Symptoms of Psoriatic Arthritis
Symptoms of Psoriatic Arthritis
The list of signs and symptoms mentioned in various sources
for Psoriatic Arthritis includes the 15
symptoms listed below:
- Joint pain
- Joint swelling
- Joint inflammation
- Inability to weight bear
- Multiple joints involved
- Psoriasis of the nails
- Psoriasis on scalp
- Psoriasis on knees
- Psoriasis on lower spine
- Psoriasis behind the knees
- Psoriasis on elbows
- In most patients, the psoriasis precedes the arthritis by months to years. The arthritis frequently involve the knees, ankles, and joints in the feet. The inflamed joints become painful, swollen, hot, and red.
- Joint stiffness is common and is typically worse early in the morning.
- As well as causing joint inflammation, psoriatic arthritis can cause tendinitis and a sausage-like swelling of the digits known as dactylitis
- Psoriatic arthritis will have psoriatic nail lesions characterised by pitting of the nails, or more extremely, loss of the nail itself
- more information...»
Research symptoms & diagnosis of Psoriatic Arthritis:
Psoriatic Arthritis Symptoms: Book Excerpts
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Do I have Psoriatic Arthritis?
Psoriatic Arthritis: Medical Mistakes
Psoriatic Arthritis: Undiagnosed Conditions
Diseases that may be commonly undiagnosed in related medical areas:
Wrongly Diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis?
The list of other diseases or medical conditions
that may be on the differential diagnosis list of alternative diagnoses
for Psoriatic Arthritis includes:
See the full list of 11
alternative diagnoses for Psoriatic Arthritis
Psoriatic Arthritis: Research Doctors & Specialists
- Bone, Joint and Orthopedic Specialists:
- Immune-Related Disease Specialists (Immunology):
- Arthritis & Joint Health Specialists (Rheumatology):
- more specialists...»
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More about symptoms of Psoriatic Arthritis:
More information about symptoms of Psoriatic Arthritis and related conditions:
Other Possible Causes of these Symptoms
Click on any of the symptoms below to see a full list
of other causes including diseases, medical conditions, toxins, drug interactions,
or drug side effect causes of that symptom.
Medical Books Online about Psoriatic Arthritis
Medical Books Excerpts
Excerpts of published medical book chapters related to Psoriatic Arthritis
are available from published medical books
for more detailed information about Psoriatic Arthritis.
Medical Books Excerpts
- Psoriasis
- "Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition)" (2005)
- [ read ]
Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.
Related videos for Psoriatic Arthritis
Learn about psoriatic arthritis including the symptoms and treatment of this disease
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Patient Surveys for Psoriatic Arthritis
Symptoms of Psoriatic Arthritis: Online Medical Books
16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE!
Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration,
for more information about the symptoms of Psoriatic Arthritis.
Osteoarthritis:
Signs and symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))
The most common symptom of osteoarthritis is a deep, aching joint pain, particularly after exercise or weight bearing, usually relieved by rest. Other symptoms include stiffness in the morning and after exercise (relieved by rest), aching during changes in weather, “grating’’ of the joint during motion, altered gait contractures, and limited movement. These symptoms increase with poor posture, obesity, and stress to the affected joint.
Osteoarthritis of the interphalangeal joints produces irreversible joint changes and node formation. The nodes eventually become red, swollen, and tender, causing numbness and loss of dexterity. (See What happens in osteoarthritis, page 590.)
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Psoriatic arthritis:
Signs and symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))
Psoriatic lesions usually precede the arthritic component; however, after the full syndrome is established, joint and skin lesions recur simultaneously. Arthritis may involve one joint or several joints symmetrically. Spinal involvement occurs in some patients. Peripheral joint involvement is most common in the distal interphalangeal joints of the hands, which have a characteristic sausage-like appearance. Nail changes include pitting, transverse ridges, onycholysis, keratosis, yellowing, and destruction. The patient may experience general malaise, fever, and eye involvement.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Septic arthritis:
Signs and symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))
Acute septic arthritis begins abruptly, causing intense pain, inflammation, and swelling of the affected joint and low-grade fever. It usually affects a single joint. It most commonly develops in the large joints but can strike any joint, including the spine and small peripheral joints. The hip is a frequent site in infants. Systemic signs of inflammation may not appear in some patients. Migratory polyarthritis sometimes precedes localization of the infection. If the bacteria invade the hip, pain may occur in the groin, upper thigh, or buttock or may be referred to the knee.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Psoriasis:
Signs and symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))
The most common complaint of the patient with psoriasis is itching and, occasionally, pain from dry, cracked, encrusted lesions. Psoriatic lesions are erythematous and usually form well-defined plaques, sometimes covering large areas of the body. (See Psoriatic plaques.) Such lesions most commonly appear on the scalp, chest, elbows, knees, shins, back, and buttocks. The plaques consist of characteristic silver scales that either flake off easily or can thicken, covering the lesion. Removal of psoriatic scales frequently produces fine bleeding points (Auspitz sign). Occasionally, small guttate lesions appear, either alone or with plaques; these lesions are typically thin and erythematous, with few scales.
