Psoriatic Arthritis in the lumber region

[Grizzly Bear]

A question to anyone whom may know please......

I have read somewhere that you can get Psoriatic Arthritis in the lower part of your spine, lumber region.

How do doctors know that you have PA in the lumber please or anywhere ?

What tests do they do if anyone knows please ?

I ask as i had my coccyx, lower area of my spine removed 11 years ago.
Now, before they were removed, i had no P at all on my back, totally clear but 4 - 6 months after the operation, tiny P spots appeared on my lower back & in time, the P covered my lower back area, spreading upwards & also attacking the 8 inch scar down there if you know what i mean.

Now, with all the pain killing medication etc i take, my back kills me.
I noticed that over the last couple of years, my walking / hobbling is getting worse.
It's bad enough trying to sleep with the pain but i read somewhere that you can get PA anywhere on your body but with the amount of P on my lower back, it made me question if it was possible if i had it ?
I bloody hope i don't have it.

Does a doctor take blood tests etc ?

Thank you all

GB

[Caroline]

Andy,

As far as I know and have experienced PA only pops up in the smaller joints. Those of your fingers and feet, the area of toes and the joints in your foot.

Up to now I have never heard from anyone that they had it elsewhere. Unfortunately I cannot prove that it is so, perhaps it is possible to get it elsewhere.

Cheers,
Caroline

[Grizzly Bear]

Ok, thank you caroline for that

[Fred]

Andy trust me whatever you hear you can get Psoriatic Arthritis in all parts of your body............................... OK well not all, how can I rephrase that  

I've had it for years and yes you can get it in your spine, with me it comes and goes and it's not always in the same place every time I get a flare-up. I have had psoriatic arthritis in the following places, and I don't care what the so called professionals say.

Neck
Shoulder
Upper and lower arm
Wrist
Fingers thumbs
Back
Hips
Upper and lower legs
Ankles
Toes

I've yet to experience it in my chest, skull, or any soft tissue but it wouldn't surprise if the bugger decided to do it just for a change.

As for the tests, some may do Xrays or blood tests. But a good Dermatologist and/or rheumatologist will know just by examining you and looking at your finger/toe nails, they will be pitted, have lines running down them, and will start to lift from the nail bed. This is a classic sign of Psoriatic Arthritis, having said that some people with psoriasis do experience the pitting and lines but not on such a large scale.

You will know when psoriatic arthritis hits you as will your specialist, it's bloody painful and Disabilating. My fingers and toes are usually the first to get whacked, my toes will go like big red radish's and my fingers will close and lock up. But yes it can also effect my movement to the extent of not being able to get out of bed or even feed myself.

EDIT: Just read Caroline's post and I have had this discussion with her before, but believe me it can get anywhere there is Bone I know.

It affects people in different ways a bit like psoriasis itself, some have it mild and some get covered in it there is no one size fits all.

[Caroline]

Too bad Andy...  

[Fred]

Too bad Andy...  

What I said doesn't necessarily mean he has psoriatic arthritis, it could be something else. But by my experience it can strike anywhere and it can ruin your life, Michael Gambon portrayed it very well in The Singing Detective. (If you do watch it you may need to get past the surrealism, but the character gets it across very well)

[Paul9]

A question to anyone whom may know please......

I have read somewhere that you can get Psoriatic Arthritis in the lower part of your spine, lumber region.

How do doctors know that you have PA in the lumber please or anywhere ?

What tests do they do if anyone knows please ?

I ask as i had my coccyx, lower area of my spine removed 11 years ago.
Now, before they were removed, i had no P at all on my back, totally clear but 4 - 6 months after the operation, tiny P spots appeared on my lower back & in time, the P covered my lower back area, spreading upwards & also attacking the 8 inch scar down there if you know what i mean.

Now, with all the pain killing medication etc i take, my back kills me.
I noticed that over the last couple of years, my walking / hobbling is getting worse.
It's bad enough trying to sleep with the pain but i read somewhere that you can get PA anywhere on your body but with the amount of P on my lower back, it made me question if it was possible if i had it ?
I bloody hope i don't have it.

Does a doctor take blood tests etc ?

Thank you all

GB

Hi GB,
I have got PsA and one of the issues I have had is an increasingly painful lower back. I mentioned this to my consultant and he said that it is not unusual for PsA sufferers to get this. He sent me for an MRI scan, and this confirmed his diagnosis.
Paul

[Caroline]

Perhaps you can do some exercises to loosen up your lower back. Also your spine needs movement and movement is good for PsA, there are number of exercises you can easily find on the Internet to use.
I do some of these exercises also just to stay fit.

[Bill]

I definitely have arthritis in my spine, psoriatic or otherwise, and it has responded to the DMF I take. It has been the most resistant part of the disease. The peripheral stuff subsided comparatively quickly.

Cheers,

Bill

[dave]

hi, GB

i have pa in my hands knees eyes etc etc and psa = psoriatic spondylitis

! you dont have to have/had psoriasis to get pa

? i wonder if your p could be knoeber p or drug induced best to see a derm and rheumy
your gp may/can take bloods to rule in/out other factors

my rheumy's used my history/ p/ mri/xrays/bloods and later even my kidney stones to diagnose pa
i think nowadays a synovial joint fluid test can give 95% confirmed diagnoses
i also had a hla b27 blood test first done in 1987 to help with their diagnoses

had a letter today for my new rheumatology have to phone or book online for the appointment