Psoriasis is a skin disease that affects some 2 percent of the population. It is a chronic condition having little impact for those only slightly affected, and a considerable social and domestic impact for those heavily affected. Not all psoriasis sufferers require psoriatic arthritis treatment as the condition only affects some 10 to 30 percent of the group as a whole



Psoriatic arthritis causes swelling and pain in the scaly patches of the body affected by psoriasis and not just the joints. Only a minimum of 10% of those who have psoriasis may develop this type of arthritis which usually target men and women ages 20 to 50.

There are some theories as to the causes. There is some evidence that points to certain genes that cause the disease. The study of the appearance of certain genes is not the only line of research being done on the disease. Other evidence points to the surroundings in which a person is raised. Since a person's environment is thought to be a factor parents who have a history of psoriatic arthritis in their family are more likely to have children with psoriatic arthritis.

The Ayurvedic treatment of psoriatic arthritis is aimed at treating the symptoms of both diseases and correcting the immune dysfunction in the body. For pain and swelling in the joints, medicines like Yograj-Guggulu, Triphala-Guggulu, Kaishor-Guggulu, Punarnavadi-Guggulu, Vish-Tinduk-Vati, Maha-Vat-Vidhwans-Ras, Vat-Gajankush-Ras, Dashmoolarishta and Nirgundi (Vitex negundo) are used.

It is estimated that about 2 percent of all the Caucasian population in the United States suffer from a skin disease called psoriasis. An area of inflammation that appears raised, red and scaly characterizes psoriasis. The areas commonly affected with psoriasis are the scalp, tips of elbows and knees. This could also appear around the areas of the anus and genital areas. It is observed that 10 percent of people with psoriasis develop the associated joint disease commonly known as psoriatic arthritis.

Psoriatic arthritis is a condition that causes swelling in the joints and can result in considerable pain and also scaly patches on the skin. It is linked to the skin condition psoriasis and can also cause problems with other parts of the body, such as the scalp, elbows and knees. It has also been known to be the cause of lesions on the finger and toenails. Another symptom is pain and swelling in the joints and swelling in the toes and fingers.

What are the causes of psoriatic arthritis? The causes of psoriatic arthritis are still unknown. Some researchers believe that the disorder develops as a result of genetic instability, while others suspect external exposure to bugs has to do with the cause. In some cases, psoriatic arthritis arise after exposure to streptococcal throat infection, which leads to researchers to believe that both genetic make up and environmental factors have an important role in triggering psoriatic arthritis