For clever medical types who can dumb things down – psoriatic arthritis?
In the past 3 years I’ve been getting really sore thighs, knees, groin, neck and hands (although the hands thing could easily be attributed to how much time I spend on my computer).
I have also developed this horrible lumpy rash on my elbows and knees. Recently my mum mentioned that a few of my female cousins have this thing called psoriatic arthritis and it sounds like what I have. When I went to the doctor she was really nice but she said there was no test for it so I should just try to keep warm, do loads of exercise and come back when I had an inflamed joint to show her. The thing is, they never seem to get obscenely swollen or inflamed so I have no reason to go back. But it’s really uncomfortable, I find myself having to go walking around the city all evening because sitting still is so sore.
Any tips or advice? Because I am purely self-diagnosed I’m not going to go out and buy any drugs or anything. But I would be keen to try anything else that might help.
Thanks.
Since one of the treatments is non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, why not get some Advil and try to see if that helps?
Also,, see a dermatologist and a rheumatologist.
I’m not a doctor or anything, but I used to have severly swollen joints in my hips and shoulders. My doctor said that heat was the worst thing for it. ( I was soaking in a hot tub to ease the pain, which didn’t work) and he had me use ice instead. He also has me taking a liquid glucosomine (available in any drug store) twice a day. My joints have not been swollen since. P.S. I ice the joints for about 20 minutes, every time they start to feel “tight”.
A lot of times it hits joints on one side of the body, unlike osteo arthritis, but I guess for some people it hits both sides. It does run in families.
I’ve had it flair up a couple of times. It started in my fingers near nails that had the rash under them and spread to my legs.
Fish oil worked really well for me. It is very anti inflammatory, and psoriasis is basically an inflammatory disease.
Sun helps, and vitamin D.