The Research Behind Fatigue
One of the strongest theories dominating current research on the origin of fatigue is that it is a part of the innate immune response of the body. It is also hypothesized to be a result of cellular strain, especially in cases where oxidative stress can be prolonged within cells in response to inflammation.
When we get sick, even with something as small as the common cold, we generally lose our appetite, experience a decrease in motivation, and lose interest in taking care of ourselves as well as others. All of these sickness behaviors are the same behaviors we experience when struggling with fatigue. These feelings make it easier for people living with a chronic health condition to distinguish fatigue from normal tiredness.
This phenomenon potentially points to proinflammatory cytokines in the body that regulate both the immune response and inflammation, as experienced in conditions like plaque psoriasis. Because psoriasis is an autoimmune condition, the chronic inflammation people experience as a result, can also lead to fatigue.
When And How Does Scalp Psoriasis Occur
Psoriasis, including that of scalp, can pop up at any age, but it predominantly occurs in those under 20 or over 60. In general, psoriasis tends to plague a person’s body in fits and starts. It runs a chronic course, and then with treatment and time, it can start to dissipate, which offers some relief.
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How Can I Learn More
While it is hard to separate fatigue caused by conditions like plaque psoriasis from other confounding conditions like depression, anxiety, and the like, it is crucial to find the link and crack the code between fatigue and psoriasis, so that individuals with psoriasis can regain the energy they need to keep going on their life journey with a chronic health condition.
Hopefully, more research will be on its way soon, but in the meantime, remember, you are not alone! Many of you expressed feeling frustrated with fatigue, and talking about your experiences, as well as sharing tips on how you feel the best you can, will only help the community as a whole!
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How Psoriatic Arthritis Is Diagnosed
When diagnosing psoriatic arthritis, its important to find a quality rheumatologist whos highly experienced in the detection of psoriatic arthritis signs and the available treatment methods to manage symptoms.
There is no specific test to diagnose psoriatic arthritis. The diagnosis is based on physical examinations of the nails, skin, and joints to identify common signs of the disease. Your rheumatologist may assess the body for swelling, redness, and any visible inflammation.
X-rays, MRIs, and blood tests can also be performed to identify psoriatic arthritis. Although there is no specific blood test to confirm the presence of this disease, a rheumatoid factor blood test can be performed to rule out the possibility of rheumatoid arthritis.
Its difficult to diagnose psoriatic arthritis because there are hundreds of different types of arthritis with similar symptoms. This is why its so important to choose a rheumatologist, like Dr. Maria Farooq, with years of experience in the treatment and management of rheumatology disorders.
When To See A Doctor
A person should see a doctor if they experience new or worsening symptoms of fatigue or fatigue that affects their ability to function in daily life.
The doctor will investigate whether there is an underlying cause or condition that needs additional treatment.
A doctor will recommend treatments and strategies to help a person manage the fatigue that occurs with PsA.
Some lifestyle choices can help a person manage PsA.
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Pain And Loss Of Sleep
In 2018, a reported that 67.7% of people with PsA experienced poor sleep quality, compared with 14.6% of people in a control group.
Pain from PsA may disrupt sleep cycles, leading to:
- difficulty falling asleep
- frequently waking up
- sleep that is not refreshing
Dealing with the chronic pain of PsA may cause fatigue. It adds to mental stress, as a person needs to take it into account when planning and carrying out daily tasks. Tiredness can also worsen the feeling of pain.
Is Insomnia A Symptom Of Psoriatic Arthritis
As if thats not enough, chronic pain can also make it hard to sleep. While psoriatic arthritis does not directly cause insomnia, the tendon, ligament and joint pain can interrupt your sleep and lead to restless nights. Whats more, psoriatic arthritis is associated with an increased risk of other illnesses that are linked to sleep disturbances or fatigue, including:
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Fatigue In Psoriasis And Psoriatic Arthritis
Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease of immune systems, occurring in approximately 2% of the population , which has a significant impact on the patients life, especially in the case of progression of severe lesions . Until recently, psoriasis as a disease was assessed only on the basis of the surface and clinical image of affected skin. However, recent studies have shown the relation of psoriasis severity with physical, emotional and social function . Psychosocial aspects of disease so far have been the subject of many studies , while the fatigue as a symptom that accompanies the disease was less often the subject of researchers interest. Chronic fatigue associated with psoriasis may affect up to 50% of patients , and up to 25% of all patients indicated the severity of fatigue as severe . In the recently published study of Skoie et al., severity of fatigue was found to be associated with depression, pain and addiction to smoking, but, contrary to expectations, did not depend on the severity of psoriasis . No association with the activity of disease evaluated with the Psoriasis Area Severity Index was also described by Tobin et al. however, fatigue rated as severe was twice as frequent in patients treated systemically than with phototherapy .
