Dactylitis vs stress fracture
Anyone have experience with dactylitis as part of their PsA?
I've had single fingers or toes wake up one day sore & swollen- confirmed by my rheumatologist as tender-type dactylitis. It usually takes several days to start to feel better and a week or so to resolve, though I've always started a course of steroids when it happens so that timeline seems like best-case. I think I have this going on in my right index finger but visually it looks more like a stress fracture due to joint-concentrated darkening/bruising. I don't see my rheumatologist soon, and I am not confident enough to tap my reserve steroid course. Any shared experience would be welcome!
Well ouch,
! I understand how grueling pain in the fingers can be. I also understand preserving steroids that you have in reserve. I do the same thing with load/taper doses.
But since you have darkening and bruising around that joint, which is different than usual, maybe take a picture of the area and attach it to a message to your rheumatologist? Or maybe an ex-ray is needed, like at an urgent care clinic? Finger splints might help while you wait. I found a box of assorted sizes at Walgreens. They help when a finger just hates being moved or touched.
It seems like just when we figure out how to manage something with PsA, something new and out of the ordinary crops up. Good luck in pinpointing what's going on!
, thanks for sharing some of your journey. I started having what they called sausage fingers back in the day - 30 or more years ago. I was given some pills gloves and sent on my way. In the last few years it's got worst. I am now 66. I wear compression gloves now along with taking biologics and methotrexate. I see my rheumatologist on Oct 1st to see if this is related to PsA or just old age. You mention darkening and bruising. I would looked into that at once. Can you make an emergency appointment to see someone? Let us know what you find out. We would like to hear more from you. Diane (Team Member) 
HI
, I also just wanted to check in with you. As both Diane and Mary Lynn recommended, I too would suggest reaching out to your doctor (if you haven't already) as the symptoms sound like they are different than your typical ones. I hope that you can see someone relatively quickly and get some answers. Obviously if it is a stress fracture it would be good to get it seen by a doctor as quickly as possible. Please, if you're comfortable, keep us posted and let us know how you're doing and what you find out. Sending you gentle hugs! -- Warmly, Christine (Team Member) 
Hi
, I have had full fingers swell due to psoriatic arthritis, although I believe I've only had the dactylitis/classic "sausage" digits with my toes. For me, the whole toe went red, maybe even a purplish red, but this wasn't concentrated around the joints - it was an even colour across the whole digit. I do occasionally seem to burst a blood vessel above one of my finger joints, and with that I do get joint-concentrated bruising but without swelling. This is just my personal experience, of course. I think the advice you've received from others to check in with your doctor is very sensible. Hopefully you can get some answers and relief from whatever it is that's going on. Please do keep us updated if you can. Thinking of you! Warmly, -Catherine, Community Moderator
