psioratic arthritis

[linda-5502]

I do not understand this disease. I get itching, pins and needles, my eyes are so sore and itching there are times when they do not focus very well. My feet itch a lot does anyone else have these symptoms please

[Hidden]

Hi Linda,

I know what you mean! Psoriatic Arthritis is a confusing disease for sure. I'm not a doctor and of course only a medically trained person will be able to explain your symptoms for sure, but I do have some ideas to share.

PsA can affect the eyes, either through Sjogren's Disease which causes dryness of eyes and mouth or through inflammatory eye conditions. You may need treatment for this so definitely one for your GP and / or rheumatologist. An optician may help also.

As PsA causes generalised inflammation throughout the body, the nerves can be pinched by swollen tissues and that may explain your pins and needles. Again, this is just my own way of explaining a possible cause, I may be a bit inaccurate or even totally wrong! But I certainly get a whole range of strange symptoms in addition to joint pain and stiffness. Since starting Humira they are much less noticeable and I'd say from my own experience that biologic drugs really are the business for PsA.

You don't say whether you have active psoriasis, but when I last had a flare up of psoriasis, it definitely went for places that had always itched a bit anyway. So I concluded that psoriasis can be 'sub-clinical' i.e. not visible, not readily detected, but nonetheless causing dryness and itching of the skin. I think that's preferable to full-blown psoriasis. You could try an emollient used to treat psoriasis, I really, really like a product called Balneum Cream, I've been using it for months, just once a day, and over time it has made slightly itchy, slightly dry areas much happier. It's not a quick fix, but it delivers, for me anyway.

[linda-5502 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for your kind reply my rheumy does not seem to bother about this disease only the RA side but I do get quite a few of small flare ups and I am sure this is the PsA

But who am I a mere patient!!!

Once again thank you replying it has been useful.

Linda xx

[Hidden in reply to linda-5502]

Hi there,

I'd say that a rheumy who 'doesn't bother' about PsA isn't the best. There's still this idea hanging around in the ether that PsA is a mild version of RA. But that is well out of date and for some time now the specialists and researchers have been saying quite the opposite. There are 2 centres of excellence for the treatment of PsA in the UK, one in Leeds and one in Bath. Both take the disease at least as seriously as they take RA.

We all differ so there's a chance that your PsA will not progress rapidly, but that's down to luck, not the nature of the disease. If you think things are deteriorating and your rheumy's not moving things forward then you have the option of a 'second opinion' which is basically a euphemism for a new rheumy. I started off with a 'who cares?' rheumy and asked for a referral to a different rheumy in a different hospital. There was a 6 month wait but it was the best thing I ever did.