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Uncovering the Secret of Swollen Fingers: Why Psoriatic Arthritis Makes Your Fingers Look Like Sausages.
Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) is a chronic inflammatory arthritis that commonly affects people with the autoimmune disease psoriasis. One of the most distinctive features of the disease is swelling of the fingers and toes, along with a sausage-like appearance, a phenomenon known as "sausage digits." According to research, psoriatic arthritis affects about 30% of people with psoriasis, and its symptoms are not limited to the joints, but also include changes in the nails and damage to the skin.
Symptoms of psoriatic arthritis
The symptoms of psoriatic arthritis vary from person to person, but most patients experience peripheral joint pain. Swelling and stiffness in these joints may cause discomfort to those with the disease. Take "sausage finger," for example. This condition is common in the distal joints of the fingers and toes and is often accompanied by changes in the nails, such as pitting and separation of the nails from the nail bed (onycholysis).
Psoriatic arthritis is a disease characterized by chronic inflammation, often causing swelling and pain in the joints and surrounding tissues.
Potential causes
Psoriatic arthritis is considered a polygenic genetic disease, and many known or hypothesized genes may be involved in its clinical manifestations. When carriers of certain genes are exposed to certain substances, they may trigger an autoimmune response, causing the immune system to attack normal tissue in the body. Environmental factors, such as obesity and tissue trauma, are also known risk factors.
Diagnostic approach
There is currently no specific test to diagnose psoriatic arthritis, and professionals usually rely on a physical exam, medical history, blood tests and X-rays to make a diagnosis. Key indicators include whether the patient has psoriasis or if there is a family history of psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis.
Treatment and Management
Because long-term inflammation can lead to joint damage, early diagnosis and treatment to slow or prevent joint damage is particularly important. Current treatments include biologics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), which are designed to control inflammation and improve patients' quality of life.
Because psoriatic arthritis is driven by inflammation, most treatments focus on reducing inflammation and its subsequent effects.
Epidemiology
The global incidence of psoriatic arthritis is approximately 0.11%. In the United States, the figure is 0.06 to 0.25%. Research shows that 70% of people with psoriatic arthritis develop psoriasis first on their skin, showing the close connection between psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.
Conclusion
The characteristic symptoms of psoriatic arthritis, including sausage-like swelling of the fingers, undoubtedly cause trouble in the lives of many sufferers. Although there are many treatments for the symptoms, many people still struggle with the pain. In the process of dealing with this disease, we may need to think about: How to more effectively improve the quality of life and future prognosis of patients with psoriatic arthritis?
