Guide To Natural Treatments For Psoriatic Arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis is a serious condition that affects the skin and joints. It develops in individuals who already have psoriasis, which is a skin condition characterized by patches of irritated, red skin with dry scales on it. These patches will be quite itchy as well. Warning signs that indicate psoriasis is turning into psoriatic arthritis include stiffness in the joints and joint swelling. Lower back pain, heel pain, and pain in the soles of the feet are also possible. Common causes of psoriatic arthritis include bacterial infections, viral infections, injuries, as well as many environmental factors.
Since psoriatic arthritis involves extreme joint pain, most patients look to over-the-counter joint pain relief. They may even ask their doctors about steroid injections and other powerful remedies. There is laser treatment for arthritis and options for topical joint pain relief. However, psoriatic arthritis requires serious dedication for patients to achieve relief. This often includes trying vitamins for joint pain and stiffness, along with topical creams for psoriasis.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is a major part of treating the severe pain this condition causes. In serious cases, patients will experience severe joint damage and even lose joint function. This is because of injuries caused by joint inflammation that affect the bones and parts of the joints. Physiotherapy attempts to help patients maintain the function of their joints as much as possible. This therapy works by using movement, exercise, and manual therapy to do this. Physiotherapists will often give their patients additional exercises to perform between their official sessions. Unfortunately, many patients will have permanent joint damage. In these cases, physiotherapists can offer advice on how they need to adapt their regular activities.
Continue reading to reveal what other type of therapy works as a natural treatment for psoriatic arthritis next.
Massage Therapy
Many individuals who are suffering from chronic back or muscle pain often go to get a massage regularly to take away the pain. This is because a massage from a registered massage therapist can be fairly effective in reducing inflammation. This is only part of the reason why psoriatic arthritis patients may also be able to benefit from this. Besides getting rid of some inflammation and pain, massage therapy has been shown to improve blood circulation. When the massage focuses on affected joints, patients may find that it alleviates some of their joint stiffness. This is a serious concern seen in psoriatic arthritis.
Thus, patients should seek out a massage therapist with experience in treating their condition. This experience should ideally be with psoriatic arthritis, but if patients have to compromise, experience with rheumatoid arthritis is acceptable. Some individuals have also claimed that boosted circulation can speed up the healing of the red and scaly patches of skin caused by psoriasis.
Uncover additional information on how to treat psoriatic arthritis naturally now.
Stress Management
Chronic stress is a major cause of psoriasis symptoms periodically worsening. The combination of these two elements can trigger a cycle of inflammation that is incredibly hard to break. This is what often results in psoriatic arthritis. Thus, practicing stress management is a vital component of reducing the severity of their symptoms. Patients will need to use what works for them. This can be difficult, since what works for one individual may not work for another. However, meditation, aromatherapy, yoga, and listening to relaxing music are common stress relief techniques. This means that patients who are unsure about how to start can benefit from trying them.
Get the full details on how to use exercise to treat this condition next.
Get More Exercise
It is a fact that individuals who struggle with being overweight are at a higher risk of developing issues such as psoriasis and arthritis. Fat is also known to release toxins that cause inflammation. When individuals are suffering from psoriatic arthritis, these toxins result in more skin lesions and pain. This is precisely why getting a high amount of exercise is important. They need to lose their excess weight to take the pressure off their joints and reduce inflammation.
This will hopefully result in reduced joint pain and improvements in their skin symptoms. Individuals with this condition should start with low-impact exercises such as swimming and walking. They should aim to get a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise for 5 days a week. They will likely have to build up their strength for this due to their joint pain.
Discover what type of bath may treat psoriatic arthritis next.
Epsom Salt Baths
A simple bath is not enough to help psoriatic arthritis patients treat their symptoms. They need more power if they are going to experience any sort of last relief or improvement. This is why they must add Epsom salts or a similar ingredient. The intent behind adding Epsom salts is to exfoliate the skin, thus getting rid of the irritated patches of skin that psoriasis causes.
When these patches are gone, the dryness and itchiness can also disappear. Some evidence has indicated that the magnesium Epsom salts contain is what allows it to alleviate some of the itchiness in the skin. Other research has shown that the combination of warm water and salt helps reduce inflammation in the joints, thus getting rid of the pain as well. It may also be quite relaxing, so patients can use an Epsom salt bath for stress management if they so desire.
