Got joint pain? Pitted nails? What about red, scaly rashes? These are common symptoms of psoriatic arthritis (PsA). This form of the disease is similar to rheumatoid arthritis. It strikes about 30% of people with the skin condition psoriasis.
1-SWOLLEN FINGERS:
They can get so puffy, they look like sausages. Your doctor may call it dactylitis, or sausage digits. This painful swelling happens to more than a third of people with the disease. It results from joint inflammation and usually affects a few fingers and toes. You might mistake it for gout if it shows up only in your toes.
The most severe form of PsA is called arthritis mutilans. It causes inflammation that damages the small bones in your hands and feet. Your fingers and toes might become deformed and hard to move. They could also get shorter due to bone loss. This rare form affects fewer than 5% of people with PsA.
2-NAIL CHANGES:
You’ll probably get tiny pits in your nails. Or your nails might lift from their beds. These problems aren’t just cosmetic. They can interfere with basic tasks that require your nails. If you haven’t been diagnosed but start to see problems, go to the doctor. These changes may be signs that you’ll get PsA.
3-SCALP:
Those white flakes near the roots of your hair -- or on the shoulder of your black sweater -- might be regular dandruff. But if you have PsA, they’re probably from scalp psoriasis. The condition can cause red, scaly patches. You might not see them if you have a lot of hair. You’ll probably feel them, though. Scalp psoriasis patches can be itchy or sore.
3-SKIN SYMPTOMS
These include the classic signs of psoriasis because most people with PsA have it first. You might notice:
Raised red patches covered in silver-white flakes
Small, dark pink bumps
Raised white bumps filled with pus (these are signs of pustular psoriasis)
You may not even realize you have psoriasis. It can affect places you can’t see, like your scalp, bellybutton, and genitals.
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