Like adding insult to injury, psoriatic arthritis is a form of the joint disease that tends to impact only those with another uncomfortable, painful and often embarrassing condition. This form of arthritis tends to strike those who have psoriasis of the skin and it presents with similar symptoms to rheumatoid. This means it's painful and can be debilitating.



The symptoms of psoriatic arthritis tend to present in the tips of the fingers or the toes. It can also show up in the spine. In the most severe cases, the disease presents in the joints and in this case it can cause pretty severe damage.

While psoriatic arthritis strikes those with regular psoriasis of the skin, it is not a common condition. This will, of course, be a relief to the many people who suffer from the skin condition. The fact is it affects only a small percentage of the millions of people that suffer from regular psoriasis.

The bad news about psoriatic arthritis is the fact there are five main types of this particular disease. Each tends to come with its own symptoms and treatments. They are:

Distal interphalangeal. In this form of psoriatic arthritis, the disease impacts the last joints of the fingers or toes. It tends to be similar to osteoarthritis, and can generally be dealt with fairly easily.

Asymmetrical. Just like osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis can present in this manner. This means there are at least two joints affected individually. The joints in these cases can be in completely different parts of the body. The problem here is that it causes swelling and redness. The good news is this form tends to present rather mildly and can generally be treated with ease using anti-inflammatory medications.

Symmetrical. This form of psoriatic arthritis resembles as less severe form of rheumatoid arthritis. It involves effects found in like joints on both sides of the body. For example, if one knee shows symptoms, the other one will, too. This brand of psoriatic arthritis can cause deformities and permanent damage, so it is very important to proceed with caution and seek out medical advice for treatments.

Spondylitis. This is the form of psoriatic arthritis that tends to impact the spine. This is a very serious form of the condition that can lead to permanent impacts on posture. Fortunately, it is pretty rare. Unfortunately, it can be very painful and might actually impact the ligaments in areas such as the back and neck. Leg and arm pain may also be involved.

Arthritis mutilans. This is considered the most severe form of psoriatic arthritis. It is pretty rare, fortunately. When this strikes, it can destroy bone and cartilage in the joints and lead to deformities. This kind of psoriatic arthritis tends to involve periods of activity and remissions, which tend to come on with flare ups of the skin condition.

Dealing with the many forms of psoriatic arthritis can be difficult. Since the pain is added on top of another irritating condition, it can be like a double whammy. Those with symptoms should seek out professional advice for treatments. The good news, however, is that there are many possibilities available to alleviate pain and lessen the possibility for permanent damage when one of the forms of psoriatic arthritis presents itself.