• Home
    • 3D Illustration
    • Diseases and Conditions
    • Medical Illustration
    • Microbiology Illustration
    • Animals and Creatures Illustrations
    • Natural Science
    • Before & After Retouching
    • Composites
    • History Colorizations
    • Medical Colorizations
    • Science Colorizations
    • Lab & Scientific
    • Sequences
    • Macro
  • Request A Project
    • Meet the Artists
    • Evan Oto Portfolio
    • Emily Ciosek Portfolio
    • Monica Schroeder Portfolio
    • Gwen Shockey Portfolio
    • Spencer Sutton Portfolio
    • Medical Brochure
    • Natural History Brochure
    • Science Brochure
  • Sign Up
  • BLOG
Menu

SCIENCE SOURCE CUSTOM IMAGES & VIDEO

  • Home
  • Illustration
    • 3D Illustration
    • Diseases and Conditions
    • Medical Illustration
    • Microbiology Illustration
    • Animals and Creatures Illustrations
    • Natural Science
  • Retouching
    • Before & After Retouching
    • Composites
    • History Colorizations
    • Medical Colorizations
    • Science Colorizations
  • Photography
    • Lab & Scientific
    • Sequences
    • Macro
  • Request A Project
  • The Design Team
    • Meet the Artists
    • Evan Oto Portfolio
    • Emily Ciosek Portfolio
    • Monica Schroeder Portfolio
    • Gwen Shockey Portfolio
    • Spencer Sutton Portfolio
    • Medical Brochure
    • Natural History Brochure
    • Science Brochure
  • Sign Up
  • BLOG
SS2658277

The Heartbreak of Psoriatic Arthritis, Seriously

April 23, 2018

"The Heartbreak of Psoriasis" has long been a punchline in the media, used in a quirky 1960's TV commercial, an avant-garde play and even a hit song.

But, having psoriasis, and especially psoriatic arthritis, is serious. Psoriasis is a non-contagious condition related to immune system function and often runs in families. There is no cure, and the itching, cracked, bleeding skin and embarrassing silvery thick scales brings anguish to those who are afflicted. It can range from the occasional small patch with years of remission to a lifelong full-body debilitating condition.

View Stock Medical Images of Psoriatic Arthritis

A small percentage of psoriasis patients develop psoriatic arthritis, which painfully swells the joints, deteriorates bones and eventually deforms hands, feet, and the spine to crippling degrees. This spinal condition is called ankylosing spondylitis.

Patients with psoriasis are more likely to have other health issues as well. These include an increased prevalence and risk of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Also, a common ophthalmic disease in these patients is uveitis.

Ointments and creams are a helpful treatment for those with mild to moderate psoriasis, but, there has been little help for patients with 10% - 100% of their skin affected. Now a handful of immunosuppressant and biologic drugs offer miraculous relief.

Unfortunately, these effective drugs do come with side effects including an increased risk of cancer, tuberculosis, kidney problems and susceptibility to life-threatening infections.

Some patients prefer exploring alternative treatments. These range from doctor-approved treatments such as phototherapy with UV lights, pine tar derived formulas and weight loss, to more questionable 'cures' such as swimming in the Dead Sea, smearing yourself with vegetable shortening or megadosing on zinc tablets. A popular ancient treatment was a concoction of onions, sea salt, and urine.

Avoiding triggers such as stress, citrus, red wine, processed meats, gluten, dairy, and others may help some. These do not work for everyone, and require self experimentation over months or years to see results.

No matter how mild or severe your psoriasis, there is a large psychological toll. Cyndi Lauper, Kim Kardashian, Art Garfunkel, LeAnn Rimes and other celebrities who speak openly about their battle with psoriasis bring a positive life outlook to sufferers.  

Along with continuing medical research, the future holds promise for those with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

National Psoriasis Foundation

 

 

 

  • psoriasis,org
  • psoriasis severity, psoriasis.com
  • Mayo Clinic Staff, Psoriasis diagnosis and treatment, mayoclinic.org
  • Psoriasis Hall of Shame, pinch.com
← Aquatic Living Earth Day: Plastic in Our Waterways →


Science Source® Images provides quality photography, illustration, video & animation specializing in healthcare, biomedicine, technology, physical sciences and the natural and life sciences.

Subscribe

Receive our newsletter and occasional offers.

We respect your privacy.

