Alternative Treatments for Psoriatic Arthritis Pain (Physically & Emotionally)

Psoriatic arthritis is a tough disease, and it makes us both physically and emotionally tough. The pain can often be unbearable. We are forced to either push through the pain or cancel plans because of it. I mean, one year, I was unable to attend a holiday dinner. Plans are obsolete when an intense flare sets in.

I've lived with psoriatic disease over 25 years. I've researched and tried many different clinical treatments. These types of treatments focus on slowing down disease progression and can temporarily relieve the most intense symptoms.

A few alternative treatments I've tried...

Of course, this disease is incurable so an escape from pain, with clinical treatment or not, is simply not possible. My ongoing pain, while on clinical treatment, found me looking for natural and alternative treatments that may help me find relief.

I'm happy to share a few alternative treatments that have helped me over the years - and serve as supplements to my psoriatic lifestyle. I encourage you to talk with your doctor before approaching any of these and I wish you well as you navigate the physical and emotional pain.

Acupuncture seemed to help bit!

I had acupuncture performed on me, only once. To my surprise, it did provide some pain relief. I found myself desperate and intense pain when I gave it a try. Acupuncture is performed by experts and uses thin needles at specific acupuncture points. These points are believed to stimulate the central nervous system.

This, in turn, releases chemicals into the muscles, spinal cord, and brain to relieve pain. The pain relief only lasted for a few days but I found it a good remedy for times of extreme pain.

Let's talk massages!

Massages. There are so many different types, swedish, shiatsu, hot stone, deep tissue. It's important to do your research and even talk with your doctor about what might be best for you and your pain, In my experience, a swedish massage hurt more than helped.

Massage therapy has been noted to relax the nervous system by slowing heart rate and blood pressure. Stress and pain hormones are also decreased by massage, reducing pain and enhancing immune function

Can meditation and yoga really help? Yes!

Meditation and yoga can bring peace to my body and mind, but only temporarily. Meditation added a lot of value to my stress management. I've performed these practices at home but found them much more impactful when seeking out more professional classes.

Research shows that meditation uses neural pathways that make the brain less sensitive to pain and increases use of the brain's own pain-reducing opioids. If you have chronic pain, meditation is worth looking at.

Don't let the pain run (and ruin) your life

Apart from the intense pain and this autoimmune condition, we have one more thing in common: exceptional strength. When the pain feels too much and you find yourself canceling plans again, please remember to be kind to yourself and never feel guilty for prioritizing your health and your body.

There is strength when choosing yourself over more pain. Please know, I see your pain - and it is big. I see you strength - and it is bigger.