Posted on May 26, 2008 in Latest News
What is psoriatic arthritis?
Psoriatic arthritis is an inflammatory condition that affects the joints of children and adults with psoriasis. Psoriasis is a skin condition that causes patches of thick, red skin to form on certain areas of your body. Not everyone with psoriasis develops psoriatic arthritis, but everyone with psoriatic arthritis has psoriasis. Most people develop the skin signs of psoriasis first and are later diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis. Joint pain in people with psoriatic arthritis can range from mild to severe. Many experience changing signs and symptoms as the disease continues.
When does it occur?
The onset of psoriatic arthritis generally occurs in the fourth and fifth decades of life. Males and females are affected equally. In some patients, the diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis can be difficult if the arthritis precedes psoriasis by many years. In fact, some patients have had arthritis for over twenty years before psoriasis eventually appears.
Types
Doctors have identified different patterns in which psoriatic arthritis typically occurs.
Pain in joints on one side of your body: The mildest form of psoriatic arthritis, called asymmetric psoriatic arthritis, usually affects joints on only one side of your body or different joints on each side.Pain in joints on both sides of your body Symmetric psoriatic arthritis usually affects four or more of the same joints on both sides of your body.
Pain in your finger joints: Distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint predominant psoriatic arthritis is rare and occurs mostly in men. DIP affects the small joints closest to the nails (distal joints) in the fingers and toes.
Pain in your spine: This form of psoriatic arthritis, called spondylitis, can cause inflammation in your spine as well as stiffness and inflammation in your neck, lower back or sacroiliac joints.
Destructive arthritis: A small percentage of people with psoriatic arthritis have arthritis mutilans — a severe, painful and disabling form of the disease. Over time, arthritis mutilans destroys the small bones in the hands, especially the fingers, leading to permanent deformity and disability.
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