Psoriatic Arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis is the inflammation and stiffness of the joints experienced by people having psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a lifelong disease of the skin and nails, which causes red patches, coated with silvery scales, on your skin, and pits on the fingernails. Although primarily a skin disease, its autoimmune (when your defense system attacks your own body parts) nature often affects your joints too. Joint inflammation (chemical reaction to irritation/attack) usually occurs after skin lesions, but in a lesser majority of affected individuals, arthritis can crop up before any skin manifestations occur. Psoriasis is not contagious and cannot be transferred by touching the red scaly patches.

Often emerging in adults between the ages of thirty and fifty years, this disease can occur amongst males and females equally. Having pre-existing psoriasis of skin is the greatest risk factor for joint ailment. A family history of the same disorder also creates a higher predisposition.

When to seek expert advise

Always get a medical consult if you already have psoriasis and start experiencing joint symptoms. The faculty at the Musculoskeletal and Sports Medicine Service Line can provide you professional medical advice and help you cope with the symptoms.

You can also consult the Family Health Services for continuous screenings or a preliminary examination.​

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