Arthritis Caused by Psoriasis

By CH Woods

Psoriatic arthritis is a type of arthritis that has an effect on a few people who have psoriasis, which is a common problem that causes red patches of skin to develop along with silvery flaky scales. The majority of people who develop psoriasis before arthritis often have joint problems before any signs of psoriasis start to show up.

Inflammation, stiffness, and joint pain are the primary symptoms of Psoriatic arthritis. The symptoms are able to have an effect on any part of your whole body, such as your spine and fingertips, and can vary from mild to serious.


Both psoriasis and Psoriatic arthritis can flare up and usually alternate with times where it seemingly goes away. It is said that there is currently no cure for Psoriatic arthritis, though there are ways to manage the symptoms and prevent further damage to your joints. If left untreated, Psoriatic arthritis is able to cause permanent damage and immobility.

Symptoms of Psoriatic Arthritis
Psoriasis and Psoriatic arthritis are both long-term problems that only become worse as time passes, however there may be times where your symptoms get better or go away completely, though they often come back even worse. Psoriatic arthritis can have an effect on the joints on either one side or both sides of your body.

The symptoms of Psoriatic arthritis often appear to be similar to rheumatoid arthritis. Both problems cause joints to be inflamed and swollen.

In most cases, Psoriatic arthritis is likely to trigger symptoms such as:

1. Lower Back Pain: A lot of people develop a problem known as Spondylitis due to Psoriatic arthritis. Spondylitis primarily triggers swelling of your joints between the vertebrae of the spine and your pelvis.
2. Foot Pain: Psoriatic arthritis may also damage the points where your ligaments and muscles attach to your bones, particularly at the rear of your heel or bottom of your foot.
3. Swollen Fingers and Toes: Psoriatic arthritis may result in an unpleasant inflammation of your toes and fingers. You may even develop inflammation in your feet and hands before any serious joint problems being to occur.

Causes of Psoriatic Arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis can develop when your immune system starts to attack your very own tissues and cells. This immune response will trigger swelling of your joints in addition to the excessive production of skin cells. 

It is not completely clear exactly why your immune system may decide to attack its own cells and tissue, though it is likely that environmental and genetic factors are involved. A lot of people with this condition have a family background of either Psoriatic arthritis or psoriasis. Medical experts have found that specific genetic markers that seem to be linked to Psoriatic arthritis.

Possible Risk Factors of Psoriatic Arthritis A number of factors can raise your risk of Psoriatic arthritis, like:

1. Psoriasis: If you have psoriasis then you have a significantly higher risk for having Psoriatic arthritis. Those affected by psoriasis lesions on their nails are particularly prone to have Psoriatic arthritis.
2. Age: Despite the fact that any person can develop Psoriatic arthritis, it develops most frequently in people between the ages of thirty and fifty.
3. Family Background: Lots of people with Psoriatic arthritis are related to someone with this disease.

Complications of Psoriatic Arthritis
Some people with Psoriatic arthritis eventually develop a problem known as arthritis mutilans, a serious, unpleasant, and devastating type of disease. As time passes, arthritis mutilans breaks down all the small bones in your hands, particularly the fingers, resulting in long-term disability and deformity.

When to Seek Medical Advice
If you believe you have Psoriatic arthritis or psoriasis, make sure you contact your doctor immediately if joint pain occurs. Psoriatic arthritis may show up abruptly or develop gradually; however in either case it can significantly harm your joints if left without treatment. 

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CH Woods is the Executive Director of Organic & Environmental Products.
We provide organic and natural products with informative articles on health and environmental solutions.