatic Arthritis-the Skin Condition You Wish Didn't Exist

Most people don't realize that there are over 100 types of arthritis in existence.

One of the less well-known forms of this disease is known as psoriatic arthritis. What is psoriatic arthritis?

As its name indicates, psoriatic arthritis is associated with psoriasis, the common skin condition characterized by inflammation of the skin, scaling, and red raised patches of skin. It is estimated that psoriasis affects approximately 2 per cent of the Caucasian population in the United States, although it can occur in people from all backgrounds.

Do you have psoriasis? If so then you know that this aggravating skin condition can attack your belly button, your knees, your elbows, your scalp, and for goodness sakes, it can even affect your anus and genital area! Now that is just not right! At this point in time, health care professionals believe that Aaron 10% of those who suffer with the "heartbreak of psoriasis" also develop a simultaneous inflammation of specific body joints. When this happens, these patients gain a new label known as psoriatic arthritis.

Obviously, one of the major risk factors for developing psoriatic arthritis is the presence of the skin disorder, particularly if it affects the joints. Psoriatic arthritis usually strikes later in life, with most diagnosed cases occurring in the fourth or fifth decades of the patient's life. It appears that gender is not a risk factor, since men and women are affected equally.

While it can vary, the onset of this condition typically follows a predictable pattern. Nearly 80% of those patients battling psoriatic arthritis were diagnosed with the skin condition, psoriasis, prior to being diagnosed with this particular type of arthritis.

However, some patients develop arthritis before the onset of psoriasis. Roughly 15 per cent of psoriatic arthritis patients report the presence of arthritic symptoms before developing psoriasis. In fact, many patients report living with psoriasis for many years before developing any signs of arthritis.

Psoriatic arthritis is a systematic disease just like other forms of arthritis. With any systemic disease, other areas of the body can be attacked as well. So this simply means that you best be on the look out for problems with other body parts. For example, psoriatic arthritis patients can also be at risk for other problems with the kidneys and lungs. Patients may also experience problems with the heart, the eyes and the mouth. Systemic ... affecting other areas as well. The whole body is at risk.

In the most serious cases of psoriatic arthritis, the impact on your vital organs can be life altering. With psoriatic arthritis, you are also at increased risk for spinal inflammation with can cause increased pain and limited movements.

So just what is responsible for psoriatic arthritis? What is the cause of psoriatic arthritis? While there are many theories on the "why" behind the reasons patients develop psoriatic arthritis, the bottom line is that the cause of this condition truly remains unknown. The majority of health care professionals generally agree that psoriatic arthritis is most probably a result of a combination of factors. These factors can be related to a variety of environmental factors, genetic factors and even an immune system basis. Researchers have been able to identify a genetic marker known as gene marker-HLA-B27- that is often present in the DNA of many of those patients who suffer with psoriatic arthritis.

There are even other genetic markers that are found in cases of psoriatic arthritis which continue to lead to researchers to believe that this condition is genetic in nature. Lab tests can help to confirm these genetic markers if they are present. Some research also indicates that a faulty immune system may also be a causative factor in the case of psoriatic arthritis. Other research shows that environmental factors may be to blame. Any way you slice it, the reasons can vary behind the development of psoriatic arthritis.

Psoriatic arthritis is a battle that many face each and every day. It really does not matter the reason why you developed this version of arthritis in the first place, what does matter is that you are ready to work cooperatively with your doctor in order to build a treatment plan that you can work with and one that is designed to give you the best level of health that you can enjoy. Psoriatic arthritis does not have to be a harness around your neck, but it certainly will become one if you are passive about it. Get to it and educate yourself about your own health condition.

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