What is Psorasis and Psoriatic Arthritis?

The medical definition of psoriasis, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation is, "a chronic, autoimmune disease that appears on the skin and occurs when the immune system sends out faulty signals that speed up the growth cycle of skin cells. Psoriasis is not contagious. There are five types of psoriasis with the most common form, plaque psoriasis, appears as raised, red patches covered with a silvery white buildup of dead skin cells. It can occur on any part of the body and is associated with other serious health conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease and depression. Psoriasis is the most common autoimmune disease in the U.S. and as many as 7.5 million Americans have psoriasis." (http://psoriasis.org/about-psoriasis)

***It usually takes 28 days for skin to shed from the bottom layer, however, for someone with psoriasis, it is so rapid and only takes 3-4 days.

"Up to 30 percent of people with psoriasis also develop psoriatic arthritis, which causes pain, stiffness and swelling in and around the joints. Psoriatic arthritis can develop at any time, but it most commonly appears between the ages of 30 and 50. Genes, the immune system and environmental factors are all believed to play a role in the onset of the disease. Early recognition, diagnosis and treatment of psoriatic arthritis are critical to relieve pain and inflammation and help prevent progressive joint damage." (http://psoriasis.org/psoriatic-arthritis)

MY definition of Psoriatic Arthritis in simplest terms is itchy, flaky scabs all over my head and body accompanied by joint pain in my fingers, knees, lower back, and shoulders - similar to if I had jammed my fingers or carried on elephant on my back while running a marathon. That's how my psoriatic arthritis feels.