Studies show close to 80% of people with psoriatic arthritis have some degree of fatigue. When you have this disease, your body makes proteins called cytokines that cause inflammation. They make your joints swell and become painful or stiff. These proteins may also cause fatigue, although doctors aren't sure why.
Although it is well recognised in many published scientific studies, that fatigue is a very common symptom in both psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, it can be difficult to express exactly how it affects you.
Some people find that psoriatic arthritis leads to another kind of fatigue: brain fog. People have reported problems with concentration, memory and other thinking skills. In part, this fuzzy-headed feeling may be the result of not getting enough sleep at night because of chronic pain.
Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet.
Some people say this approach to eating reduces their fatigue. A healthy, well-balanced diet consists of whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and lean proteins, such as eggs, fish, chicken, and beans. Eating this way helps keep your energy levels stable.
Joint pain, stiffness and swelling are the main signs and symptoms of psoriatic arthritis. They can affect any part of the body, including your fingertips and spine, and can range from relatively mild to severe. In both psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, disease flares can alternate with periods of remission.
Even so, the pain and discomfort associated with psoriatic arthritis can be significant. A study published in 2015 in the journal PLoS One found that the overall pain, joint pain, and fatigue reported by psoriatic arthritis patients was significantly greater than that reported by people with rheumatoid arthritis.
The most severe and least common type of psoriatic arthritis is called arthritis mutilans. Fewer than 5 percent of individuals with psoriatic arthritis have this form of the disorder.
People describe it as being overwhelming and uncontrollable. They feel worn out and drained of energy, and sometimes even lose all interest in anything. It can increase the need for sleep and make it hard to concentrate or do anything.
“Psoriatic arthritis is a systemic inflammatory condition,” Gupta says. “Left untreated, it can result in fatigue and a general feeling of sickness.
Lasts at least a few days
Dr. Husni also says that a psoriatic arthritis flare usually doesn't go away after an hour or two. “If you get better right away we don't really consider that a flare, which usually lasts over a couple of days or a week,” she says.
If you're suddenly experiencing pain in your Achilles tendon, near the bottom of your feet (plantar fascia), or in your elbow (epicondyle), it could mean that you're PsA is getting worse.
The Arthritis Foundation lists joint pain, stiffness, skin rashes, fatigue, nail changes, decreased range of motion, and swelling as some of the symptoms of psoriatic arthritis. When you combine these problems, the results can be debilitating. “It's like feeling your bones shatter and crumble.
PsA Is an Autoimmune Disease
Psoriatic arthritis is an autoimmune disease, meaning it occurs when the body's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue, in this case the joints and skin. The faulty immune response causes inflammation that triggers joint pain, stiffness and swelling.
In addition to the problems it can cause on your skin and in your joints, it's thought that inflammation could: Make you more prone to pain. Cause fatigue and “brain fog” Damage vessels supplying blood to your brain, putting you at risk for stroke and migraine.
The way in which psoriatic arthritis progresses varies from person to person. The severity of their symptoms can increase and spread to new joints. PsA can cause permanent damage to the joints without proper treatment, so treatment should start as early as possible.
“Worsening joint pain and swelling, or new or worsening psoriatic lesions, are the most common red flags that someone is having a PsA flare,” says Yamen Homsi, M.D., the section chief of rheumatology at NYU Langone Hospital in Brooklyn, NY. But there may be other signs that a flare is on the way.
Over time, this inflammation can damage blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke, and heart attack. People with PsA have a still higher risk of heart disease than those with psoriasis alone, according to the authors of a 2018 review .
Like psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis is a long-term condition that can get progressively worse. If it's severe, there's a risk of the joints becoming permanently damaged or deformed, and surgery may be needed.
Many cases of tiredness are due to stress, not enough sleep, poor diet and other lifestyle factors. Try these self-help tips to restore your energy levels. If you feel you're suffering from fatigue, which is an overwhelming tiredness that isn't relieved by rest and sleep, you may have an underlying medical condition.
In most cases, there's a reason for the fatigue. It might be allergic rhinitis, anemia, depression, fibromyalgia, chronic kidney disease, liver disease, lung disease (COPD), a bacterial or viral infection, or some other health condition.
Generally psoriatic arthritis is a mild condition. With proper treatment and help from others you can relieve joint pain and stiffness and keep skin problems under control. Some people however have a more serious disease and require combinations of medications to control symptoms and prevent joint damage.
Just like psoriasis, PsA can range from mild to severe. Mild PsA is sometimes referred to as oligoarticular, meaning it affects four or fewer joints in the body. More severe PsA is often called polyarticular, meaning it affects five or more joints.
The participants with fibromyalgia reported more fatigue and a worse quality of life score than those who only had psoriatic arthritis. Other recent research found that people with both conditions may have a higher joint disease activity.