While there are well over 100 different types of arthritis in existence, unfortunately many people do not even realize that there are other types of arthritis besides rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. But guess what my friend, there are many other types of arthritis that can invade your life.

One of those little known types of arthritis is known as psoriatic arthritis and it can be as

As its name indicates, psoriatic arthritis is associated with psoriasis, the common skin condition characterized by inflammation of the skin, scaling, and red raised patches of skin. It is estimated that psoriasis affects approximately 2 per cent of the Caucasian population in the United States, although it can occur in people from all backgrounds.

Do you have psoriasis? If so then you know that this aggravating skin condition can attack your belly button, your knees, your elbows, your scalp, and for goodness sakes, it can even affect your anus and genital area! Now that is just not right! At this point in time, health care professionals believe that Aaron 10% of those who suffer with the "heartbreak of psoriasis" also develop a simultaneous inflammation of specific body joints. When this happens, these patients gain a new label known as psoriatic arthritis.

So there you go. Seems to go hand in hand. Having psoriasis, the skin condition, is a major risk factor for the development of psoriatic arthritis. This is particularly true if your psoriasis has begun to affect the joint. Not typically a young persons' disease, psoriatic arthritis most often impacts most patients later in life, most often when people are in their forties and fifties. Men and women seem to be equally attacked by this condition. There doesn't seem to be an increased incidence of occurrence between one sex or the other. In this case, men and women are equal!

The majority of those who battle psoriatic arthritis actually battle psoriasis first. Yes, many patients experience the onset of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis at different times. So it should be a warning sign that if you see psoriasis that you should also be on the look out for the signs and symptoms of psoriatic arthritis.

However, some patients develop arthritis before the onset of psoriasis. Roughly 15 per cent of psoriatic arthritis patients report the presence of arthritic symptoms before developing psoriasis. In fact, many patients report living with psoriasis for many years before developing any signs of arthritis.

Just like with the other kinds of arthritis, psoriatic arthritis is a systematic disease meaning that it can attack many other parts of your body as well. So this leaves you wide open to so many other serious health conditions, including those which can damage your heart, lungs, kidneys, eye and mouth. With serious health concerns such as these lurking, you simply cannot afford to ignore either arthritis symptoms or psoriasis symptoms. Get smart, and get yourself to the doctor.

In the most serious cases of psoriatic arthritis, the impact on your vital organs can be life altering. With psoriatic arthritis, you are also at increased risk for spinal inflammation with can cause increased pain and limited movements.

So, here's the million dollar question. Just what causes psoriatic arthritis? Want the million dollar answer? Ok, here it is, we don't really know the cause of psoriatic arthritis. While there are many scholarly theories out there that attempt to explain the basis of psoriatic arthritis, the precise cause remains a mystery. Current research seems to point to many factors which can contribute to the development of psoriatic arthritis. One such factor is environmental, another is a flaky immune system and finally a genetic marker, known as HLA-B27. This particular genetic marker is found in many psoriatic arthritis patients, but it is not always the case and so don't count on it.

There are even other genetic markers that are found in cases of psoriatic arthritis which continue to lead to researchers to believe that this condition is genetic in nature. Lab tests can help to confirm these genetic markers if they are present. Some research also indicates that a faulty immune system may also be a causative factor in the case of psoriatic arthritis. Other research shows that environmental factors may be to blame. Any way you slice it, the reasons can vary behind the development of psoriatic arthritis.

So, with psoriatic arthritis, you must work collaboratively with your health care provider so that you have an aggressive management plan designed specifically for you. This management plan must take into account its practicality and your willingness to comply. Psoriatic arthritis is a battle faced by many each and every day, but it does not have to be a battle that you give up on long before the fight begins. Be your own best advocate if you are facing psoriatic arthritis. Do it well and do it now!

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