WHAT IS PsA ?

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a type of arthritis. It happens when your body attacks its own joints, which become inflamed. This inflammation can cause permanent damage over time, so it is important to get an official psoriatic arthritis diagnosis and be properly treated. Psoriatic arthritis can happen in people with a different condition of the skin, called psoriasis. Not everyone with psoriasis gets psoriatic arthritis, but between 10-30% of people with psoriasis go on to develop psoriatic arthritis.

Conditions where the immune system attacks its own tissues are called autoimmune conditions. Psoriatic arthritis is an autoimmune condition that affects the joints. When the body attacks these tissues it causes inflammation, causing the joint to feel stiff and painful and sometimes causing lasting damage.

Psoriatic arthritis usually starts slowly and can develop over months. Rarely though, sometimes the condition comes on quickly and can be severe.

Psoriatic arthritis affects both men and women and usually shows up between the ages of 20 and 50.

WHAT CAUSES PsA?

Unfortunately, no one really knows what causes psoriatic arthritis. You have a greater risk of getting psoriatic arthritis if someone else in your family has it.