How does psoriatic arthritis affect your feet?

Each person experiences psoriatic arthritis (PSA) differently, but if you have this chronic inflammatory condition, your feet will probably also be affected. Up to 50 to 70% of people with PSA will have foot abnormalities, and 65% will experience swelling in their toes (typing).

When you suffer from psoriatic arthritis (PSA), your feet can be the first place where you start to see the symptoms. Having painful and swollen toes is a common sign of the condition. One or more of your toes may seem agreed or in the shape of a sausage, called dactylites. You can also have swelling in your ankles.

It is also common that your toes have shortened or label -shaped air and your big toe is hyperextend, pointing up or slightly back. The arc of your foot can be flat and your ankle can roll inward, putting stress outside your foot.

Some people also obtain horns on the interphalangeal joints, which are the joints between the bones of the toes. You can have psoriasis patches on your feet that look like psoriasis on other areas of your body.

In addition, nail changes such as onychomycosis (nail fungus) are common in the PSA. This can cause thick nails, collapse, break easily or have a bad smell.

If your PSA affects your feet, it can hurt, swell and feel uncomfortable or painful. Your mobility can be assigned, which makes it difficult to walk and move. Other signs and symptoms may include:

• Hot toes and swollen in the shape of a sausage
• Swollen and tender ankles
• Soft and tender nails separated from the nail bed
• Painful heels or soles similar to plantar fasciitis
• Painful red porches or white accumulation
• Stiffness in your feet and ankles
• Calluses or painful wounds on the joints
• Rocking the sensation in the joints
• Pain while walking or standing for a long time

Your foot contains 26 bones and 33 joints linked to various muscles, ligaments and tendons. Inflammation can occur in one of these places, which makes walking or position for long uncomfortable periods. Your shoes may feel tight due to swelling or not adapt properly due to changes in your toes.

If your PSA is not properly managed, it can cause long -term joint lesions, affect your mobility and reduce your health and your overall quality of life. You can also feel plantar fasciitis and pain in your Achilles tendon.

PSA can be a rapid and generalized condition, which has a significant impact on health and longevity. People with PSA have an increased risk of death in heart conditions such as angina chest (chest pain) and heart attack. They are also more likely to have metabolic syndrome, depression and heart disease. Maintain your health and follow your treatment plan so that you can improve the feet function and stay active.

There is no unique test to diagnose the PSA in the feet. Instead, your health care provider will use a variety of tests and exams to diagnose your condition. In addition to a physical exam, they can watch your medical history, take X -rays and other images and make straps.

During physical examination, your doctor will examine your feet for joint pain, swelling, heat, sensitivity and changes to the skin and nails. They can also order X -rays to see your bones and joints.

They can order blood tests, such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and the sedimentation rate of erythrocytes (ESR), to seek inflammation. Other tests, such as the rheumatoid factor (RF) and the anti-cyclical city peptide (anti-CCP), are used to exclude rheumatoid arthritis.

Tests around the joints can also help exclude gout or infection. Looking at all this information together, the doctor will be able to determine if you have a PSA in your feet.

Because the PSA is not healer, a treatment plan will probably focus on the management of symptoms. Here are some processing options to which your health care provider can chat with you:

• Take medication as prescribed: Your health professional may recommend or prescribe medication to alleviate your pain and prevent your PSA from worsening. These may include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to combat pain and inflammation, anti-utomatic drugs modifying the disease (DMARD) to slow down the progression and the biologicals that affect your immune system.
• Corticosteroid injections: In some cases, your health professional may recommend these steroid injections to help reduce inflammation and improve mobility. These shots are strong inflammation drugs which are injected directly into the affected joints.
• Manage your weight: Because your feet should endure your weight, you may be able to reduce pain and inflammation by maintaining a weight that you and your doctor have determined in good health for you. If you are overweight or obese, losing weight can help reduce pressure on your joints and improve your body’s response to drugs.
• Prioritize the exercise with low impact: Experience with different types of exercises to see what works for you. Activities that tend to put less pressure on the joints include yoga, swimming, cycling, water aerobic or tai chi.
• Wear support shoes: Talk to a health care provider, such as a doctor specializing in the conditions of the feet and ankle known as the podiatrist, on the type of shoes you need to buy. Wearing support and well -adjusted shoes can reduce stress and tender it on your feet.
• Find out about the feet soaking: Although the evidence is mixed, some people find that soaking feet in Epsom salts relieves and reduces pain. Talk to your doctor before using a feet soaking.
• Avoid smoking: Research shows that smoking people tend to have worse symptoms than those who do not. If you find it hard to quit smoking, talk to your health care provider of the options that can help.
• Get support: Having PSA in your feet can be frustrating and crushing, so remember to join a support group or see a therapist to learn to manage the negative thoughts and feelings you may have.

At least half of people with PSA will feel symptoms at their feet, such as swelling, pain and sensitivity. You can also have painful red spots, stiff feet and ankles, painful calluses or wounds on your joints.

PSA not managed on the feet can affect your longevity and quality of life. You are also more at risk of depression and heart problems. To manage your condition, follow the advice of your health care provider. This includes taking recommended or prescribed drugs, your weight management, exercise in a coherent manner and support.