WHAT IS PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS?
PsA is a chronic, or long-term, disease. While the exact cause is unknown, when you have PsA, your immune system attacks healthy tissues like the skin and joints. That’s why PsA is called an autoimmune disease.
PsA encompasses two kinds of symptoms—joint and skin. People often mistake these symptoms for two unrelated conditions, but they might be connected. If the pain, stiffness, swelling, and skin symptoms are not caught early, they can worsen over time and permanent joint damage can occur.
There is no definitive test that can determine whether you have the symptoms of psoriatic arthritis. Therefore, it can be difficult to diagnose. Discuss your symptoms with your primary care provider and/or consider seeing a rheumatologist to get the right diagnosis and treatment for you. While there is no cure, there are medicines that can help relieve these symptoms. This can help you perform everyday activities with less difficulty.
Who Gets Psoriatic Arthritis?
PsA affects approximately 6 to 25 patients per 10,000 adults in the US.
PsA often appears between ages 30 and 50.
PsA is more common in Caucasians than African Americans, Latino Americans, and South Asian Americans.
Approximately 15.5% of patients with PsO also have undiagnosed PsA.
On average, patients with PsA may experience more than a 2-year delay before receiving the correct diagnosis.
About the same number of women and men have psoriatic arthritis.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS?
The symptoms and appearance of psoriatic arthritis vary from person to person. Although there is no one way to diagnose the condition, some of the most commonly found symptoms among people with psoriatic arthritis are:
Joint pain, stiffness, or swelling in one or more joints
Red or warm joints
“Sausage-like” swelling in your fingers and toes
Pain in and around your feet and ankles
Thick, red, scaly patches on your skin
Lower back pain and stiffness
IS THERE A LINK BETWEEN PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS AND PSORIASIS?
Psoriasis is caused by an overactive immune system, and appears as flaky, red, or white scaly patches on your skin. If you have had psoriasis, and are experiencing joint pain, you might be suffering from psoriatic arthritis.
