Psoriatic Arthritis and Hypothyroidism: Are They Related? – Healthline

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is an inflammatory form of arthritis that causes swollen, stiff, and painful joints.

PsA affects about 30 percent of people with psoriasis, a skin condition characterized by scaly, red skin patches.

Hypothyroidism affects your thyroid the butterfly-shaped gland in your neck that produces hormones. When you have hypothyroidism, this gland doesnt make enough thyroid hormones.

The most common cause of hypothyroidism is Hashimotos thyroiditis, an autoimmune condition in which white blood cells of the immune system mistakenly attack cells in the thyroid gland.

PsA and psoriasis are also autoimmune disorders. These conditions cause your immune system to attack healthy joints and skin. In hypothyroidism, your immune systems target is the thyroid gland.

Read on to learn how these two conditions are related.

Psoriasis isnt a symptom of hypothyroidism. But if you have psoriasis or PsA, youre more likely to have at least one other autoimmune disease, including:

In autoimmune thyroid disease, the immune system makes proteins called antibodies that damage the thyroid gland.

People with PsA and psoriasis are more likely to test positive for thyroid antibodies than people without these conditions. In one study, about a third of people with psoriasis had a thyroid condition, too.

Thyroid hormones act on many different parts of your body, including your skin. These hormones may trigger psoriasis and make symptoms worse.

Thyroid hormones increase the level of growth factors that cause the skin cells that form scaly psoriasis plaques to multiply. Excess thyroid hormone production makes psoriasis worse.

Hypothyroidism isnt a skin disease. But like psoriasis and PsA, it can affect your skin.

Skin symptoms of hypothyroidism include:

A few different triggers can result in flares of psoriasis or make the skin condition worse. Common psoriasis triggers include:

Some medications also cause psoriasis flare-ups. Certain prescription drugs can:

The medications most likely to cause a psoriasis flare-up are:

It usually takes 2 to 3 weeks after you start taking a new drug for psoriasis symptoms to appear. If you stop taking a corticosteroid drug such as prednisone too quickly, it can also set off a psoriasis flare.

If you take one of these medications and notice that your psoriasis is getting worse, dont stop taking it. Talk with your doctor instead. Ask if you can switch to another drug that wont affect your skin.

Generalized myxedema is a complication of severe hypothyroidism. It causes:

Doctors treat myxedema rash with corticosteroid creams and injections.

Pretibial myxedema (PTM) is a red, swollen, and thick skin rash. Its a rare symptom of thyroid conditions such as Hashimotos thyroiditis and Graves disease.

This rash forms when hyaluronic acid, a natural lubricant your body makes, builds up under your skin. The affected skin becomes thick and has the texture of an orange peel.

PTM most often appears on the shins or the tops of the feet. It also can form on areas like your:

Reach out to a doctor if you have symptoms of PsA or Hashimotos thyroiditis that dont go away.

PsA symptoms include:

Hashimotos thyroiditis symptoms include:

Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history. You may need blood tests to find out whether your thyroid hormone level is too low or imaging tests to check your joints for damage.

PsA and hypothyroidism are both types of autoimmune disorders. When you have PsA or psoriasis, youre also more likely to have thyroid disease.

If you have symptoms of PsA or hypothyroidism, contact your doctor for an exam. Treatments can slow the joint damage and skin plaques of PsA as well as restore normal hormone levels in hypothyroidism.

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Psoriatic Arthritis and Hypothyroidism: Are They Related? - Healthline