Psoriasis Specialist

What is psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a chronic condition that causes red, scaly patches of skin, known as plaques. When you have psoriasis, your body produces skin cells too quickly, causing them to build up and form these plaques.

Plaques occur most often affect on the scalp, elbows, knees, and lower back, but can appear anywhere on your body. You may have only a small dry patch on your scalp or very inflamed patches of skin covering large parts of your body. Skin affected by psoriasis is very dry, often itchy and painful, and the patches may crack and bleed.

When you have psoriasis, it may come and go in cycles. For example, people who live in colder climates may only experience flare-ups in the winter. In some people, psoriasis goes into remission, so symptoms clear up for months or even years at a time.

Though there’s no cure for psoriasis, the condition is manageable through treatment like medication and avoiding your triggers, such as stress and certain foods.

What is psoriatic arthritis?

Some people with psoriasis develop an inflammatory form of arthritis called psoriatic arthritis. Psoriatic arthritis usually develops several years after psoriasis, though in some cases arthritis develops first.

Symptoms of psoriatic arthritis may include:

• Swollen, puffy fingers and toes
• Excessive fatigue
• Feeling more tired and stiff than usual when you wake up
• Painful, stiff, or throbbing joints, including your knees, ankles, hips, and elbows (often the same joint is affected on both sides of your body)
• Changes to your fingernails or toenails, including dents and ridges or the nail separating from the bed

Psoriatic arthritis doesn’t necessarily affect the same areas where you have dry, scaly skin from psoriasis. Further, your arthritis may be more severe than your skin condition, or vice versa.

How is psoriatic arthritis treated?

When Dr. Farheen treats psoriatic arthritis, she focuses on controlling the pain and swelling to minimize the condition’s effects on your day-to-day life and prevent joint damage.

Your treatment may include:

• Either prescription or over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to reduce inflammation
• Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, which are stronger than NSAIDs and slow the progression of the condition rather than just the symptom of inflammation
• Modifying your daily activities so you put less strain on your joints
• Steroid injections, which provide quick relief from inflammation

To get help for psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis, call Kiran Farheen, MD or book an appointment online today.