Psoriatic Arthritis Definition

Psoriatic arthritis is a type of inflammatory arthritis that affects some people who have psorasis, a painful skin condition. Psoriasis is typically diagnosed first with arthritis symptoms sometimes not appearing until as many as ten years later.

Psoriatic arthritis is characterized by joint pain, swelling, and stiffness that especially target the fingertips and the spine. It is common for both psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis symptoms to occur together in cycles, with severe flare-ups followed by periods of remission.

There is no cure for psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis, but medical treatment programs have proven effective in managing symptoms of both the skin and joints.