What Does Psoriasis Look Like – Symptoms and Treatment
Explosions are rarely ever a good thing, unless it’s the Fourth of July and we’re talking about fireworks in the sky. An explosion can also be a colloquial reference to something growing in numbers very rapidly. In much the same way that you could say the population of New York ‘exploded’ during the early part of the 20th century. Sometimes rapid growth is a good thing, but when we’re talking about psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis symptoms the rapid buildup of skin cells that characterizes this autoimmune skin condition isn’t good at all. Otezla is an excellent medication for psoriatic arthritis.
If you’ve never had scaly skin, then you should be thankful that you’re at least somewhat derma blessed. People who have to deal with psoriasis aren’t so fortunate, and the cracked scaly skin that comes with psoriasis plaques is extremely unpleasant and the irritation can be unbearable. Using a quality deep skin moisturizing cream helps some, but for people with severe cases a psoriasis treatment medication is a real must. Estimates are that more than 10 million people in North America must deal with psoriasis.
A description of what psoriasis looks like is straightforward – thick, red scaling on the skin and usually around the elbows, knees, and hands. Psoriasis is bad, but it’s fair to say that psoriatic arthritis is worse. That’s because when you hav this condition you have psoriatic arthritis symptoms that combine that scaly, cracked, and inflamed skin with the swollen and sore joints of arthritis. It really is a double whammy, and about 30% of people who develop psoriasis also go on to have psoriatic arthritis.
This entry will dig into psoriatic arthritis symptoms in greater detail and look at psoriatic arthritis treatment options, and we’ll conclude by talking about a natural skin cream you can make at home that can also reduce the severity of psoriasis.
No Shedding
Everybody knows that they are constantly shedding off skin, even if the amount is so small and microscopic it’s not an issue nor is it anywhere close to noticeable. That shedding of skin cells that have gone through their life cycle (typically around a month) is essential, but for people with psoriasis the skin cell life cycle is shortened drastically and that’s at the root of the problem. The skin cells don’t get a chance to fall away, and instead they just end up having new skin cells piled on top of them.
That’s the long and short of how plaque psoriasis works, but psoriatic arthritis is different. The first thing to know about it is often genetic. Around 40% of people with psoriatic arthritis symptoms will have inherited them from relatives. It’s usually developed somewhere in the late teens to mid-30s, and it can come on because of a trigger like a virus, extreme stress, or injury. And because it’s a skin and joint combination condition that has its roots in immune system overreaction it’s not something that can be neutralized easily.
Psoriatic Arthritis Symptoms
Being stiff when you get out of bed isn’t uncommon as you get older but is if you’re a young person who has psoriatic arthritis. Morning stiffness goes along with swollen, tender joints as primary psoriatic arthritis symptoms but there is a long list of additional ones:
- Swollen fingers and toes
- Flaky scalp
- Painful muscles and tendons
- Scaly skin patches worsening when joint pain flares
- Fingernail pitting
- Eye redness and eye pain
While as bad as all of those, perhaps the worst of psoriatic arthritis symptoms is when sufferers have their finger or toenails separate from the nail bed. Not only is it painful, but it also increases the sensitivity in the area, and you really need to be careful what it comes into contact with.
A Vitamin A Retinal treatment may also work well to address the skin ailments parts of psoriatic arthritis symptoms, and many people swear by this particular treatment approach.
Psoriatic Arthritis Treatment
Otezla will often be what a doctor prescribes as a psoriatic arthritis treatment medication, bur Arava is a good choice too. In addition to these OTC NSAID drugs like Advil and Aleve work well to suppress swelling due to inflammation, and you may also benefit from using topical treatment with creams or gels containing salicylic acid, calcitriol or tazarotene. For some people they may get best results when using red light therapy for psoriasis.
The natural skin cream for psoriasis we promised is Bitter Gourd Cream. Bioflavonoids in pumpkins can help reduce inflammation, and making this cream is not difficult. Here’s how to make it:
- Peel pumpkin and cut into pieces
- Boil until it is easy to mash into a puree
- Apply puree onto psoriasis affected skin areas
- Allow to sit on psoriasis plaques for 20 minutes and then wash off with warm water
IMPORTANT NOTE: The above information is intended to increase awareness of health information and does not suggest treatment or diagnosis. This information is not a substitute for individual medical attention and should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. See your health care professional for medical advice and treatment.
