Acute psoriatic arthritis flares explained

Contact the clinician managing your arthritis so they can check whether this is a flare, an injury, an infection or another problem. Treatment may involve adjusting prescribed medicine, easing load on inflamed areas and maintaining comfortable movement.

Psoriatic arthritis can inflame joints, tendon attachment points and entire fingers or toes. During a flare, people may notice more joint pain, warmth, swelling, morning stiffness, fatigue, heel discomfort or a sausage-like swollen digit. Skin or nail psoriasis may worsen at the same time, but it does not have to.

A sudden change limited to one very hot joint requires careful evaluation because infection and crystal arthritis can produce a similar picture. New eye pain or redness can also reflect inflammation outside the joints.

Record which joints or tendon areas are affected, when the change began, whether psoriasis has changed and whether you have fever or recent illness. Continue regular disease-modifying treatment unless your prescriber tells you otherwise; stopping or increasing it on your own can complicate care.

Pace demanding activities, use a wrapped cold or warm pack according to comfort, and move affected joints gently without forcing them. A physiotherapist can adapt exercise when pain, swelling or fatigue disrupts your usual routine. Check before using an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicine if you have kidney, stomach, heart or bleeding concerns.

Obtain urgent care for a hot, severely painful swollen joint accompanied by fever, chills or feeling acutely unwell. Prompt assessment is also needed for a painful red eye, light sensitivity or a sudden change in vision.

Seek immediate help for facial swelling, breathing difficulty or widespread blistering after medicine. Contact your arthritis team soon if a flare is rapidly spreading, prevents walking or self-care, or continues despite the agreed flare plan.

Ask how to distinguish a flare from infection, whether your disease-control treatment needs adjustment and which pain relief is compatible with your other medicines. Discuss a written flare plan and what type of movement will protect strength without aggravating inflamed tissue.