Psoriatic arthritis is a condition that causes pain and swelling in the joints. It occurs in people with psoriasis, a chronic (long-lasting) skin disease characterized by a dry, scaly, itchy skin rash that most commonly occurs on the elbows, knees, and scalp. Psoriatic arthritis may also cause changes in fingernails and toenails…

DEFINITION

Psoriatic arthritis is a condition that causes pain and swelling in the joints. It occurs in people with psoriasis, a chronic (long-lasting) skin disease characterized by a dry, scaly, itchy skin rash that most commonly occurs on the elbows, knees, and scalp. Psoriatic arthritis may also cause changes in fingernails and toenails including small, pinpoint depressions in the surfaces of the nails, called pitting. About 10 to 30 percent of people with psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis.