Psoriatic Arthritis Symptoms And The Importance Of Getting Treatment

If you find yourself with any psoriatic arthritis symptoms, this is something you should do something about sooner, rather than later because it can leave the sufferer with very reduced movement and a great deal of pain. Psoriatic arthritis is a progressive, debilitating and lifelong condition that affects around thirty percent of people who already have psoriasis, particularly pustular psoriasis. However, it is not limited to those with psoriasis and can be found in significant numbers of non-sufferers.

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 may be 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 they only flare up following some form of physical, emotional or psychological event.

This painful condition causes a development of stiffness and pain in the joints as the condition progresses and the joints deteriorate. But how do you know if you have psoriatic arthritis?

Common symptoms included inflamed red lesions around the any of the joints that will be painful. Swelling and pain are likely to worsen on rising or after you have been resting. You may first notice some irregularities in the finger and toe nails. These are likely to include the nail pulling away from the nail bed, a yellow/orange discoloration and unusual ridge patterns in the nail itself. The skin around the affected joints may be warmer to the touch and darker in colour than other areas of the body.

If you begin to observe any physical psoriatic arthritis symptoms (this is frequently on the nails), you should consult medical professionals as quickly as you can because any deterioration of the joints can be halted with the appropriate treatment. It is important to understand that the severity of the condition will differ once the condition has developed and damage will occur to at least five or more joints severely hindering the quality of life. It is wise to remember that this condition can and frequently does get worse without treatment, so if you only have mild pain in one or two joints, this is likely to worsen over time.

If you are a psoriasis sufferer already, you should watch out for unexplained aches and pains. Pay close attention to your nails as well, particularly if you are between 30 and 50. It could certainly just be 'one of those things', or they may be psoriatic arthritis symptoms. If you opt to do nothing and ignore such symptoms, the condition will quickly worsen until it severely affects your ability to do most things. Catch it quickly and inform your medical advisors so they can find an appropriate treatment to halt further degeneration of the joints and the resulting consequences.