7 Psoriatic Arthritis Treatments That Eliminate Pain

The goal of every psoriatic arthritis treatment is to control the inflammation of the joins and to control the skin lesions that are found in various parts of the body.  Most natural psoriatic arthritis will attack the skin and the joint issues separately to be as effective as possible.  There are not very many products on the market that will treat both aspects of the disease, so it makes good sense to confront the issues separately.

Here is what one psoriatic arthritis patient had to say about this disease that is really similar to the way that many patients of the disease would describe their pain:

“I’m in my 50′s, but I feel like I am trapped in a 100 year old body with a 20 year old mind”.

Unfortunately, even patients that are on medication will continue to be in pain, discomfort, and the disease may continue to advance, causing the loss of mobility even in young patients. Those who take every effort to really care for themselves and to think outside of the box, instead of pumping their bodies full of medications, will usually find that they can find much more relief so they can continue to enjoy life despite their psoriatic arthritis diagnosis.

The top seven psoriatic arthritis treatments offer hope that one can live with psoriatic arthritis without being in pain.  Of course, patients should talk to their health care provider before implementing these psoriatic arthritis treatment options.  The top seven include:

1. Nutritional supplements
2. Herbal treatments
3. Diet
4. Exercise
5. Acupuncture
6. Topical applications: creams and lotions
7. Heat/cold compression

Nutritional Supplements

Nutritional supplements really can change the lives of those who are currently suffering from psoriatic arthritis.  There are many great products to choose from.  When looking for nutritional supplements, patients should look for ingredients such as boron, magnesium, chondroitin, glucosamine, MSM, and bromelain. It is also a good idea to include Omega 3′s and selenium.  The use of aloe vera can help with the treatment of the psoriasis.

Herbal Treatments

There are many herbs that have been found to be beneficial in the treatment of psoriatic arthritis.  These include Black Cohosh, Bogbean, Celery Seeds, Chapparal, Feverfew, Nettle, Saffron, and Yucca. These herbs are powerful relaxants, good treatments of rheumatism, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. All of these herbs include anti-inflammatory properties, anti-rheumatic, anti-diuretic or anti-spasmodic and very useful in cases of acne. Some of these herbs are particularly useful for skin conditions of warts and blotches, treatment for pain, and they have the ability to remove or reduce uric and lactic acid build up.  These herbs are not hard to find as they can be found at herbal and natural stores as well as your local health food store.

Diet

We are what we eat, so be very careful about what you choose to consume.  You need to consider the elimination diet, although it is something that will require work.  The elimination diet will consist of recording the foods you eat and taking note of how you feel afterwards. Certain foods can make you feel more comfortable and other food groups will intensify the symptoms of psoriatic arthritis.  Fruits and vegetables should be a main part of the diet of one who has psoriatic arthritis, as should fresh fish should be.

Exercise

Exercise is an important element of psoriatic arthritis treatment because it increases the blood flow throughout the body.  This can help to get blood flowing the areas that are the most painful, which can cleanse toxins and provide relief.  Additionally, exercising with strengthen your muscles so that your joints are free of the burden of carrying all of your weight.  You don’t have to join a gym or start running marathons, simply take a walk every day or even do yard work as this will get the blood flowing.

Acupuncture

Many people have found that acupuncture is a great option for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis. The human body communicates to itself constantly and the brain can receive messages from parts of the body called endorphins. Acupuncture has a way of telling the muscle to send a message to the brain to block the “pain” message which in turn helps reduce pain in your joints.  Even when other treatments are not working, acupuncture can provide much relief.

Topical Creams and Lotions

Many times treatment focuses solely on the arthritic side of the disease when the psoriasis also needs to be treated. Skin care is very important which means you need to keep your skin moist. Adding a humidifier in the home during the dryer months is beneficial as are topical creams and lotions that keep your skin moist.  Some of the more beneficial topical creams and lotions include cocoa butter, lanolin cream, mineral oil, petroleum jelly, aloe vera or baby oil. Those with psoriatic arthritis should be careful to use the most natural soaps and body lotions possible to avoid the aggravation of the disease.

Heat/Cold

Hot/cold therapy can help many people who suffer from psoriatic arthritis. The reason is that heat increases the blood flow to the joints and ice can help to numb the areas that are causing the patient pain. Many physical therapists rely exclusively on heat packs and ice massage before activities and ice afterwards.

Every patient is different and will respond to different treatments.  These seven psoriatic arthritis treatments are a great place to start in the treatment of both aspects of the disease.  All those that suffer should try these simple options, which will give them hope that you can manage the symptoms and perhaps begin to heal your body from the inside, out.