Psoriatic arthritis is a type of arthritis that may affect those who have a serious skin condition called psoriasis. Psoriasis is the formation of red, thick, flaky patches on the skin that can often become painful. According to the Mayo Clinic, most people develop psoriasis first then later develop psoriatic arthritis; however, arthritis may develop before skin lesions appear. Therefore, if you already have psoriasis, be aware of the associated side effects of psoriatic arthritis.
Pain in Your Joints
The Mayo Clinic states there are many different patterns of joint pain. The mildest form of psoriatic arthritis is called asymmetric psoriatic arthritis and affects fewer than five joints on one side of your body. Symmetric psoriatic arthritis affects five or more joints on both sides of your body. Another form, spondylitis, can cause pain in your spine from your neck to your lower back.
According to the Mayo Clinic, a small percentage of people have arthritis mutilans, which is a more severe and painful form of psoriatic arthritis. Although pain in your joints is a common symptom of many diseases, your doctor will suspect a diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis if you are experiencing pain in your joints after forming psoriatic skin patches. Your doctor may prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) or disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) to alleviate your pain.
Swelling
According to MedlinePlus, you may experience swelling in the joints that are affected by psoriatic arthritis. This occurs because psoriatric arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which your body's immune system attacks your healthy cells and tissues. Researchers have not found the cause but think genetics play a role in developing psoriatic arthritis. Your doctor may also prescribe NSAIDs or DMARDs to reduce the swelling in your joints.
Warmth and Tenderness
Other side effects of psoriatic arthritis include warmth and tenderness in the affected joints. Warm joints occur because chemical signals will cause your blood vessels to widen and release heat in your effected joints. In addition, swelling can lead to too much fluid in your joints that causes sensory nerves in the skin and surrounding tissue to stretch. Further applying pressure to these joints will result in tenderness.
