Manage Symptoms During A Psoriatic Flare
- Moisturize: During a flare-up, locking in moisture is the first step to relieving the itch. Create a good skincare routine, especially in dry weather. Moisturizing will help prevent flares and help ease symptoms.
- Utilize assistive devices: Talk to your doctor about helpful assistive devices to provide additional support for an affected joint. They can recommend tools such as wraps, splints, or special inserts to assist with pain.
- Hot and cold therapy: Cold packs can have a numbing effect, which will help dull your pain. Heat can help relieve pain and swelling by soothing sore muscles.
Rheumatologists are experts in the diagnosis and treatment of psoriatic arthritis. With the advent of newer therapies, the majority of patients can live healthy, productive lives.
At Carolina Arthritis, we believe it is imperative for our patients to fully understand their diagnosis and be comfortable with the treatment. While there is no single treatment for psoriatic arthritis that suits everyone, the doctors at Carolina Arthritis are well trained in lessening ongoing symptoms and enhancing a patients quality of life.
If youre ready to tackle your psoriatic arthritis, contact us right away to schedule an appointment.
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What Levels Of Arthritis Flares Are There
There are four levels of arthritis flares:
- Level 1: mild arthritis pain, stiffness, or swelling in one joint
- Level 2: moderate arthritis pain, stiffness, or swelling in one or more joints
- Level 3: severe arthritis pain, stiffness, or swelling in one or more joints
- Level 4: intense arthritis pain, stiffness, or swelling in one or more joints
What Causes Rheumatoid Arthritis Flare Ups
October 19, 2017 by Edward Harrison
Occasionally people with rheumatoid arthritis experience a flare up. A flare up is when symptoms have been controlled, but then suddenly become worse. The RA sufferer experiences three or more days of increased joint pain, swollen joints, and stiffness. An understanding of what causes RA flare ups and what to do about them can help family members of older adults with RA to assist with managing them.
Home Care in Spartanburg SC: Causes of Rheumatoid Arthritis Flare Ups
Types of Flare Ups.
The Arthritis Foundation states that there are two kinds of flare ups:
- Predictable Flares: These types of flares have triggers that the RA patient is aware of. For example, if older adults with RA overexert themselves cleaning the house or engaging in other strenuous physical activity, they can expect to have a flare up. Predictable flares usually last a few days and resolve on their own.
- Unpredictable Flares: Unpredictable flares are ones that the RA patient cannot associate with a trigger. They simply feel worse, and dont know why. These types of flares sometimes require medical care to resolve.
Common Flare Up Triggers.
There are several things that may trigger flare ups. Some things to be mindful of in aging family members with RA are:
Managing RA Flare Ups.
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Relax With Yoga And A Massage
Stress is a major contributor to RA flares. Here are some ideas to get a better handle on your stressand your RA flares:
- Do yoga, including meditation and deep breathing.
- Try biofeedback-enhanced neuromuscular relaxation .
- Schedule regular gentle massages.
- Take a long, warm bath.
Even a small decrease in stress can have a major impact in your life. For the most benefit, add stress management techniques into your everyday routine.
Causes Of Arthritis Flare
Many flares follow changes or reductions in treatment and may signal that the new treatment isn’t effective. Watch for a flare any time you change your treatment regimen.
Other causes of flares can vary by the arthritis type. Broadly speaking, many osteoarthritis flares are related to conditions or events that directly affect the joint. Autoimmune arthritis flares are largely related to conditions or events that affect the immune system and cause an inflammatory response.
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What Causes An Arthritis Flare
An arthritis flare-up can happen after a change in the weather, after an injury, or in response to a change in activity level. Anytime youre increasing your activity or doing something new, you could be at risk of having an arthritis flare-up. Patients sometimes report that their joints feel worse after they do a lot of snow shoveling or yard work, for example.
What Causes Gout To Flare Up
Gout is a complex form of arthritis that can flare up suddenly and severely. It occurs as a result of having high levels of uric acid, which makes it easier for urate crystals to form. These sharp crystals can deposit in your joints, causing inflammation, swelling and pain.
“The most common trigger of gout is eating purine-rich foods, since high levels of purines can increase the amount of uric acid in your bloodstream,” explains Dr. Alam.
Gout-sufferers can help avoid flare-ups by avoiding foods rich in purines, including:
- Certain types of seafood, including tuna, scallops and trout
- Alcohol, particularly beer
- Fruit juices and other beverages that contain fructose
“Similar to rheumatoid arthritis, a flare-up of gout can be alleviated by using a cold compress on the affected joint, which helps reduce the inflammation that’s causing your pain, swelling and stiffness,” says Dr. Alam.
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People With Arthritis Might Want To Avoid These Foods
While there is no list of arthritis-triggering foods that all people with arthritis should avoid regardless of their health circumstances and specific condition , there are certain foods that may promote inflammation and possibly aggravate symptoms. Whether or not a specific type of food is problematic can vary from person to person. If you have arthritis, you might want to experiment with limiting certain foods in your diet to see if you get some arthritis relief. Heres what you need to know.
