For the roughly 1.5 million Americans who suffer from psoriatic arthritis, the pain and embarrassment of this condition can sometimes be unbearable. Psoriatic arthritis is a form of autoimmune arthritis that occurs alongside the skin condition known as psoriasis. Psoriatic arthritis causes inflammation of the joints, and of the areas of the body where tendons and ligaments attach to the bones.
Psoriasis is a disease of the skin which causes the skin to break out into scaly, flaky patches. This can not only be itchy and painful, it can cause a degree of embarrassment to those affected.
While there is no cure for either psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis, there are treatment options that can often help patients find relief.
Recently, a journal study entitled “Temporomandibular Joint Disorders Associated With Psoriatic Arthritis: A Report of Three Cases” was published by Ghimire, et. al.
The study aimed to examine links between psoriatic arthritis and the jaw condition, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, or TMJ dysfunction. Temporomandibular joint dysfunction is categorized as a condition of the jaw, where the temporomandibular joint of the jaw becomes dislocated temporarily from the skull. This causes the jaw to ‘pop’ and ‘click’ during chewing or speaking, and can cause immense pain, including tinnitus, migraine headaches, back pain, neck pain and jaw pain. It can also cause difficulty speaking, chewing, or mouth breathing.
In the study, researchers examined three cases of patients with psoriatic arthritis. As revealed in the study’s title, all three patients were also found to have temporomandibular joint dysfunction to varying degrees- and those cases of temporomandibular joint dysfunction were found to be directly connected to their psoriatic arthritis.
If you are suffering from psoriasis, you have a 30 percent chance of developing psoriatic arthritis in your lifetime. Worse yet, this can cause temporomandibular joint dysfunction, so it is recommended that you get tested for temporomandibular joint dysfunction at your next appointment with Dr. Abelar.
If you aren’t showing any signs of temporomandibular joint dysfunction, that’s great news, but be sure to make Dr. Abelar aware of your psoriasis diagnosis so that he can keep a closer eye on your jaw to make sure there are no new developments. To discuss temporomandibular joint dysfunction or any other issue, or to schedule an appointment for your bi-annual checkup, please contact Dr. Abelar’s office today!