Tips To Decrease Fatigue
According to some research, biologics may work well to decrease fatigue, especially if they work to target these types of cells or their receptors, but right now, more research needs to be done to uncover these mechanisms further.
Interestingly enough, fatigue levels, as studied in research so far, do not seem to correlate with disease progression or severity. This could be why even on a great day with lessened psoriasis symptoms, or when youre not in a current flare-up, you may still feel incredibly fatigued.
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Psoriasis: More Than Skin Deep
The first accurate medical discussion of psoriasis dates back to 1801, but the disease itself is much older. In fact, its very name is borrowed from an ancient Greek word meaning an itchy or scaly condition. About 7 million Americans are plagued by this itching and scaling, and many of them have serious complications involving other organs. Although psoriasis is classified as a dermatologic disease, it doesn’t start in the skin, and its damage may be more than skin deep.
What Is Adrenal Fatigue
Adrenal fatigue is a very common condition most practitioners will see almost daily in their practice, but first lets take a look at what adrenal fatigue actually is, what the cause of this well know condition is and how psoriasis and adrenal fatigue can be linked.
The adrenal glands are small glands that sit on top of your kidneys, they are glands that produce almost fifty hormones and are critical in helping you recover from any stressful event.
Adrenal Fatigue is any decrease in the ability of the adrenal glands to carry out their normal functions. This happens when your body is overwhelmed, and particularly when stress over-extends the capacity of your body to compensate and fully recover from any stressful events. Consequently, the adrenal glands become increasingly depleted and fatigued and are unable to continue responding adequately to further stress.
The Adrenal Fatigue syndrome has been known by many other names throughout the past century, such as non-Addisons hypo-adrenia, neurasthenia, adrenal neurasthenia, adrenal apathy and more recently as having a nervous breakdown. Although both adrenal fatigue and yeast infections affect the lives of many millions of people around the world daily, conventional medicine does not yet recognize these health complaints as distinct conditions.
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Many Patients With Psoriatic Arthritis Consider Fatigue To Be One Of The Most Problematic Symptoms After Joint Pain Being Able To Identify And Describe What Fatigue Feels Like May Help Both Loved Ones And Health Care Providers Better Understand Your Experience
Check out Fight Back Against Fatigue: A Psoriatic Arthritis Patients Guidefor more information on this topic.
Wiped out. Utterly exhausted. Like youre coming down with the flu. Unable to get your head above water. Pumping gas, but the gas tank is empty.
The fatigue that people with psoriatic arthritis have is real and it interferes tremendously with daily life.
In fact, nearly 50 percent of patients with psoriatic arthritis report high levels of fatigue and consider fatigue a high-ranking problem, after joint pain and before skin issues, according to a 2016 study published in the journal Joint Bone Spine.
If you live with fatigue from psoriatic arthritis, we dont have to tell you what it feels like. However, hearing from other people with PsA who are also wrestling with this nagging, persistent feeling of exhaustion can help you feel less alone.
Talking about what fatigue feels like can also help you explain to loved ones why you arent able to do certain activities or why you turn down invitations or leave things early. Perhaps, most importantly, it can help you figure out if you need to talk to your health care provider to get better control of your fatigue.
What Else Is There To Know About Scalp Psoriasis
Scalp psoriasis can really disrupt someone’s life and overall well-being. While you might think it’s solely a condition that affects the skin, in some cases, psoriatic arthritis can occur especially if the psoriasis is left untreated. According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, out of the 8 million people with psoriasis, approximately one-third of them will develop psoriatic arthritis, affecting the joints and the tendons. Having psoriasis doesn’t guarantee a psoriatic arthritis diagnosis, but, unfortunately, the risk is higher. If you’re concerned, visit a rheumatologist to screen for the condition and catch it early if you can.
Keeping the scalp soothed and calm is integral to a healthy head of hair. Whether you’re dealing with scalp psoriasis or not, steering clear of astringent chemicals and highly perfumed products is the way forward. Invest in a hair wellness system that takes a gentle, natural and effective approach to maintain your mane and keep your crowning glory glossy and happy.
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What Is Psoriatic Arthritis Video
Psoriatic arthritis can cause pain, swelling and stiffness in and around your joints.
It usually affects people who already have the skin condition psoriasis . This causes patches of red, raised skin, with white and silvery flakes.
Sometimes people have arthritis symptoms before the psoriasis. In rare cases, people have psoriatic arthritis and never have any noticeable patches of psoriasis.
