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Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
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Coping and support
By Mayo Clinic staffPsoriatic arthritis can be particularly discouraging because the emotional pain that psoriasis can cause is compounded by joint pain and, in some cases, disability. If you're struggling to cope, consider trying to:
- Learn as much as you can about psoriatic arthritis. Find out how the disease progresses, your prognosis and your treatment options, including the newest information on diet and exercise. The more you learn, the more active you can be in your own care.
- Learn to manage stress. The chemicals your body releases when you're under stress can help you deal with demanding situations. But there's a downside. Those same chemicals can suppress your immune system and aggravate both psoriasis and arthritis. Trying to cope with worsening symptoms may make you feel even more stressed, setting up a destructive cycle. Although it's not possible to eliminate stress from your life, you can learn to manage it.
- Maintain a strong support system. The support of friends and family can make a tremendous difference when you're facing the physical and psychological challenges of psoriatic arthritis. Just having someone to talk to can give you strength. For some people, support groups can offer the same benefits — this may be especially important if you're worried about burdening your loved ones. Talk to your doctor or contact your local Arthritis Foundation chapter.
References
- Questions and answers about psoriasis. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/psoriasis/psoriafs.htm. Accessed Sept. 9, 2008.
- Psoriatic arthritis. American College of Rheumatology. http://www.rheumatology.org/public/factsheets/psoriatic_new.asp. Accessed Sept. 9, 2008.
- Psoriasis of the nails. National Psoriasis Foundation. http://www.psoriasis.org/about/psoriasis/sites/nails.php. Accessed Sept. 9, 2008.
- Psoriatic arthritis. National Psoriasis Foundation. http://www.psoriasis.org/about/psa. Accessed Sept. 9, 2008.
- Gordon KB, et al. The treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis: An interdisciplinary approach. The Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2006;54(3)(suppl):S85-S91.
- Cerhan JR, et al. Antioxidant micronutrients and risk of rheumatoid arthritis in a cohort of older women. American Journal of Epidemiology. 2003;157(4):345-354.
- Imokawa S, et al. Methotrexate pneumonitis: Review of the literature and histopathological findings in nine patients. The European Respiratory Journal. 2000;15(2):373-381.
- Tobin AM, et al. TNF alpha inhibitors in the treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. BioDrugs. 2005;19(1):47-57.
- Gladman DD, et al. Patient information: Psoriatic arthritis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 11, 2008.
