What are some of the main medical treatments for psoriatic arthritis?

There is no cure for psoriatic arthritis, but treatments are effective for reducing disease symptoms and their severity. The treatments selected depend on the individual’s signs and symptoms and their severity. Often different medications are tried alone or in combination until the physician finds something that works.

Treatments for milder forms of the disease:

• Over the counter analgesics and anti-inflammatory medications to treat pain and swelling
• Corticosteroid injections into affected joints

Treatments for more severe forms of the disease:

• Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDS, oral therapies that broadly suppress the immune system)

• Biologic response modifiers (i.e., therapies that target specific immune signals to reduce disease activity)