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The information on this page is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
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Psoriatic Arthritis in the Hand
Psoriatic arthritis affecting the hands causes painful swollen joints (especially finger joints), sausage-like swelling of entire digits (dactylitis), nail pitting and changes, and joint destruction in about 30% of people with skin psoriasis - unlike rheumatoid arthritis which affects knuckles symmetrically, psoriatic arthritis often affects the finger tip joints (DIP joints) asymmetrically and can cause severe deformities if untreated, requiring early treatment with disease-modifying medications to prevent permanent joint damage.
📖What is Psoriatic Arthritis in the Hand?
Psoriatic arthritis affecting the hands causes painful swollen joints (especially finger joints), sausage-like swelling of entire digits (dactylitis), nail pitting and changes, and joint destruction in about 30% of people with skin psoriasis - unlike rheumatoid arthritis which affects knuckles symmetrically, psoriatic arthritis often affects the finger tip joints (DIP joints) asymmetrically and can cause severe deformities if untreated, requiring early treatment with disease-modifying medications to prevent permanent joint damage.
🔬What Causes It?
- Autoimmune disease associated with skin psoriasis (30% of people with psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis)
- Genetic predisposition (HLA-B27 and other genetic markers increase risk)
- Immune system attacks joints, tendons, and skin causing inflammation
- Triggered by infection, trauma, or stress in genetically susceptible individuals
⚠️Risk Factors
You may be at higher risk if:
- Skin psoriasis (30% develop arthritis, usually skin symptoms appear first but 15% have joint symptoms before skin)
- Family history of psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis (40% have affected first-degree relative)
- Age 30-50 years (peak onset, though can occur any age)
- Nail psoriasis (80% of patients with nail changes develop arthritis)
- Smoking (increases severity and reduces treatment response)
- Obesity (worsens inflammation and reduces medication effectiveness)
🛡️Prevention
- ✓No known prevention for psoriatic arthritis if you have psoriasis, but early detection and treatment prevents joint damage
- ✓Smoking cessation (reduces severity and improves treatment response)
- ✓Maintain healthy weight (obesity worsens inflammation and reduces medication effectiveness)
- ✓Manage skin psoriasis (early aggressive skin treatment may reduce arthritis risk, though not proven)
- ✓Regular rheumatology monitoring if diagnosed (every 3-6 months to adjust medications and prevent flares)