Kim Kardashian's Psoriatic Arthritis Diagnosis Is Directly Tied To Struggles With Psoriasis
Kim Kardashian revealed she's been diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis after initially fearing she had lupus.
Kim's been experiencing symptoms like fatigue and numbness in her hands.
Kim's been open in the past about her struggles with the skin condition psoriasis.
Kim Kardashian's health woes have been a major plot line for the new season of Keeping Up With The Kardashians. On last week's episode, Kim underwent testing for lupus and rheumatoid arthritis antibodies after she said she'd been experiencing numbness in her hands and other symptoms, and tested positive.
“I’ve been feeling so tired, so nauseous and my hands are really getting swollen,” she said. “I feel like I literally am falling apart. My hands are numb. Lately, my wrists are starting to hurt again but it’s definitely a different feeling,” she said. “I feel this in my bones. It’s starting to really worry me. I really have to look into this. Based on the symptoms, it looks like I have rheumatoid arthritis. It’s so scary. So I have to go to the doctor and see what’s going on because I can’t live like this.”
But she still didn't have exact answers for what was going on. On last night's episode of KUWTK, Kim finally learned what was causing her pain.
In the episode, she went to a doctor and had an ultrasound done on her hands to determine whether or not she was suffering from lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. And it turns out, she was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis.
“First of all, if you have any evidence for lupus, we would have screened it,” the doctor explained. “You do not have lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. So, you can be reassured. You probably have psoriatic arthritis because psoriasis comes and goes. There’s nothing there right now.”
Kim immediately let out a deep breath after hearing the news. “I’m so relieved that this is just psoriatic arthritis,” Kim admitted. “The pain is going to come and go sometimes, but I can manage it and this isn’t going to stop me.”
According to the American College of Rheumatology, psoriatic arthritis is a form of inflammatory arthritis that happens to people with psoriasis. Kim's been open about her struggles with the skin condition psoriasis in the past.
The main symptoms of psoriatic arthritis are painful, stiff and swollen joints. While the cause of psoriatic arthritis is not known, of those with psoriatic arthritis, 40 percent also have a family member with psoriasis or arthritis, according to the American College of Rheumatology.
It's not unusual for someone Kim's age to be diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis—people between 30 and 50 years old are the most likely to be diagnosed, per the American College of Rheumatology. And while there is no cure for psoriatic psoriasis, treatments usually involve over-the-counter anti-inflammatories or prescription anti-rheumatic drugs.
Here's hoping Kim finds a resolution to her symptoms soon.
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