Did your psoriatic arthritis start in your nails?
I can't remember a time not have ridges, pits, or lines in my nails. They have been this way for 5 decades. I remember my nails raising and they told me I had nail fungus.
Did you ever get a diagnosis for PsA because it started in your nails? We would like to hear from you. Diane (Team Member)
, this is a great topic! Like you, I can't remember a time without pits and ridges in my nails. Interestingly, my pitting completely disappeared and was replaced by salmon patches and the nails detaching from the nail bed at the time that my other PsA symptoms started. So nail *changes* were definitely an indicator of PsA for me. It took a few years for me to get the PsA diagnosis, and I don't believe my nails played a part in that at all (or if they did, no-one mentioned it to me). I do wonder if I could have got my diagnosis much sooner, had someone thought to ask me about my nails. My dermatologist had mentioned to me previously that nail issues are a risk factor for developing PsA though.
How are your nails at the moment, Diane? Does anything help you manage the nail symptoms? Very interested to hear others' experiences with this! -Catherine, Community ModeratorI have had these horrible ugly nails for over 60 years. They never got better. They don't bother me anymore. I've learned to live with them. Diane (Team Member) , we do tend to get used to these symptoms, don't we? My nails never bothered me (and I've had pretty much every nail symptom there is) until they started trying to detach from the nail beds - I find that extremely distressing. Also my toe nails look awful and that makes me feel very self conscious.
I am having a strange new toe nail symptom which Dr. Google tells me is onychomadesis - have you ever heard of this? It's like the opposite of onycholysis (where the nails detach from the finger tip end). With onychomadesis, the nails detach from the cuticle end. It's really bizarre. Apparently some consider it to be a severe form of the horizontal Beau's lines that are associated with PsA. I do plan to ask my actual doctor about this when I get a chance 😄 Warmly, -Catherine, Community Moderator
No, but my nails became horriffic.
Hello
, Thanks for chiming in. I know what you mean. I have always had terrible nails. I remember as a child having to go to the doctor and he told my parents I had nail fungus. So you were never diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis? We would like to hear more from you. Diane (Team Member)
Yes, but it took many doctors, and 35 years!
Hello
Oh, I get it. I have had bad nails since the beginning of time. I have always thought it was from my having psoriasis. How are your nails doing now? We would like to hear from you. Diane (Team Member)
Yes. I've always had ridges, and RA. then my nails started curling under into skin
Hello
, this sounds very painful. My psoriasis under my nails used to push them up, worst pain ever. How are you doing now with your nails? We would like to hear from you. Diane (Team Member)
