At The
Pain Center of Arizona, the pain specialists know that, while rheumatoid
arthritis is known as a condition that affects the joints, unfortunately, it
can also affect the skin. The disease itself and medications taken for RA can wreak
havoc on a patient’s skin, causing many problems that range from sun
sensitivity, rash, and firm lumps of tissue called nodules. Let’s take a closer
look at some of these problems.
Rash and
Ulcers. Approximately one in 100 people with rheumatoid arthritis will find
themselves dealing with vasculitis, which involves arteries that carry blood to
the skin, nerves, and internal organs. When these small vessels that supply
blood to the skin on the fingertips and around the nails come into play, this
results in small pits on the patient’s fingertips or small sores or redness
around the nail. When larger blood vessels are involved, this can cause a
painful rash, often on the legs. In more serious cases, ulcers can form with
the risk of infection.
Rheumatoid
Nodules. 20% of people with rheumatoid arthritis can develop rheumatoid
nodules. Nodules are hard lumps of tissue, about the size of a pea, that form
under the skin over bony areas such as the elbow or ankle (but in some cases
they can also form on internal organs). For certain patients, treatment with
disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) used to control RA or
injections of corticosteroid medications may help shrink nodules. If rheumatoid
nodules become infected or painful, surgery may be necessary to remove them. On
rare occasions, nodules can mean the presence of rheumatoid vasculitis.
Side
Effects of Medication. Medication can be very helpful in treating RA, but often
times patients will experience unwelcome side effects. Certain arthritis drugs
are associated with skin rashes. These drugs include the following:
DMARDs
such as methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Trexall), leflunomide (Arava),
hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil), sulfasalazine (Azulfidine), and minocycline
(Minocin).
Nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Motrin), naproxen
(Naprosyn), diclofenac (Voltaren), tolmetin (Tolectin), and celecoxib
(Celebrex).
But
remember that a skin rash can also be a sign of an allergic reaction to a drug.
Patients must let their pain management specialist know if their skin breaks
out or starts itching. Depending on the type of rash and severity of the rash,
the patient’s dosage may be lowered or the medications may be stopped altogether.
In some cases, another drug may need to prescribed, such as a corticosteroid or
antihistamine, to stop the reaction.
Skin
Sensitivity. Some arthritis medications can increase the risk of bruising by
thinning the skin or interfering with blood clotting. These medications include
aspirin and corticosteroid medications such as prednisone. Some medications can
also increase a patient’s sensitivity to sunlight. These include:
DMARDs
such as cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral) and methotrexate (Rheumatrex,
Trexall)
NSAIDs
such as diclofenac (Voltaren), diflunisal (Dolobid), ketoprofen, naproxen
(Naprosyn), and piroxicam (Feldene).
If you
suffer from chronic pain due to any condition or injury, find hope at The Pain
Center of Arizona! Our dedicated team of board certified pain management
physicians will work with you to treat your pain, increase your functionality
and quality of life, and get you back into life! We have locations across
Arizona, including Phoenix, Anthem, Surprise, Mesa, Gilbert, Deer Valley,
Paradise Valley, Scottsdale, and now Prescott and Tucson! We take multiple
insurance plans; click here to see if we take yours! To make
an appointment and take the first step toward getting back into life, call us
today at 1-888-PAINCENTER. We hope to see you soon!
At The
Pain Center of Arizona, the pain specialists know that, while rheumatoid
arthritis is known as a condition that affects the joints, unfortunately, it
can also affect the skin. The disease itself and medications taken for RA can wreak
havoc on a patient’s skin, causing many problems that range from sun
sensitivity, rash, and firm lumps of tissue called nodules. Let’s take a closer
look at some of these problems.
Rash and
Ulcers. Approximately one in 100 people with rheumatoid arthritis will find
themselves dealing with vasculitis, which involves arteries that carry blood to
the skin, nerves, and internal organs. When these small vessels that supply
blood to the skin on the fingertips and around the nails come into play, this
results in small pits on the patient’s fingertips or small sores or redness
around the nail. When larger blood vessels are involved, this can cause a
painful rash, often on the legs. In more serious cases, ulcers can form with
the risk of infection.
Rheumatoid
Nodules. 20% of people with rheumatoid arthritis can develop rheumatoid
nodules. Nodules are hard lumps of tissue, about the size of a pea, that form
under the skin over bony areas such as the elbow or ankle (but in some cases
they can also form on internal organs). For certain patients, treatment with
disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) used to control RA or
injections of corticosteroid medications may help shrink nodules. If rheumatoid
nodules become infected or painful, surgery may be necessary to remove them. On
rare occasions, nodules can mean the presence of rheumatoid vasculitis.
Side
Effects of Medication. Medication can be very helpful in treating RA, but often
times patients will experience unwelcome side effects. Certain arthritis drugs
are associated with skin rashes. These drugs include the following:
DMARDs
such as methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Trexall), leflunomide (Arava),
hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil), sulfasalazine (Azulfidine), and minocycline
(Minocin).
Nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Motrin), naproxen
(Naprosyn), diclofenac (Voltaren), tolmetin (Tolectin), and celecoxib
(Celebrex).
But
remember that a skin rash can also be a sign of an allergic reaction to a drug.
Patients must let their pain management specialist know if their skin breaks
out or starts itching. Depending on the type of rash and severity of the rash,
the patient’s dosage may be lowered or the medications may be stopped altogether.
In some cases, another drug may need to prescribed, such as a corticosteroid or
antihistamine, to stop the reaction.
Skin
Sensitivity. Some arthritis medications can increase the risk of bruising by
thinning the skin or interfering with blood clotting. These medications include
aspirin and corticosteroid medications such as prednisone. Some medications can
also increase a patient’s sensitivity to sunlight. These include:
DMARDs
such as cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral) and methotrexate (Rheumatrex,
Trexall)
NSAIDs
such as diclofenac (Voltaren), diflunisal (Dolobid), ketoprofen, naproxen
(Naprosyn), and piroxicam (Feldene).
If you
suffer from chronic pain due to any condition or injury, find hope at The Pain
Center of Arizona! Our dedicated team of board certified pain management
physicians will work with you to treat your pain, increase your functionality
and quality of life, and get you back into life! We have locations across
Arizona, including Phoenix, Anthem, Surprise, Mesa, Gilbert, Deer Valley,
Paradise Valley, Scottsdale, and now Prescott and Tucson! We take multiple
insurance plans; click here to see if we take yours! To make
an appointment and take the first step toward getting back into life, call us
today at 1-888-PAINCENTER. We hope to see you soon!
The advice and information
contained in this article is for educational purposes only, and is not intended
to replace or counter a physician’s advice or judgment. Please always consult
your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other
educational medical material.
