When you are living with psoriatic arthritis, you’ll likely have good days and bad days. There will be days when you aren’t experiencing any symptoms and there will be days when you have painful flare-ups. However, the good news is that despite the challenges you may face with psoriatic arthritis, there are ways to handle the disease and make your life easier on those bad days.
1. Determine what’s triggering your flare-ups
What triggers flare-ups is different for everyone, so being able to determine what is directly triggering your flare-ups will help you avoid those painful days. If you know what is causing your flare-ups, you can simply avoid those things altogether.
One way to successfully do this is by keeping a log of when you are experiencing a flare-up and what you were doing, eating, etc. ArthritisPower is a great app for this. It helps you keep track of your sleep, fatigue, pain, and other symptoms by collecting the data in charts and graphs that you can send to your doctor.
2. Eliminate stress
Stress is a big trigger for many people living with psoriatic arthritis, so it is a good idea to eliminate it wherever you can. Of course, there are some things in your life that you can’t control, but what you may not realize is that there are also a lot of things that you can control. For example, if you know that the weather is going to be bad, leave earlier so that you aren’t stressing trying to get to work on time. You can’t control the weather, but you can control what time you leave the house. Meditating, yoga and practicing mindfulness are all great ways to eliminate stress.
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3. Get the most out of treatment
Even when you are having what you may consider a good day, you should continue to take your medication unless your doctor tells you that you are in remission and it’s fine to stop. Stopping your medication on your own can cause you to have a flare-up.
Additionally, you should keep a log of any improvements or setbacks you experience as a result of your treatment. This will give your doctor a clear picture of which treatments are working and which aren’t and allow him or her to adjust your treatment if needed. You should also keep a log of the questions you want to ask your doctor during your appointment so that you don’t forget anything.
Having a medical professional who suits you is also an important part of being treated well. So, if your doctor isn’t a good fit; shop around until you find one that is.
4. Have a backup plan for bad days
Your symptoms could interrupt your life at any time, so it is important to have a backup plan and plan for every possible outcome. You can
