Psoriatic arthritis may affect one joint or many. Signs and symptoms of psoriatic arthritis include :
- Pain in affected joints
- Swollen joints
- Joints that are warm to the touch
Patterns of joint pain in psoriatic arthritis. Doctors have identified five patterns in which psoriatic arthritis typically occurs. Most people move from one pattern of psoriatic arthritis to another throughout their lives. Treatment usually varies based on the pattern of joint involvement you experience. Patterns of psoriatic arthritis include :
- Pain in joints on one side of your body. The mildest form of psoriatic arthritis, called asymmetric psoriatic arthritis, usually affects joints on only one side of your body or different joints on each side including those in your hip, knee, ankle or wrist. One to three joints are generally involved, and they're often tender and red. When asymmetric arthritis occurs in your hands and feet, swelling and inflammation in the tendons can cause your fingers and toes to resemble small sausages (dactylitis).
- Pain in joints on both sides of your body. Symmetric psoriatic arthritis usually affects four or more of the same joints on both sides of your body. More women than men have symmetric psoriatic arthritis, and psoriasis associated with this condition tends to be severe.
- Pain in your finger joints. Distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint predominant psoriatic arthritis is rare and occurs mostly in men. DIP affects the small joints closest to the nails (distal joints) in the fingers and toes.
- Pain in your spine. This form of psoriatic arthritis, called spondylitis, can cause inflammation in your spine as well as stiffness and inflammation in your neck, lower back or sacroiliac joints. Inflammation can also occur where ligaments and tendons attach to your spine. As the disease progresses, movement tends to become increasingly painful and difficult.
- Destructive arthritis. A small percentage of people with psoriatic arthritis have arthritis mutilans a severe, painful and disabling form of the disease. Over time, arthritis mutilans destroys the small bones in the hands, especially the fingers, leading to permanent deformity and disability.
The above information thankfully comes from the Mayo Clinic.com at the following link.