Can Psoriatic Arthritis Cause A Fever?
Just actually joined your forum after have read the many helpful articles on Facebook. I’ve been diagnosed for four years and have gone through mild flares. I just read an article that included fever as a symptom of a flare.
My psoriatic arthritis flare symptoms
I’m in the worst flare I've ever experienced, severe exhaustion, extreme joint ache and four days of fever. No swelling of joints and no other physical complaints.
It feels like the flu but minus all the other flu symptoms. My rheumatologist tells me it must be a virus or bacterial infection because fever can't happen with psoriatic arthritis.
Can anyone help me from thinking I'm going bonkers?
Submit your own question!
I can assure you,
, you are NOT going bonkers 😀 Many many people report flu-like symptoms during a flare, especially a low grade fever. A fever is a sign of inflammation in the body and inflammation is the root symptom of PsA. Many doctor's prescribe NSAID's (such as ibuprophen) as a first step in treating PsA for this very reason.
In my experience, sometimes doctors have "blamed" a virus when they feel they don't have other evidence to suggest a specific cause they can't explain. Drives me NUTS!
I'm sure others will chime in soon, as I know of many who experience a fever during or just a bit before a flare.
How are you doing now? Do you feel your PsA is more under control now?
-Leanne, Community Moderator
This indirectly leads into a question I've had about fevers and biologics.
Humira works for me. REALLY REALLY well. And I've sometimes wondered if it works TOO well. There was a time a month ago I felt I was sick only ... without feeling sick. Which sounds odd, I know.
I itched all over. I could not sleep (fever dreams). I had "pepperoni breath" (as my wife describes it) which I always used to get when I had sinus infections. And I began to wonder ... am I sick but only with the Humira controlling my inflammation so I don't FEEL typically sick?
I didn't know if that was possible or not. Still don't.
Hey vgowen -
Just wanted to check in and see --- how are you feeling? Has the flare gotten any better at all?
10 weeks ago I had a sore throat, fever, chills, body ache and headache. Ended up in er and came out positive for strep. Took antibiotic for 10 days but a week later spiked a temp and really bad sore throat on one side.
Have had big fatigue and sleeping tons, still running low grade fever. My psoriasis is at bay but my joint pain is awful in my hands and right knee.
Being sent to Infectious disease doc to try to determine origin.
We sure get all the weird stuff!!
