What are the treatment options for psoriatic arthritis?

Psoriatic arthritis can affect joints, tendons, the spine, nails and skin, so treatment is matched to the pattern and activity of your symptoms. Anti-inflammatory medication may help pain, swelling and stiffness, while a rheumatology team may consider disease-directed medicines when inflammation needs longer-term control. Skin and nail symptoms should be included in the assessment because a medicine helpful for one feature may not suit another.

Physiotherapy can preserve joint movement, build strength around painful areas and teach pacing that balances activity with recovery. A plan may change as symptoms, examination findings, blood tests or other health needs change. Do not stop prescribed medicine suddenly without advice, even if a flare has eased.

Record morning stiffness, swollen joints, skin changes and activities that worsen or ease symptoms. Use gentle range-of-motion work and strengthening only within the plan you have been given. Break demanding tasks into smaller periods, protect sleep and discuss smoking, alcohol or weight-related concerns without blame. Keep appointments so medication effects and side effects can be reviewed, and tell the team about eye pain, bowel symptoms or new tendon pain.

Seek urgent assessment for a painful red eye with light sensitivity or vision change, a hot severely swollen joint with fever, sudden loss of strength, or severe new back pain with bladder or bowel changes. Contact your clinician when swelling is spreading, function is falling, side effects appear or treatment is no longer controlling flares.

Which parts of my disease need treatment now? What monitoring is needed for the medicines you suggest? How should physiotherapy change during a flare? Which symptoms should prompt an urgent call?