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Psoriatic Arthritis: Are You At Risk?

Psoriasis is a chronic disorder, and those who suffer from it are at higher risk than most for other disorders.



One such problem is psoriatic arthritis.  About 10 to 20 percent of all psoriasis patients will go on to develop psoriatic arthritis.  Symptoms include joint pain, stiffness, and swelling are the hallmarks of psoriatic arthritis. Any part of the body can be affected by it, and the symptoms can range in intensity from mild to severe.  There is no cure for this disorder, so the focus of treatment is on managing inflammation to prevent joint pain and disability.

That being said, psoriasis is not the only risk factor for psoriatic arthritis; as a matter of fact some people develop psoriatic arthritis even though they do not have psoriasis! Knowing these risk factors and doing your best to control the controllable are the keys to prevention.

So, here is a list of these risk factors.

1) As already mentioned, having psoriasis is a big risk factor for development of psoriatic arthrits(see above).

2) If a person is overweight, they are more prone to developing psoriatic arthritis, especially if they already have psoriasis.

3) Approximately 80 percent of persons who have psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis have psoriasis in their finger or toe nails. This suggests that psoriasis affecting the nails is a risk factor for psoriatic arthritis.

4) Genetic predisposition seems to be a factor, since someone who has a family member with psoriatic arthritis is more prone to being diagnosed with the same condition.

5) Children who have psoriasis are more likely than adults to have both psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

6) Those who have been diagnosed with HIV are more likely to have psoriatic arthritis.

7) Strep throat and other common infections may trigger a flare-up of psoriatic arthritis.

8)Physical injuries may trigger development of psoriatic arthritis in persons who already have been diagnosed with psoriasis.

Sources: Medical Daily; MayoClinic; Wikimedia



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