Psoriatic arthritis is not very common amongst psoriasis patients. It only affects around one-third of psoriasis patients. However, knowing the condition’s symptoms is important to determine if you are developing it to help manage it in advance. Therefore, the current article will consider the seven early symptoms of psoriatic arthritis, including:
- Sausage Fingers
- Eye Redness
- Scaly patches of Knees and Elbows
- Joint Stiffness
- Tenderness
- Stomach Issues
- Chest and Rib Pain
Sausage Fingers
Sausage fingers is a specific term used to describe fingers and toes that are extremely swollen. One key attribute of such swelling is that it is quite painful and may also cause serious damage to the finger/ toes. The formal term for sausage fingers is Dactylitis. It is crucial to consider getting checked for psoriatic arthritis if you notice sausage fingers developing on you. Apart from the fingers, you may experience discoloration or your nails or considerable holes developing in them. This condition is a form of nail deformity that can lead to separating the nail bed from the skin. In some cases, it could thicken the nail as well.
Eye Redness
Having red-eye is a common condition and can be caused by several reasons. However, if a person suffering from psoriasis faces red eyes, they must check it as a possible early symptom of psoriatic arthritis. Here, the eye’s middle layer suffers from inflammation and develops a condition called uveitis. If not treated effectively, this condition can cause serious vision problems, including blurry vision. In some cases, it may cause regular pain in the eyes. Also, eye inflammation requires quick treatment. Otherwise, it can permanently lead to vision loss.
Scaly patches of Knees and Elbows
Psoriatic arthritis is known to develop scaly patches on your elbows and knees, often red. These patches are extremely painful and itchy. Usually, the dead cells on the skin in these areas bundle up to form the patches. In most cases, it can spread to other areas of the body, including the scalp. Generally, it could lead to serious discomfort and make meddling with the routine lives of people as well.
Joint Stiffness
Joint pain is common in psoriatic arthritis. While many people experience only mild stiffness and pain in the joints, most people can experience severe conditions, including excessive pain. In many cases, the disease requires a prompt cure. Otherwise, it could worsen immensely over time. The regular pain can lead to excessive fatigue and a generally depressive mood, along with stiffness. Most people cannot work properly and carry out their routine tasks in the early days of psoriatic arthritis.
The same stiffness and pain can lead to severe movement issues in the long term. Most people suffering from psoriatic arthritis may develop limited motion disability during the early stages of the sickness. Another affected area is the back. In most cases, waking up in the morning can lead to more than half an hour of severe back pain. The pain may also travel down to other areas, including the buttocks and the hips.
Tenderness
Many people suffering from psoriatic arthritis may feel tenderness in the tendons and ligaments. Mostly, it could lead to severe pain and swelling as well, in areas including your heels and soles.
Stomach Issues
Inflammation caused by psoriasis can move to other areas of your body once you start developing psoriatic arthritis. Here, one key area affected is your stomach. In most cases, the digestive tract may face severe inflammation, which could, over time, lead to inflammatory bowel disease. Such a disease can negatively impact your food consumption patterns and restrict your diet to soft foods only. Also, you may face issues passing stool as well.
Chest and Rib Pain
Most people don’t face this issue until later psoriatic arthritis. However, if you experience severe chest and rib pain, it may be because the development of psoriatic arthritis is negatively affected by the cartilage that attaches your ribs to the breastbone due to inflammation; in such cases, you may also face issues with your lungs and aorta. These issues can further lead to breathing complications and regular exercise complications. Thus, you should get yourself checked if there is even the slightest sign of rib and chest pain if you suffer from psoriasis. Additionally, Crohn’s disease may develop, which may cause serious gene mutation. Although it can not be determined directly, chest and rib pain can be an early indicator of the condition.
Conclusion
Getting yourself checked in case the symptoms mentioned above occur is the best way to ensure that you get psoriatic arthritis treated as early as possible. Without proper treatment, the condition can cause damage beyond repair. Let us know in the comments section if our article was helpful.
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