Thank you!
BLOG RSS

Custom Gifts for Science Geeks

  • 2019
    • Feb 19, 2019 The Great Insect Crisis
    • Feb 6, 2019 The Dead Do Tell Tales
    • Feb 1, 2019 Black History Month Started as Negro History Week
    • Jan 28, 2019 Alchemy and the Road to Science
    • Jan 14, 2019 Around the World in 118 Elements
  • 2018
    • Nov 28, 2018 How the Stars Got Their Colors
    • Nov 14, 2018 Have We Found the True Cause of Alzheimer's?
    • Nov 5, 2018 One Hundred Years of the Flu Virus
    • Oct 26, 2018 The Quirky Beginning of Biomedical Research, with Royalty Free Images
    • Oct 22, 2018 Molecular Models
    • Oct 19, 2018 Acute Flaccid Myelitis, a Growing Concern for Parents
    • Oct 15, 2018 The Beautiful Creepy Crawly World of Francesco Tomasinelli
    • Oct 8, 2018 Explore the Human Microbiome
    • Oct 3, 2018 The Natural History Collection
    • Sep 24, 2018 They'll Hijack Your Body to Replicate Themselves
    • Sep 19, 2018 Science in Motion – The History of Discovery in Video Montage
    • Sep 18, 2018 Ovarian Cancer: A Ghostly Disease
    • Sep 10, 2018 The Aliens are Here: Invasive Species
    • Sep 5, 2018 A Wizard of Oz Moment for Black and White Images
    • Aug 22, 2018 The Fascinating Journey of Blood Through Your Body
    • Aug 17, 2018 The Beauty of Illustration in an Age of Photography
    • Aug 10, 2018 Retro Animals
    • Aug 6, 2018 Wild Weather & Climate Change
    • Jul 30, 2018 Phytoplankton & CO2
    • Jul 23, 2018 Exploding Videos
    • Jul 16, 2018 The Free Will Debate
    • Jul 9, 2018 The Energy Revolution
    • Jul 9, 2018 Summertime: Rising Both Temperatures and Skin Cancer Concerns
    • Jun 25, 2018 Exercise for Life
    • Jun 25, 2018 Good Ole' Summer Time Fun
    • Jun 22, 2018 David Scharf Scanning Electron Microscopy
    • Jun 18, 2018 The Great Barrier Reef In Peril
    • Jun 8, 2018 AI – The Mind of the Future
    • Jun 7, 2018 Mimicry in Nature
    • Jun 4, 2018 Alzheimer's Disease, a Tragic Future for Our Aging Population
    • May 31, 2018 Lower Back Pain? You're in Good Company
    • May 31, 2018 Feathered Dinosaurs
    • May 25, 2018 Biometrics: Never Need a Password Again
    • May 25, 2018 Plastic: A Global Crisis
    • May 23, 2018 Teacher Appreciation Month
    • May 14, 2018 Beauty From the Center of the Earth
    • May 12, 2018 Volcanic Eruptions: Kilauea and Beyond
    • May 11, 2018 Life on Other Planets
    • May 11, 2018 Invincible Water Bears
    • May 10, 2018 Hepatitis C and The Miracle of Modern Medicine
    • May 3, 2018 Springtime Is Baby Animal Time
    • May 3, 2018 Ticks, Mosquitos and Fleas. Oh My.
    • Apr 27, 2018 The First College Graduate
    • Apr 26, 2018 Deep Sea Exploration
    • Apr 26, 2018 Aquatic Living
    • Apr 23, 2018 The Heartbreak of Psoriatic Arthritis, Seriously
    • Apr 19, 2018 Earth Day: Plastic in Our Waterways
    • Apr 18, 2018 The Robotic Age
    • Apr 18, 2018 Book a Vacation to the Moon
    • Apr 17, 2018 Immunotherapy: A Possible Cure for Lung Cancer?
    • Apr 12, 2018 Fractals: Neverending Geometric Shapes
    • Apr 12, 2018 Marijuana in the Modern Age
    • Apr 6, 2018 Alternative Medicine: Quackery or Cure?
    • Apr 6, 2018 The Unbreakable Bond Between People & Bees
    • Apr 6, 2018 Hanami and Sakura Matsuri
    • Mar 30, 2018 A Tragic Family of Diseases
    • Mar 30, 2018 Stephen Hawking – A Brief History
    • Mar 23, 2018 Step Out into the Wild!
    • Mar 22, 2018 The Invention of Climate Change

SCIENCE SOURCE IMAGES & VIDEO             PRINTS, MUGS, TOTES, GIFTS EMAIL US

All Contents © Photo Researchers, Inc., 307 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY, 10016 212-758-3420 800-833-9033
Science Source® is a registered trademark of Photo Researchers, Inc.