Is it possible to have psoriatic arthritis without having psoriasis? I have never had a skin condition. I have all the other symptoms.
It is. Sometimes the arthritis can precede skin symptoms by a number of years. Although you might be surprised, and if you look really hard, you might find some. Also, you may have nail symptoms.
Yes! Sometimes you may have psoriasis and not even know it, which was the case with me. The toenails of both big toes have always had ridges, but it wasn't a toenail fungus. The heels of my feet would crack so deeply that they would bleed when I walked. More moisturizer! It never worked. Then I started noticing that my fingernails would pull back from the nail bed. This was all happening 20 years ago. My GP's at that time would scratch their heads and shrug their shoulders. Then I found the right GP and that was only recently. He thought it might be PsA or AS and wanted the rheumatologist to take a look. Now that I am on MTX and Humira, I no longer have these issues. :)
I recently have had the toe nail issues, the doctor said I must have bumped them but I knew I didn’t. It started with the middle toe where the nail fell off but grew back nice, then the big toe nail fell off, it’s have grown back but it
Still hurts. My right big toe is currently falling off and my right pinky toe is always swollen.
But I have nothing on my skin, but I did just remember that my mother use to itch between her fingers and it would be all red.
I had the arthritis diagnosis prior to being diagnosed with psoriasis. I had patches of eczema over the years, however was diagnosed with pustular psoriasis on my hands and foot this year.
I believe the percentage is around 15% of the people with PSA diagnosis have no visible signs of psoriasis. It's discussed in the book that is recommended on this site "The Facts". I just leant the book to my GP, so can't refer to it however I'm sure if you research it, there will be information in regards.
I was diagnosed with arthritis thirty some years ago and never had what I would have called psoriasis symptoms at all until ten years ago. I have funny feet anyway so although my toes itched I had no other nail issues or anything. I am a redhead and have received several severe sunburns so when I started rashing out after sun exposure, I assumed I had a sun allergy and stayed out of the sun or used major sun protection. The one thing I did do every winter was suffer a really awful strep like illness that never once tested out as strep.
Ten years ago I noticed a tiny, itchy spot on my waist. It never got worse and never went away either. then about 8 years ago my fingers stared cracking and swelling and peeling in all of the time. I worked with bleach water all of the time as a childcare provider so I again assumed it wash just the bleach eating my hands all of the time. Then the nail ridges showed up after I was very ill three years ago with the same strep type bug again. They went the opposite way of the ones I have always had. The originals where vertical and these where horizontal and I had not injured my hands on nails at all.
That was it until I was experiencing flu like symptoms, extreme fatigue and then bam! one day I awoke with several itchy red patches that quickly spread to every where. So I definitely went a very long time before the Psoriasis popped up in a form that caused someone to stand up and take notice. hope this helps a little.....
Wow, so I could end up with skin problems then.
I don't have any skin symptoms or nail problems. My mother has P and PsA which helped with my diagnosis. For now I prefer to live in denial that I may develop psorasis. I take Humira and have wondered if I will see any P when it develops or if will be suppressed by the medicine. Hmmm??
I never had psoriasis until a nail condition this past few months. Never knew of anyone in the family with it. I have the gene. It was triggered by a gi infection. My nail was confirmed as psoriasis. It doesn't even look bad.
I just realized today that my mom use to scratch in between her fingers and they would be red. I remember her saying it was psoriasis, that is how I probably ended up with this and the amount of stress I was under triggered it.
I only had one instance of psoriasis and it was on the palm of my hand about two years before my PsA started. I didn’t even remember it for the longest time until I was lookin on the internet trying to find clues ab this disease. It lasted for a long time and my GP told me it was a variety of things, from ringworm to scabies (yuk!!!) but I went to my vet who put a special light on it and gave me a difinitive NO on those. No creams helped. When I saw te picture on the internet it hit me that that was what I had!! It could have been a photo of my hand. My daughter has a different skin autoimmune disease where a rash forms and leaves her with permanent white patches on her skin where there is no pigment. I wonder if these are related. It is spreading all over her body. I keep waiting for it to come back because I sure have the arthritis part!! I have wondered about other people who don’t have the skin issues.
When I went to the rheumatologist for the first time I happened to be in a flare with pain. The palm of my hands was flaking and behind the ears. Just flaky skin and no redness. Now that I am being treated the flakiness is gone. I definitely have psoriasis of the toenail. It doesn't look very bad just separating from one side. My other big toe started out that way but was diagnosed as a fungus. On the toe it began on I can't bend the toe but only 30 degrees. The rheum said it was severly diminished.
I have ridges on my nails and never realized it was due to psoriatic arthritis. Does anyone else have these? On my pinky’s and ring fingers especially.
4 of my toes are screwed up. Is that psoriasis? I didn’t know toes could get that.
Yes .. you are correct, stress is the biggest trigger and it will pop up in the funniest places. Like do you always itch when you where a ponytail or put a hair clip in your hair, does your skin seem extra sensitive to hot or cold or even the breeze blowing on it. Do you have a hard time wearing certain fabrics especially things that are a rayon or ply blend? It might be so small as a crack in the nail bed that keeps coming back. Do your ears itch on the inside? These are just some of the silly little ways it can be in you and you have no idea.
Don't worry :) as long as you have been diagnosed and are receiving treatment you are already way ahead of the game. When these little things start popping up like toes and fingers and strange little spots here and there tell your reummy asap and you will be on the high road to keeping it under control. That is the main issue. It will stay under control if you a very conscientious and take care of it right away.
I find I do just fine with it now that I have it under control again if I keep my stress level down and use my triamcinolone topical at the first little issue. I have been the primary caregiver for persons with this for forty years as my Grams and Dad had severe forms of this. The best thing is a good healthy diet and a lot of laughter,music and good fun to keep your stress level down.
If your mom had it, you are probably correct in your thinking that's where it came from. Check out the cool new research on the Interluken 17 (sp?) and it's connection to the PsA and the biologics they are testing using this gene therapy treatment assoc with it. Eli Lilly has some interesting stuff on this subject if you are inclined to researching for yourself!
PS. Adirondack life ... yes I have ridges that go both ways and tiny pits occasionally, they really show up if you put on a high gloss polish. I never knew that this was a symptom either until I read an article in the SF Chronicle one day discussing the disease ... by the way that is way this lead me to exploring if this was my biggest issue.
I don’t have a problem with clothes, or my hair, my ears do itch inside. The only problems I’m having now is toe nails, every joint in hands and feet, elbows, muscles in my arms. Wrists.
Doesn't sound like much fun. My wrists and hands have been on fire for the last six weeks. Hope you feel better soon. Isn't that ear itch thing the craziest. Especially when I'm in public.... makes me feel like an old man. :b