Both Psoriatic arthritis and osteoarthritis are two different conditions of arthritis where Psoriatic arthritis is an autoimmune disorder that mainly affects people who suffer from psoriasis, and osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition that occurs when the cartilage at the end of a bone start to wear out.
The term Arthritis is used for describing more than a hundred conditions causing pain or damage in the joints, and osteoarthritis is the common type of arthritis that affects most people. Although Psoriatic arthritis and osteoarthritis have some symptoms in common, there are also some major differences between the two conditions.
Common Symptoms of Psoriatic arthritis and Osteoarthritis
The symptoms of each condition include swollen and painful joints, pain in the ligaments and tendons, stiffness after rest, a feeling of fatigue, scaly thick and red patches on the skin, reduced ability to move, red and irritated eyes, changes in nails and vision, etc. These symptoms of Psoriatic arthritis mostly affects the ankles, lower back, knees, toes, and fingers of a person.
Causes of Psoriatic arthritis
As Psoriatic arthritis is an autoimmune condition, the symptoms and inflammation can be due to a problem that is associated with the immune system of a person. The environmental and other genetic factors in a person also have a role in the progression of this condition.
It is noted that people having psoriasis may have increased chances of causing Psoriatic arthritis. Around thirty percent of people who have psoriasis is affected by Psoriatic arthritis.
Treatment Options
Even though there is no cure for both Psoriatic arthritis and osteoarthritis, many treatment methods are used for relieving and calming down the symptoms of these conditions for preventing further damages.
Treatment for Psoriatic arthritis
Most common treatment options for Psoriatic arthritis include:
Medications
The first method of treatment for most people who are diagnosed with Psoriatic arthritis is mainly a biologic therapy. In this, drugs are used to target a particular part of the immune system for treating the primary cause of this condition. Not everyone has suggested this method of treatment as some may have adverse effects. Common medications used in the treatment include steroid injections and pain relievers.
Surgery
During surgery, a surgeon might most possibly replace a joint using an artificial joint which is made from metal and plastic in case of severe damage.
Changes in Lifestyle
The main lifestyle changes for a person with Psoriatic arthritis include:
Getting good and enough sleep to balance the fatigue that occurs due to chronic illness and the use of medical drugs.
Maintaining a healthy diet, and bodyweight to reduce stress in the affected joints.
Exercising regularly for building muscle and to increase the flexibility of joints.
