Can severe symptoms of psoriatic arthritis be reduced with routine medications?

Yes, but...: Psoriatic arthritis can be a very inflammatory disease. We all want pain relief for our patients, but rheumatologists understand the need to reduce inflammation, because it portends continued damge to joints, as well as much earlier cardiac disease. My personal favorites: sulfasalazine with methotrexate, the latter given sc. Some, albeit few, patients need tnf-alpha inhibitors.