When you have psoriasis, your health risks may run deeper than the dry, itchy patches or scales the condition can leave on your skin. It's unclear exactly why, but psoriasis is related to a higher risk of other serious conditions that can affect your bones, joints, eyes, heart and more. Some research suggests that this may be because the inflammation related to psoriasis also might cause inflammation in other parts of the body.

The good news is that by managing your psoriasis, you might reduce your risk of some of those other conditions. Making healthy lifestyle choices also might help. These include eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, moderating how much alcohol you drink and having routine health screenings. Work closely with your health care provider to monitor for symptoms of related conditions so that they can be diagnosed and treated early.

Psoriasis is related to a higher risk of these conditions:

• Psoriatic arthritis, which can cause joint damage and a loss of function in some joints. Symptoms are joint pain, stiffness and swelling — and sometimes back pain. Sometimes the amount of arthritic symptoms are more prominent or severe than the skin symptoms.
• Eye conditions such as conjunctivitis, blepharitis and uveitis. Symptoms could include irritated and red eyes, flaking or crusting in the eyelashes, swollen eyelids, and psoriasis on or near the eyelids.
• Obesity, a condition in which extra body fat adds to health risk. Body mass index (BMI) is one number used to measure obesity. People with a BMI of 30 or above may be considered to have obesity. BMI is a calculation based on a person's height and weight. People with a higher BMI may have more difficulty controlling and treating their psoriasis.
• Type 2 diabetes, which some people might have for years without knowing it. Symptoms include increased thirst, needing to urinate more often, weight loss and fatigue.
• High blood pressure, which also is called hypertension. It usually has no symptoms.
• Heart disease, which is also called cardiovascular disease. It can show up as an irregular heartbeat, stroke, high cholesterol and atherosclerosis. Symptoms of cardiovascular disease include chest pain; tightness or discomfort in the arms, shoulders, jaw, throat or back; shortness of breath; and weakness.
• Metabolic syndrome, which is a cluster of conditions that increase the risk of heart disease. These conditions include high blood pressure, elevated insulin levels and irregular cholesterol levels. Most of the disorders related to metabolic syndrome have no symptoms, although a large waist circumference is a visible sign.
• Other autoimmune diseases, such as celiac disease, patchy hair loss known as alopecia areata and the inflammatory bowel disease called Crohn's disease. Symptoms of autoimmune diseases vary depending on the condition.
• Parkinson's disease, which is a chronic neurological condition. Symptoms include a tremor of an arm, leg, hand or fingers; a slowing of body movements over time; muscle stiffness; and impaired posture, balance and speech.
• Kidney disease, which develops over time. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, lack of hunger, fatigue, shortness of breath and muscle cramps.
• Low self-esteem and depression, which can affect your quality of life. You also may withdraw socially. Symptoms of depression include feelings of sadness or hopelessness, loss of interest or pleasure in typical activities, lack of energy, sleep disturbances, and changes in hunger or weight.

Talk with your health care provider about what conditions you might be at greater risk of and how to best screen for them. And be sure to let your health care provider know about any symptoms you're experiencing, even if you think they might not be related to your psoriasis.

• Share
• Tweet

Feb. 15, 2023 See more In-depth