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Balance Rest With Activity
Rest is important. However, sticking with your regular exercise program, or a modified version of it, may actually help you feel better. Try alternating rest with light activity, which could even be something as simple as slowly raising and lowering your legs while seated. But dont overdo it, and if it hurts, stop.
Talk to your doctor or physical therapist about the type of exercises that are easiest on your joints, and whether practicing gentle stretching in the morning might help relieve stiffness.
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How Arthritis Gloves Work
Arthritis gloves may work through several mechanisms. Thermal gloves warm the hand, which can make you feel very comfortable and even take away some of the pain, says Karen Jacobs, EdD, OT, OTR, CPE, FAOTA, a clinical professor at Boston University and an occupational therapist who works with arthritis patients.
Others are compression gloves that provide pressure. Particularly when youre having a flare in the fingers and joints and just feeling really uncomfortable, the compression seems to help reduce the swelling and can help with some joint stiffness as well, says Jacobs. Compression may also improve blood circulation. Overall, arthritis gloves can make patients feel more relaxed and calm with a reduction in symptoms.
Mayo Clinic Minute: Fighting Arthritis With Food
Millions of Americans suffer from symptoms of arthritis that are often debilitating. The most common form is degenerative arthritis, also known as osteoarthritis, followed by inflammatory or rheumatoid arthritis. Dr. John Davis III, a Mayo Clinic rheumatologist, says what you eat may help with some of the inflammation associated with arthritis.
Journalists: Broadcast-quality video is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network. Read the script.
Can avoiding foods like potato chips and pizza help ease your arthritis pain? Maybe.
Some foods can increase inflammation levels and contribute to symptoms of arthritis, especially really fatty foods simple sugars or carbohydrates, lots of salt, or salty food, says Dr. Davis.
Symptoms may include swollen and achy joints, discomfort and pain.
Arthritis relates to a diverse set of disorders where there is inflammation that occurs in joints, says Dr. Davis.
He says that while medication may help joint pain, exercise, maintaining a healthy weight and paying attention to the food you eat play important roles.
Small amounts of weight loss can lead to reductions of just overall inflammation in the body, which can have overall benefits, says Dr. Davis.
Add more fruits and vegetables, healthy fats like olive oil and nuts, whole grains and fish. These foods are thought to reduce inflammation and help with pain.
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How Psoriatic Arthritis Is Diagnosed
The diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis can best be made by a rheumatologist who is familiar with the many subtleties of this disease. X-rays can sometimes assist in the diagnosis. A careful history and a detailed physical examination with particular attention to the joints, skin, and nails are most important. Once the diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis is made, your rheumatologist will devise a treatment strategy for you.
What Makes Arthritis Flare Up
When you’re suffering from a painful condition like arthritis, you’re almost always looking for ways to keep your symptoms at bay.
We’ve all heard the old wives’ tale that when an achey joint is acting up it’s a sign that bad weather is on the way…but can it really be true that something like a change in weather can trigger your pain?
“It’s true the symptoms of arthritis can recede and flare up. It’s also true that a change in weather can sometimes trigger a flare-up, which is often magnified when a certain type of arthritis is not being well-managed,” says Dr. Syed Alam, rheumatologist at Houston Methodist.
“While you can’t control the weather, the good news is that you can avoid other triggers of arthritic flare-ups as long as you know what type of arthritis you have in the first place,” adds Dr. Alam.
Arthritis is a broad term for pain, tenderness or swelling in a particular joint , and the three most common types of arthritis are:
- Rheumatoid arthritis when your immune system attacks the structure of your joint
- Osteoarthritis wear and tear damage that breaks down the cushion in your joint
- Gout when sharp crystals form and deposit in a joint
“When it comes to flare-ups of these types of arthritis, the triggers themselves aren’t actually the source of your pain. They’re just things that aggravate the underlying issues of the arthritis,” explains Dr. Alam.
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Skin Trauma Or Injury
Trauma to the skin can cause new psoriasis lesions to appear. This is called the Koebner phenomenon.
Skin injuries include:
You can help prevent skin injuries by being careful while doing activities such as cooking, gardening, nail trimming, and shaving. Wear gloves and long sleeves when doing an activity that could potentially cause injury.
Over The Counter Medication
The first course of treatment for OA flare-ups is usually OTC pain medication. Your doctor may recommend nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs commonly used to treat arthritis-related pain. These drugs include:
-
Creams or ointments containing NSAIDs
If you can’t tolerate NSAIDs, your doctor may recommend acetaminophen . It is crucial to keep in mind the adverse side effects of these medications. Talk to your physician about the best option, their side effects, and how to take them.
