Understanding Psoriatic Arthritis

It might come as a surprise to learn that psoriatic arthritis is not one but two different medical conditions. As a matter of fact psoriasis is really a skin condition (chronic) that results in patchy kinds of rashes and much inflammation and scaliness. Arthritis on the other hand is a condition characterized by inflamed joints and it too is a chronic condition. In few instances people that develop one condition also develop the other and that is in essence what this condition really is.

Not Gender Specific

Psoriatic arthritis is also a condition that affects people regardless of their gender though neither psoriasis nor arthritis will generally occur simultaneously. In fact, in this disease the first condition that affects the patient is psoriasis after which they may develop arthritis. However, psoriatic arthritis is an inflammatory condition and it will impact several different parts of the body including the heart and all the other main organs in the human body.

Psoriatic arthritis also affects the spine but at present the exact cause behind psoriatic arthritis has yet to be found. Presently, it is believed that an estimated two percent of people of Caucasian origins and who live in the US suffer from arthritis. Furthermore, the parts that is most affected are the knees and scalp as well as edges of the elbows. What’s more, the disease can also affect the genitals and anus and it has also been found that about ten percent of psoriasis sufferers might also develop psoriatic arthritis.

Another aspect to understanding psoriatic arthritis is that some of the symptoms of that you will see are very similar to symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. People suffering from psoriatic arthritis will also exhibit irregular and mild flare-ups though fortunately these afflictions do not result in crippling form of arthritis.

Hereditary reasons have often been cited to try and explain what causes psoriatic arthritis though there are other reasons ascribed as to why people develop this condition such as streptococcal infection and even trauma. It is also important to learn to distinguish psoriatic arthritis from gout and also from septic arthritis.

In regard to which the most common psoriatic arthritis symptoms are the most common symptom is experiencing pain in the joints. This is a symptom that almost everyone that has suffered from psoriatic arthritis will have complained about at the very outset and unfortunately it also means that the patient will have to endure considerable pain and in addition the skin too can become patchy.