Anybody know anything about psoriatic arthritis?

[Walleye]

I have had arthritis pain for years, and ridges and brittleness in my finger nails which I understand is one of the symptoms.It’s related to psoriasis.It runs in families and my mom had psoriasis real bad.

[marble falls]

1. It's generally an immune response.

[Walleye]

3. Apparently there's no cure for it. I've already been treating the symptoms with cannabis tincture

And ibuprofen. My knees got so bad I had total knee replacement in both of them about eight years ago. I never asked the doctor about this particular disease I will ask her next time. I never connected the fingernail ridges and brittleness to the arthritis before.

[marble falls]

5. I've been lucky, its moving slowly for me. Hot wax does give me relief in my hands ...

... pot makes me hurt a lot less and allows me to keep moving, and I know if I stop moving it'll get worse.

[Walleye]

6. Yes, I have fallen into inactivity over the pandemic winter

I used to use the stationary bike quite often in the little gym in my apartment complex, and it’s been closed for a year. When I can’t get outside it’s hard to get the proper exercise and I do believe that is aggravating my condition. Thank God spring is here I have noticed that hot water relieves the pain in my hands.

[marble falls]

8. Ah yes, the total pleasure of a good deep hot soak!

[marybourg]

2. Rheumatologists, and to a lesser extent,

Dr. Google, know.

[gohuskies]

4. I have psoriatic arthritis

it has damaged my knees the most but it is impacting my neck and back. Anti-inflammatory pain meds I take now are meloxicam. it is an auto-immune disorder and runs in my family history. I also have moments where my skin itches like fire. Anti-histamines help quell that but it is another one of the effects that this causes.

[Walleye]

7. That sounds like my symptoms. Neck and back pain. I've had total knee replacements.

I think the fact that my mom had psoriasis might indicate a family history?

[FirstLight]

9. I've got it...it sucks

Had psoriasis for years and the last flare has brought up the arthritis...

My hands and feet seem to be the worst, my toes look like little fat sausages...

I take an immuno-suppressant injection, and use CBD oil/lotion on my hands when it gets narly

Ironically, psoriasis is one of the few illnesses that LOVES sunlight... I know that it is usually the worst in the middle of winter. As it gets warmer, I will be out on the deck sucking up the sun! and it even helpls the stiffness in the joints too...

[Warpy]

10. It you've had red,scaly patches of skin that either sting or itch

or a chronically itchy scalp, could be. However, you need a referral to a rheumatologist. Auto immune diseases tend to run in families, thanks to the Neanderthal genetic heritage that allows us to resist disease better. Some of those ancient genes go a little haywire and autoimmune disease is one result.

Your GP can run things like rheumatoid factor and ANA but it will take a rheumatologist and an immune panel to nail down a diagnosis.

The good news is that if you're fairly young and healthy, the monoclonal antibody drugs (the ones that end in -mab) can work wonders and put you into complete remission. There are a whole lot of less drastic drugs that can help relieve symptoms and slow progress.

Tl:dr Your primary care doc can run some preliminary stuff but it will take a rheumatologist for a diagnosis and even if you get a diagnosis, your life is far from over. Treatments have progressed very fast since I was diagnosed with a different autoimmune disease.

[Rebl2]

11. You should

probably see a rheumatologist to see what they could do for you and give you a definite diagnosis.