Psoriatic Arthritis Symptoms

Psoriatic arthritis is any form of arthritis that is also accompanied by the skin condition psoriasis. There are five main forms of psoriatic arthritis.

Psoriasis

Like arthritis, psoriasis is an autoimmune condition that produces inflammation. Psoriasis affects the skin, usually resulting in raised patches of scaly red skin. These patches may be very small, and there may be only one or two of them at a time, or they may be very large and cover a significant portion of the body. Patches often occur on the elbows and knees. Psoriasis also often affects the nails, causing pitting or ridges. Another classic symptom of psoriasis is buildup of dead skin under the nails.

Symmetric Psoriatic Arthritis

One type of arthritis commonly associated with psoriasis is symmetric arthritis. This affects two or more joints of both sides of the body---for example, both knees or both elbows. It becomes debilitating in about half of all cases.

Assymetric Arthritis

Assymetric arthritis usually involves three or fewer joints, and does not occur in both joints on either side. This form is generally relatively mild.

Spondylitis

Spondylitis is a type of arthritis that affects the spine. It often starts in the lower back, but can also originate in the neck or upper back. It tends to get worse over time, spreading to more areas of the spine and sometimes causing decreased range of motion.

DIP (Distal Interphalangeal Predominant Arthritis)

Distal interphalangeal predominant arthritis, or DIP, is a relatively rare form of psoriatic arthritis, accounting for about 5 percent of all cases. It affects the joints nearest the tips of the fingers and toes.

Arthritis Mutilans

Arthritis mutilans is perhaps the most disfiguring of all forms of psoriatic arthritis. It occurs in the small bones of the hands and feet, causing severe damage and leading to eventual disfigurement and disability in those limbs. More rarely, it can affect the spine.

Symptoms in Common

While all these types of psoriatic arthritis affect different parts of the body and vary in severity, the pain of arthritis is similar across the board. It tends to come and go in bouts lasting hours or days. It is a sharp, constant pain and may be described as burning or grinding. It is recognizably different from muscle pain. Arthritis pain may also be accompanied by fatigue, stiffness or low-grade fever.