Psoriatic arthritis can be a crippling, painful condition. Typically, this type of arthritis develops along with the skin condition called psoriasis, where the skin starts to scale and become dry and hardened. Over time, psoriatic arthritis can become something that causes a lot of hardship, with joint pain that can impair mobility.
Alternative Treatment
Some medical doctors may treat patients with psoriatic arthritis by using some pretty aggressive and high-powered drugs. Some, like immunosuppressants, target the immune system, and while this can help shut down psoriatic arthritis, it can also have severe side effects. Similarly, drugs called corticosteroids can alleviate some of the issues with psoriatic arthritis, but also generate some undesirable side effects for patients.
In order to help patients beat psoriatic arthritis without potentially harmful medications, doctors have developed some alternative types of treatment that can help prevent the worst effects of psoriatic arthritis as a chronic condition. These can help individuals manage psoriatic arthritis and prevent flare ups.
Moderating Diet
Diet can be involved in dealing with psoriatic arthritis. Certain foods can trigger psoriatic arthritis escalation, and identifying these can help patients manage joint pain. Look at some nightshade plants, as well as wheat based foods or others that can cause reactions, and try to pin down what is more likely to cause joint pain with psoriatic arthritis.
Massage
For all kinds of arthritis, massage can be an effective alternative to drugs and surgeries. Many researchers have found that massage therapy can be immensely helpful with conditions like arthritis, and for many patients, it’s worth looking into.
Yoga and Meditation
Some types of meditative yoga and other activities help with psoriatic arthritis in a number of ways. Activities that involve physical poses can help strengthen joints through repetitive exercise, although with some patients, these activities proved too painful. Meditative therapy can also fight psoriatic arthritis by lowering stress levels, which have been found to exacerbate an existing psoriatic arthritis condition.
Over-the-Counter Anti-Inflammatory Drugs
Many doctors will prescribe simple over-the-counter medications for managing the effects of psoriatic arthritis. That means that when your psoriatic arthritis symptoms act up, pills like Advil or generic ibuprofen pills may constitute a temporary curative solution. It’s important to consult with your qualified medical doctor on how much of this stuff you should take on a short term and long term basis.
Fish Oil
When it comes to alternative treatments that are generating a lot of attention for various conditions and overall health and fitness, fish oil is up near the top of the list. Some patients with psoriatic arthritis can benefit from taking fish oil supplements, and these health boosters can also affect their mental clarity and overall function.
Joint Supplements
Another alternative to stronger drugs for joint pain is a mixture of two elements called glucosamine and chondroitin. This stuff includes bovine cartilage and other natural substances that can be helpful in moderating some of the joint pain involved in psoriatic arthritis and similar conditions.
With all of the above alternative treatment methods, it’s important to discuss any potential side effects, as well as medical or drug interactions, with your family doctor before starting a home-based treatment. Working in conjunction with qualified medical professionals will help you to make sure that your overall strategy for psoriatic arthritis doesn’t affect your health negatively in other ways. Overall, good general health and fitness will assist you in working toward a winning strategy for beating this psoriasis related condition.
