Learn About Psoriatic Arthritis – Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis & Treatments

PsA can develop quickly and be severe in rare cases. PsA is an uncommon type of arthritis since it can look very diverse from person to person.

PsA can be classified into five general patterns:

• Asymmetric PsA affects one to four joints on opposite sides of the body;

• Symmetric PsA affects many more joints and resembles rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

• Distal PsA affects the end joints of the fingers nearest to the nails;

• Spinal PsA affects the spine and the sacroiliac joints that connect the spine to the pelvis.

• Destructive PsA is a rare but severe, painful, and deforming form of arthritis (also known as arthritis mutilans)

PsA can also produce inflammation at the points where tendons and ligaments connect to bone. The back of the heels, underneath the heel, the sides of the elbows, and the outside of the hips are all common locations for this. PsA can cause the fingers or toes of some people to bloat up like sausages. 

What are the symptoms of PsA?

Because the majority of persons who acquire PsA already have psoriasis, new unexplained joint discomfort in someone who already has psoriasis could be a warning indication. Sometimes arthritis develops before the skin rash appears.

You should visit a doctor if any of the following symptoms persist for more than two weeks:

• You begin to experience odd pain and stiffness in a joint or joints, occasionally accompanying back pain.

• This pain and stiffness is greatest in the morning, usually lasting an hour or more before the joints loosen up and begin to feel better.

• The pain and stiffness can accompany you (to some extent) throughout the day, even causing difficulty while you sleep.

• Some people note that they become more sleepy when PsA begins.

How is PsA diagnosed? 

There is no one PsA test. If you have joint pain and stiffness in addition to psoriasis on your skin and/or nails, you may have PsA.

PsA symptoms can be similar to those of other types of inflammatory arthritis. Your doctor will use a physical examination, blood tests, and X-rays (or other forms of imaging such as ultrasound, MRI) to assist confirm the diagnosis and rule out other types of arthritis.

PsA can sometimes develop after a joint injury and be misdiagnosed. Accurate diagnosis is critical because there are numerous therapy options available to control the symptoms of PsA.