Sore, stiff joints and tendons may cause neck pain in some people with psoriatic arthritis. Psoriatic spondylitis, a type of psoriatic arthritis, can also cause a sore neck.
Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic condition affecting people with psoriasis. In addition to flaky, dry skin patches, inflammation can cause swelling, pain, and stiffness. This may result in neck pain.
Read on to learn more about what causes neck pain with psoriatic arthritis. This article also discusses what neck pain can feel like, treatment options, and more.
The inflammation where the tendon or ligament hooks into a bone in the neck causes psoriatic arthritis neck pain.
Additionally, damage to the C1 and C2 vertebrae at the top of the spine is common in cases of psoriatic spondylitis. This can also result in a sore neck.
Psoriatic spondylitis is usually a late-onset type of psoriatic arthritis, but not always. Researchers have found that the majority of people with psoriatic spondylitis can have back symptoms for up to 10 years before a doctor makes a formal diagnosis. This might include pain in the neck or at the top of the spine.
Psoriatic neck pain can present with symptoms such as:
- stiffness and trouble moving the neck
- pain that can wake a person up in the middle of the night
- pain that gets better with exercise and worse when a person is sedentary
As there are many causes of neck stiffness and pain, it is best to contact a doctor for advice. They can help determine whether psoriatic arthritis is the cause of neck pain and recommend suitable treatments.
Medical treatments and home remedies may help a person with psoriatic arthritis to reduce swelling, relieve symptoms, and slow down the progression of the condition.
Medications that a doctor may recommend include:
- nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- corticosteroids
- disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs)
- biologics
Some lifestyle strategies that a doctor may recommend include:
- getting enough physical activity or moderate exercise
- managing weight
- consuming foods that may reduce inflammation and avoiding foods that may increase it
- avoiding smoking
- avoiding excess alcohol consumption
- applying cold therapy to reduce swelling
- applying heat therapy to ease sore joints
A doctor can help create a suitable treatment plan to manage psoriasis arthritis and symptoms such as neck pain.
Alongside neck pain, a person may experience other symptoms of psoriatic arthritis. Some common symptoms of the condition include:
Some people may experience mild symptoms that develop slowly, while the condition may progress more rapidly and severely for other people.
Some people with psoriasis can develop psoriatic arthritis, which causes swelling and stiffness of the joints and tendons. This can result in neck pain and stiffness.
Psoriatic spondylitis is a type of psoriatic arthritis that affects the back. This can also cause a sore neck.
Medications and lifestyle strategies can help manage symptoms and reduce inflammation and pain. A person’s doctor can help them to create a treatment plan to manage symptoms of psoriatic arthritis.