Psoriatic arthritis and psoriasis are autoimmune conditions. Our immune system protects us against illness and infection. In autoimmune conditions, the immune system becomes confused and attacks healthy parts of the body.
Both conditions can affect people of any age.
Its estimated that around one in five people with psoriasis will develop psoriatic arthritis.
People with psoriasis are as likely as anyone else to get other types of arthritis, such as osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. These conditions are not linked to psoriasis.
Psoriatic arthritis is a type of spondyloarthritis. These are a group of conditions with some similar symptoms.
Key Points About Psoriatic Arthritis
- Psoriatic arthritis is a form of arthritis with a skin rash.
- Psoriasis is a chronic skin and nail disease. It causes red, scaly rashes and thick, pitted fingernails. The rash may come before or after the arthritis symptoms.
- Psoriatic arthritis causes inflamed, swollen, and painful joints. It happens most often in the fingers and toes. It can lead to deformed joints.
- Treatment may include medicines, heat and cold, splints, exercise, physical therapy, and surgery.
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What Can I Do
If you feel tired all the time, tell your doctor, as it is important to rule out any other causes of fatigue. Sometimes you may need to have your medication changed or take tests so that your GP can fully understand what is happening.
With or without medical intervention, there are a number of lifestyle changes that may help you feel generally less exhausted.
Inflammation In Pathogenesis Of Fatigue
Fatigue is often present in chronic inflammatory skin and joint diseases, systemic connective tissue diseases, cancer, infections, diabetes type I and other autoimmune diseases .
The mechanism by which fatigue is caused in chronic diseases is multidimensional. Studies conducted among mice with colorectal cancer show that muscle weakness was not associated with changes in expression of myosin isoforms, or with deterioration of muscle contractility in tested animals. In addition, inclusion of anti-cancer treatment resulted in a decrease of interleukin 1 and IL-6 in the brain, reduction of depressive symptoms and improvement of muscle strength without changes in muscle mass . In another experiment on an animal model, application of proinflammatory IL-1 resulted in weak willingness to make social contacts, increased drowsiness and reduced body weight of animals, and these symptoms disappeared after anti-inflammatory injections: IL-1 receptor antagonist and IL-10 .
It should be noted that fatigue accompanying chronic diseases depends not only on ongoing inflammation and its severity, but can also be a symptom associated with anaemia of chronic diseases, reduction of iron concentration associated with an increase in production of hepcidin induced by an increase in IL-6 level, decreased activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, resistance to glucocorticoids and adverse effects of the therapy .
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Common Psoriatic Arthritis Symptoms Include:
Swollen fingers and toes
Tender, painful, or swollen joints
Reduced range of motion of joints
Morning stiffness
Lower back, upper back, or neck pain
General fatigue
or separationfrom nail bed
If you are experiencing any symptoms of psoriatic arthritis listed above, it’s important to talk to your doctor.
Adrenal Fatigue And Psoriasis
Have you heard of adrenal fatigue before? Not long after my clinic began to specialize in treating patients with psoriasis, I began noticing that many of these patients also suffered from a common condition known as adrenal fatigue. Those with strong adrenal gland function did not appear to be bothered as much with psoriasis in comparison to those who had weak adrenal gland function. But after having treated several thousand patients with adrenal fatigue, I have come to realize that those with chronic psoriasis can actually develop adrenal fatigue as a consequence.
There are many complex immune mechanisms involved in the interplay between psoriasis and the adrenal glands, but suffice to say, there certainly is a correlation between them both. By treating adrenal fatigue and psoriasis simultaneously, the patient tends to recover much faster than by treating either as a stand-alone condition. Unfortunately, in the worst scenario, adrenal fatigue often remains untreated, because adrenal fatigue is not recognized as a distinct syndrome by mainstream medicine. If a practitioner wants to achieve optimal results with their patient with psoriasis, they would do well to employ complementary adrenal support to maximize their patients chances of a full recovery. Ideally this will be achieved both from a dietary and lifestyle intervention perspective, as well as including highly specialized adrenal nutritional support to maximize their patients outcome.
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Tips To Manage Psoriatic Arthritis Fatigue
If you have psoriatic arthritis and need a nap to get through the day, some simple changes can boost your energy and make you feel better.
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Living With Psoriatic Arthritis
There is no cure for psoriatic arthritis. But you can reduce your symptoms by stickingto your treatment plan. Manage pain with medicine, acupuncture, and meditation. Getenough exercise. Good exercises include yoga, swimming, walking, and bicycling. Workwith a physical or occupational therapist. He or she can suggest devices to help you withyour daily tasks.
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