Widespread shedding of scales is common in exfoliative or erythrodermic psoriasis and may also develop in chronic psoriasis.
Rarely, psoriasis becomes pustular, taking one of two forms. In localized pustular (Barber’s) psoriasis, pustules appear on the palms and soles and remain sterile until opened. In generalized pustular (von Zumbusch’s) psoriasis, which often occurs with fever, leukocytosis, and malaise, groups of pustules coalesce to form lakes of pus on red skin. These pustules also remain sterile until opened and commonly involve the tongue and oral mucosa.
In about 30% of patients, psoriasis spreads to the fingernails, producing small indentations and yellow or brown discoloration. In severe cases, the accumulation of thick, crumbly debris under the nail, causes it to separate from the nail bed.
Some patients with psoriasis develop arthritic symptoms (psoriatic arthritis), usually in one or more joints of the fingers or toes, or sometimes in the sacroiliac joints, which may progress to spondylitis. Such patients may complain of morning stiffness. Joint symptoms show no consistent linkage to the course of the cutaneous manifestations of psoriasis; they demonstrate remissions and exacerbations similar to those of rheumatoid arthritis.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Osteoarthritis:
Signs and symptoms
(Handbook of Diseases)
The most common symptom of osteoarthritis is a deep, aching joint pain, particularly after exercise or weight bearing, usually relieved by rest. Other symptoms include:
❑ stiffness in the morning and after exercise (relieved by rest)
❑ aching during changes in weather (joint pain in rainy weather)
❑ “grating” of the joint during motion
❑ altered gait contractures
❑ limited movement.
These symptoms increase with poor posture, obesity, and occupational stress.
Osteoarthritis of the interphalangeal joints produces irreversible changes in the distal joints (Heberden’s nodes) and proximal joints (Bouchard’s nodes). These nodes may be painless at first but eventually become red, swollen, and tender, causing numbness and loss of dexterity. (See Viewing osteoarthritis.)
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003
Psoriatic arthritis:
Signs and symptoms
(Handbook of Diseases)
Psoriatic lesions usually precede the arthritic component; however, when the full syndrome is established, joint and skin lesions may recur simultaneously. Arthritis may involve one joint or several joints asymmetrically or symmetrically. Spinal involvement occurs in some patients. Peripheral joint involvement is most common in the distal interphalangeal joints of the hands, which have a characteristic sausage-like appearance. Nail changes include pitting, transverse ridges, onycholysis, keratosis, yellowing, and destruction. The patient may experience general malaise, fever, and eye involvement.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003
Septic arthritis:
Signs and symptoms
(Handbook of Diseases)
Acute septic arthritis begins abruptly, causing intense pain, inflammation, and swelling of the affected joint, with low-grade fever. Although it usually affects a single, large joint, it can affect any joint, including the spine and small peripheral joints.
CLINICAL TIP: Systemic signs of inflammation may not appear in some patients. Migratory polyarthritis sometimes precedes localization of the infection. If the bacteria invade the hip, pain may occur in the groin, upper thigh, or buttock, or may be referred to the knee.
UNDER STUDY: The tumor necrosis factor (TNF) 2 allele has been associated with higher septic shock susceptibility and mortality. Investigation of polymorphisms within the TNF alpha cluster will be important in understanding the role of TNF alpha regulation in specific diseases.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003
Psoriasis:
Signs and symptoms
(Handbook of Diseases)
The most common complaint of the patient with psoriasis is itching and occasional pain from dry, cracked, encrusted lesions.
Plaques
Psoriatic lesions are erythematous and usually form well-defined plaques, sometimes covering large areas of the body. (See Viewing psoriasis.) Such lesions usually appear on the scalp, chest, elbows, knees, back, and buttocks.
The plaques consist of characteristic silver scales that either flake off easily or can thicken, covering the lesion. Removal of psoriatic scales typically produces fine bleeding points (Auspitz sign). Occasionally, small guttate lesions appear, either alone or with plaques; these lesions are typically thin and erythematous, with few scales.
