Question: My ankles, knees and hips are stiff and sore. I find it hard to walk. I am HIV positive and take medication. I’m wondering if toxicity levels affect joint pain. Or perhaps an immune reconstitution is occurring?
Answer: Psoriasis is a skin disorder, characterized by well-demarcated, red, scaly plaques.
Up to 5% of patients suffering from psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis. In some cases, first psoriatic arthritis develops, then, the skin lesions occur.
Clinical manifestations:
- Distal inter-phalangeal joints are affected.
- Peripheral joints are affected.
- Symmetrical joint affections, like in rheumatoid arthritis.
- Spondilitis and sacro-iliitis.
- Psoriatic mutilans with bone destruction.
Nail dystrophy is present in 85% of the cases.
HIV does have an effect of psoriatic arthritis. But the disorder does nor occur due to HIV, but due to the opportunistic infections and drug therapy.
Predominanatly, there is arthralgia (bone pain), especially in the lower limbs.
Prognosis:
Prognosis is good, with only, minimal joint impairment.
Treatment for Psoriatic Arthritis
- NSAIDs are prescribed in most of the cases. But watch out! in some they aggravate the trouble.
- Analgesics or pain killers alleviate the pain to some extent.
- You can also use castor oil for arthritis.
- Physiotherapy and routine exercises are crucial to improve joint mobility.
- Rhus tox, a homoeopathic remedy, aims at decreasing bone pain, stiffness, soreness and prevents deformities.
- It is recommended that you visit an orthopedic at the earliest.