Dee Dee Wu, MD, rheumatologist at HSS discusses the challenges of diagnosing psoriatic arthritis in an interview with Health Central. 

Diagnosing psoriatic arthritis can present challenges, especially in the beginning stages of the disease, explained Dr Wu. Psoriatic arthritis symptoms can sometimes mimic the symptoms of other conditions—and other conditions may masquerade as PsA. It can take an expert in the disease to tell them apart. 

Osteoarthritis may look similar to psoriatic arthritis, but there are differences, said Dr. Wu. PsA can occur at any time (and can even affect children), but the typical age of onset is between the ages of 30 and 50, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation. 

There are ways to help your provider zero in on the source of your discomfort, said Dr. Wu. To start, organize a list of your symptoms to bring to your appointment. “It is helpful if the patient comes in with a clear timeline, including reporting any patterning of symptoms they have observed,” she says. “It can also help for patients to bring in any previous records they have which might include lab work, x-rays, cat scans, and MRIs.”

Read the full article at healthcentral.com.