Were your symptoms similar to mine? Seems no one can give me a clear answer.
Hi,
I’m a 36 year old female, and I’ve been experiencing intermittent swelling of my fingers, originally only in one hand, but more recently in both. It affects some fingers more than others, but occasionally the whole hand is affected. I had an RA factor test and it was negative. My knuckles are red and some show signs of what looks almost like a blister or rash. My hands itch and are painful from the swelling. I don’t feel like my doctor is taking my concerns seriously, despite providing photos of the swelling. I’m uncomfortable and worried that I need to address this. I have no family history on my mom’s side of PsA but don’t have any knowledge of my father’s. Any help or advice is appreciated. 
Hello
, thank you for reaching out. I can hear what a difficult and frustrating situation you are in currently, feeling that your doctor is not adequately addressing your concerns. While we are not doctors, and can not make diagnoses, I do want to share some information with you about PsA symptoms as well as diagnosis. Some people do find that finger swelling and pain to be one of the first symptoms. I'm sharing a link to an article with more information on early signs and symptoms, https://psoriatic-arthritis.com/psa-symptoms. And this article is specific to fingers (and toes), https://psoriatic-arthritis.com/psa-symptoms/joints-fingers-toes.
Was it your general practitioner who you have seen about these symptoms so far? The one who ran the RA factor test? You might ask if you could get a referral to a rheumatologist as they specialize in these types of conditions. I'm also including a link to an article about diagnosis, https://psoriatic-arthritis.com/medical-history-exam-diagnose. Unfortunately, it sometimes can be challenging to get a diagnosis of PsA, but whatever is causing your symptoms, your doctor should be supporting you and helping investigate what is causing them. Please don't hesitate to advocate for yourself and push for answers if you need to.
I hope that this information can help give you a starting point, and that some of our community members here can connect with you about their experiences as well.
Please don't hesitate to reach out here anytime, whether you have more questions, need to vent, or could use some support. Sending you gentle hugs. -- Warmly, Christine (Team Member)
