Alternative Treatments for Psoriatic Arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic inflammatory condition that causes joint pain and stiffness. Psoriasis is first a skin condition, but 30 to 40 percent of people with psoriasis end up with psoriatic arthritis. If not treated, it could cause permanent damage to the joints. Most doctors prescribe anti-inflammatory medications that include prescription medications, such as corticosteroids, or over-the-counter medications, such as aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen. Alternative treatments can be used hand-in-hand with these medications to relieve even more of the inflammatory pain.

Stress Release

Stress tends to trigger inflammation in our bodies. By relieving as much stress as possible, you will relieve some of the pain caused by the arthritis. To relieve stress, try meditation therapies. When your joints are in the least amount of pain, try yoga courses or techniques that focus on stretching and breathing. Physical activity can also reduce stress, but it should be limited to walking, swimming or building muscle with weights. Therapy sessions will help with the loss of self-confidence and the release of stress.

Food Choices

Certain foods could trigger inflammation in our bodies, so by finding out which products disrupt your body, eliminate them and eliminate extra inflammation. To do so, eliminate all possible culprit foods from your diet, and reintroduce them one at a time. These include wheat products, dairy products, raw vegetables, raw fruit, alcohol and caffeine, nuts and seeds, eggs and soy products. If they do not seem to cause a disruption in your body, keep eating them, especially if they are healthy choices.

Supplements

Certain supplements and vitamins could cause a positive reduction to the inflammation in your body. These include glucosamine and chondroitin, which together have been proven to reduce inflammation. Fish oil capsules contain omega-3 fatty acids, also known for reducing inflammation. Eating certain types of fish, such as salmon, swordfish and trout, will provide omega-3 fatty acids. Probiotics, taken in pill form or eaten in certain types of yogurt, create good bacteria in your body and could help relieve inflammation. Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) and S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) are two more effective, natural supplements in relieving joint pain.

Physical Options

Other alternative options provide you with the physical reduction of pain, which include massages that improve circulation, acupuncture that release the flow of energy through the body and can relieve inflammatory pain, mattresses that contain therapeutic magnets (mostly back pain), according to EverydayHealth.com. Therapeutic magnets can be worn wherever and in the form of bandages, braces, wraps and inside shoes. These alternatives have proved to help arthritis pain, according to RevolutionHealth.com, but not psoriatic arthritis specifically.