Widespread involvement of scales and erythema is called exfoliative or erythrodermic psoriasis. In about 60% of patients, psoriasis spreads to the fingernails, producing small indentations or pits and yellow or brown discoloration. In some cases, the accumulation of thick, crumbly debris under the nail causes it to separate from the nail-bed (onycholysis).
Pustular psoriasis
Rarely, psoriasis becomes pustular, taking one of two forms. In localized pustular psoriasis, pustules appear on the palms and soles and remain sterile until opened. In generalized pustular (Von Zumbusch) psoriasis, which commonly occurs with fever, leukocytosis, and malaise, groups of pustules coalesce to form lakes of pus on red skin. These pustules also remain sterile until opened and commonly involve the tongue and oral mucosa.
Arthritic symptoms
Some patients with psoriasis develop arthritic symptoms, usually in one or more joints of the fingers or toes, in the larger joints, or sometimes in the sacroiliac joints, which may progress to spondylitis. Such patients may complain of morning stiffness. Joint symptoms show no consistent linkage to the course of the cutaneus manifestations of psoriasis; they demonstrate remissions and exacerbations similar to those of rheumatoid arthritis.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003
Psoriasis:
Psoriasis - signs & symptoms
(The 5-Minute Pediatric Consult)
- Thick, flaky scales on skin
- In psoriasis vulgaris, sharply demarcated erythematous plaques with white scale are located most commonly on the elbows, knees, scalp, lumbar area, and umbilicus, but they can cover any surface and large areas of the body. Intertriginous regions are often involved, but scale is absent.
- Guttate psoriasis is a form that more often presents in children and young adults as small papules (0.5–1.5 cm), with limited scale over the trunk and proximal extremities, and is frequently associated with streptococcal infection.
- Erythema with variable scale involving the majority of the body accompanied by chills is characteristic of erythrodermic psoriasis.
- Generalized pustular psoriasis is the most serious variant, with sterile pustules as large as 23 mm arising on erythematous skin over large areas of the body. Usually such appearance is accompanied by high fever.
- A chronic and localized variant of pustular disease, however, involves only the palms and soles.
- Note: Classic plaque psoriasis is easily diagnosed, but variants and less virulent cases require careful examination for physical clues.
- Nails are frequently involved, with pinpoint pits, hyperkeratosis, and oil spots.
- Areas where disease is hidden are the retroauricular portion of the scalp and the perianal region.
- Swollen or deformed joints suggest associated psoriatic arthritis.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: The 5-Minute Pediatric Consult, 2008
Osteomyelitis and Septic Arthritis:
Presentation
(Pediatric Infectious Disease)
The hallmark of pediatric osteomyelitis or septic arthritis is fever and
localized pain. In the toddler whose verbal skills may not be sufficiently
developed, the presentation may be simply fever and refusal to walk. It is for
this reason that for many clinicians, fever and refusal to walk in a child
indicates osteomyelitis or septic arthritis until proven otherwise. Septic
arthritis of the hip is of particular concern to pediatricians because this
joint space cannot be visualized directly on physical examination.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Pediatric Infectious Disease, 2004
Psoriatic Arthritis: Onset and Incubation
Onset of Psoriatic Arthritis: Psoriatic arthritis can develop at any age, however on average it tends to appear about 10 years after the first signs of psoriasis. For the majority of people this is between the ages of 30 and 50, but it can also affect children
Medical articles and books on symptoms:
These general reference articles may be of interest
in relation to medical signs and symptoms of disease in general:
Full list of premium articles on symptoms and diagnosis
About signs and symptoms of Psoriatic Arthritis:
The symptom information on this page
attempts to provide a list of some possible signs and symptoms of Psoriatic Arthritis.
This signs and symptoms information for Psoriatic Arthritis has been gathered from various sources,
may not be fully accurate,
and may not be the full list of Psoriatic Arthritis signs or Psoriatic Arthritis symptoms.
Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Psoriatic Arthritis may vary on an individual basis for each patient.
Only your doctor can provide adequate diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they
are indeed Psoriatic Arthritis symptoms.
Learn about psoriatic arthritis including the symptoms and treatment of this disease
While the exact cause of psoriatic arthritis is unknown, scientists do know that various factors play a role. What are they?
New treatments, including drugs known as TNFinhibitors, are proving important in the treatment of many cases of psoriatic arthritis. Here's a...
A diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis brings with it a slew of treatment options and choices to make. Here we give you an overview of your options.
See full list of 30 related videos
» Next page: Diagnostic Tests for Psoriatic Arthritis
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