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Who Gets Reactive Arthritis
Anyone can get reactive arthritis, and it occurs worldwide. A bacterial infectionin the digestive or urinary tract or the genitalstypically precedes it by a few weeks. Although sexually transmitted infections can occur just before the onset of reactive arthritis, many cases of reactive arthritis are associated with other types of infections that are not transmitted sexually. Certain factors increase the risk of the condition, including:
- Sex. Both men and women can get reactive arthritis, but men are more likely to develop it as a result of a sexually transmitted infection. Men and women are equally affected if the condition is from a gastrointestinal infection.
- Age. It occurs most often in people between ages 20 and 40.
- Genetics. People who have a gene called HLA-B27 have a higher risk of getting reactive arthritis and of experiencing more severe and more long-lasting symptoms. But people who lack HLA-B27 can still get the condition.
- HIV infection. Having AIDS or being infected with HIV increases the risk of reactive arthritis.
Having A Cold Or Other Infection
Getting sick can start a chain reaction that leads to painful arthritis symptoms. According to Dr. Jain, infections can make your immune system even more active, making it likelier it will attack your own joints. We also often tell patients to stop taking their rheumatoid arthritis medication if they are on antibiotics , says Dr. Jain. That combination can lead to flares. It can be harder for rheumatoid arthritis patients to avoid getting sick since the medication prescribed often suppresses the immune system. Thats why its so important to reduce your risk, like by getting the flu vaccine every year, washing your hands frequently, and avoiding others who are ill.
No matter what triggered your flare, its important to talk to your doctor and get it under control as soon as you can to avoid serious damage to your joints.
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Comprehensive Joint Supplements To Help With An Arthritis Flare
There is not a cure for arthritis. However, there are different medications and supplements that can ease its symptoms. Most treatments aim for remission, where the patient has few or no symptoms. When treatment is preventative or begins early in the disease process, this can help minimize or slow damage to the joints and improve the quality of life for patients. Treatment usually involves a combination of medication, supplements, exercise, rest, and protecting the joints.
An effective joint supplement addresses arthritis symptoms, and may even reduce the occurrence of an arthritis flare-up. Flexcin is a joint supplement that has all-natural and effective ingredients. It is highly reviewed and has a reputation for good manufacturing practices. If you have arthritis and suffer from flare-ups adding a daily joint supplement may be a course of action for you. Flexcin helps many people combat arthritis flare-ups without the harmful side effects of pain medications.
The Flexcin formula contains all-natural ingredients: CM8, Glucosamine Sulfate Potassium, Hydrolyzed Collagen Type II, MSM, Bromelain, Vitamin C, Manganese, Zinc, and an enzyme blend. The combination of these powerful ingredients increases energy, builds up the immune system, and decreases joint pain and inflammation.
Healthy Foods To Eat For Rheumatoid Arthritis:
While there are certain foods that reduce inflammation and foods that tend to increase inflammation, its important to note that there may be individual trigger foods for you personally. For example, some people with rheumatoid arthritis might notice a certain food can increase their pain while a different person may have no issues with that particular food. Try to be in tune with your body and its reactions to best pinpoint your individual triggers. For most people, its recommended to increase healthy fats and omega-3 rich foods, like salmon, olive oil, nuts and seeds. Plus, focus on fruits and vegetables, especially those that are particularly nutrient-rich like dark leafy greens and blue or purple fruits, like berries and pomegranate. To reduce inflammation, limit refined grains, like white flour and sugar, plus try to limit processed foods as they tend to be high in unhealthy trans fats as well as omega-6 fatty acids, which arent bad, but just something we tend to eat too much of, which can cause inflammation.
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If Youve Got Arthritis Youve Probably Experienced The Intense Pain Of Flares Heres How To Handle Them
Youre feeling good, barely thinking about your chronic pain, and then wham an arthritis flare hits you like a Mack truck. These periods of increased disease activity take a toll on you physically and emotionally, especially because they can come on unexpectedly. If youve got either osteoarthritis or an inflammatory type of arthritis like rheumatoid arthritis, you probably know what were talking about.
So how can you deal with an arthritis flare-up when it happens? I remind myself, This, too, shall pass, arthritis patient Beth Bloomfield told us on Facebook. Like a kidney stone! another patient, Katie Resnick, joked back. Although arthritis flares are never pleasant, there are techniques that can help shorten their duration. Also important: Being able recognize when a flare is starting and avoid the triggers that may cause your flare-ups in the first place.
Common Medications To Treat Arthritis Flares
OA patients might just need some OTC pain-relieving medication such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or naproxen. Dr. Bose also recommends topical gels and lotions like diclofenac gel or 2 Old Goats. If that doesnt work, Dr. Ashany says joint injections of steroids may be given. RA flares are more complicated. In inflammatory arthritis, steroids are often used to try to quickly bring a flare under control, Dr. Ashany says. If only one joint is involved a steroid can be given by injection, but otherwise it can be taken orally .
In inflammatory arthritis, if flares continue to occur, this indicates that the patients regimen of maintenance medication is not adequate, Dr. Ashany says. This may lead to addition of a medication, switching one drug for another or increasing the dose of medication that the patient is currently taking.
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