Easing the Pain of Psoriatic Arthritis

If you have recently been diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, you have probably been dealing with the joint inflammation and stiffness of arthritis, embarrassing flaking patches from the psoriasis and a range of emotions. In many cases, you will be prescribed a combination of medications and have to go through blood tests and check-ups periodically to monitor the treatment's affects on your organs. There really is no exact science to find the perfect combination, so the process can take quite some time. While your doctor works on the medication aspect of your treatment, there are many things that you can do to help with the overall pain management and personal outlook.

Depending on the weather and the many other triggers in our world, arthritis pain can often come on intermittently. Heat therapy in the form of patches, wraps or pads will quickly become your best friend to combat this pain. I would suggest keeping a box of those self adhesive patches on hand for the minor aches, but I recommend purchasing an electric heat pad or a microwaveable bag for severe pain.

The morning joint pain and stiffness in my knee was an issue that I needed to address on a daily basis. I went through injections at the rheumatologist's office, which helped immensely, but the pain would still come and go. While the microwaveable heat bag helped the best with my pain, I needed something more portable as I was getting myself ready for work in the mornings. I started applying a warming lotion like Flexall 454 or Icy Hot and then covering the area with a bandage wrap. There were times I also used this combination at night after having a rough evening and would wake up with much less pain.

Another trick that I learned along the way is the power of a hot shower or bath. If you own a hot tub or whirlpool tub, you are even better off. The jets can give you that massage feeling in conjunction with the heat from the water. There are times when my shoulders are my core pain area, so I just sit and soak in a hot shower with the pulse setting on the shower head. By the way, if you are starting to see a trend here, you are absolutely right. Heat in general will help to soothe the pain you feel from arthritis.

As your doctor will explain; it is very important to continue your usual exercise program, or begin to exercise if you aren't already active. Believe me; I wanted to laugh when I was told to continue my usual workout program. In fact, I was upset with my doctor when she wouldn't give me a letter to help put my gym membership on hold temporarily. I felt that if I had so much pain while walking, I couldn't imagine what it was going to feel like after leaving the gym. The truth is; exercising really helped me to keep fit and flexible while keeping my mood positive at the same time. There is of course, a trick to your exercise program. You should remember to use cold treatments on any new inflammation caused by exercise. While heat soothes pain, ice can act as an anti-inflammatory for your arthritis after heavy activity.

While it may sound like a contradiction to the last tip about exercising and keeping active, you must know when to rest. Try to think of it as a balance you must keep for your body's sake. Just as inactivity can hinder your progress, too much activity and physical strain can cause problems with your psoriatic arthritis as well. In addition, there are many studies on stress, tension and worry causing psoriasis outbreaks. I can't stress the point enough just how vital it is to listen to your body, even if you have to force yourself to sit and relax.

It's important to be comfortable and feel that you can explain your thoughts as well as your physical feelings with your doctor. Research all that you can on this disease and you'll find many other tips or suggestions to help you along the way. Then, make sure you ask your doctor all of the questions that will inevitably pop up. The most important tip that I can give is to remember that you aren't alone; there are many people that have been diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis.