Overviewing Psoriatic Arthritis Symptoms
Unfortunately, psoriatic arthritis can be a debilitating and lifelong condition that affects around 30% of psoriasis sufferers, as well as a large number of those who do not have psoriasis. It causes a developing stiffness and pain in the joints as the condition progresses. Without treatment, it can leave the sufferer with very limited movement and a lot of pain.
Psoriatic arthritis symptoms will typically begin between 30 and 50 years old, or around ten years after psoriasis begins although it can occur much sooner and even in very young children. In the USA, over one million people will have psoriatic arthritis with most already suffering from psoriasis and many of those will have pustular psoriasis.
As with psoriasis, where it is believed the cause is an immune system defect, the same can be said for psoriasis arthritis. However, it is possible that both types of psoriasis are genetically linked but that some form of trigger may cause the condition to flare up.
You may have psoriatic arthritis if you have inflamed red lesions around the any of the joints and if the pain and swelling is worse in the morning or after you have been resting. You may first notice irregularities of the finger and toe nails; this may involve them pulling away from the nail bed, discoloration or strange ridge patterns in the nail itself. The skin around the affected joints may be darker in colour and feel warmer to the touch than other areas of the body.
Once any physical psoriatic arthritis symptoms begin to manifest (often on the nails first), you should consult your doctor as soon as possible as the deterioration of the joints can be halted with appropriate treatment. The severity of the condition will differ once it has developed, but it is estimated that sufferers will have damage to five or more joints which can severely hinder their quality of life. It is wise to remember that this condition can worsen, so if you only have mild pain in one or two joints, it is possible it could become worse over the years.
So, if you are a psoriasis sufferer already, you should watch out for any unexplained aches and pains and keep an eye on your nails, particularly if you are between 30 and 50. It may well be ‘just one of those things’, or psoriatic arthritis symptoms. If you choose to do nothing, the condition will deteriorate quickly until it severely affects your ability to do anything at all. So watch out for it, catch it quickly and inform your doctors so they can find an appropriate treatment to halt further degeneration of the joints.
Tags: psoratic arthritis treatment, psoriatic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis diet, psoriatic arthritis symptoms
