What does a arthritis rash look like?
It usually presents as a raised red, blue or purple rash on both arms and/or legs. It can also appear on a single limb or on the torso. In severe cases, neutrophilic dermatitis can cause blisters or skin ulcers.
Treatments for Rheumatoid Arthritis Rash
Your doctor may suggest you take an over-the-counter NSAID for pain relief, or may prescribe a topical antibiotic or steroids to help calm your rash, as well as DMARDs (disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs), which may include drugs like Otrexup or Trexall (methotrexate).
Psoriatic arthritis is a form of arthritis that typically occurs in people with psoriasis. In addition to pain, stiffness, and swelling of the joints, psoriatic arthritis can cause a red, scaly rash.
Symptoms are mostly related to joint problems. But you may also experience flare-ups in which your symptoms are worse. This may include rashes on the body due to inflammation.
While arthritis generally only affects a person's joints, some people find that their arthritis can also cause skin issues too. Bruises, lesions and rashes can all occur with different forms of arthritis, but what is the reason for this?
Chikungunya is a rare viral infection transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito. It is characterized by a rash, fever, and severe joint pain (arthralgias) that usually lasts for three to seven days.
- Avoid the irritant or allergen. ...
- Apply an anti-itch cream or ointment. ...
- Take an anti-itch drug. ...
- Apply cool, wet compresses. ...
- Protect your skin. ...
- Soak in a soothing cool bath. ...
- Protect your hands.
Treatment usually involves steroids taken by mouth and medicines to suppress the immune system such as methotrexate, azathioprine or mycophenolate mofetil (Cellcept). At Arthritis and Rheumatism Associates, PC, we work closely with your dermatologist to manage any rash that may be part of an autoimmune disease.
Two autoimmune diseases — lupus and dermatomyositis — have rashes that can affect the face in different ways. Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that most commonly affects women age 15 to 44. There are different types of lupus. Some forms mainly affect the skin, like cutaneous lupus.
- Lupus.
- Sjogren's syndrome.
- Dermatomyositis.
- Psoriasis.
- Eczema.
- Hypothyroidism & myxedema.
- Celiac disease.
- Scleroderma.
When should I worry about a rash?
If you have a rash and notice any of the following symptoms, see a board-certified dermatologist or go to the emergency room immediately: The rash is all over your body. A rash that covers the body could indicate something concerning, such as an infection or allergic reaction. You have a fever with the rash.
Arthritis-dermatitis syndrome: This is a form of DGI that usually comprises a triad of manifestations which include tenosynovitis, dermatitis, and polyarthralgia. It is also often associated with constitutional symptoms such as fever, chills, and body malaise.

Eczema (atopic dermatitis) -- Tends to happen in people with allergies or asthma. The rash is generally red, itchy, and scaly. Psoriasis -- Tends to occur as red, scaly, patches over joints and along the scalp. It is sometimes itchy.
Many viruses could be responsible for causing viral arthritis, the most common being Parvovirus, alphavirus, rubella, Hepatitis B, C, and flavivirus. Some other viruses can also cause arthritis/arthralgia rarely. These are EBV, HIV, mumps, herpes, and cytomegalovirus (CMV).
Skin inflammation and rashes can cause redness, pain, itching and dryness and be challenging to diagnose and manage. Common inflammatory skin conditions include dermatitis, poison ivy and poison oak, and drug rashes.
While OA can be limited to a single joint, in many cases it progresses to involve other joints, often in a sequential fashion as you describe.
On physical exam, the affected joint(s) may appear normal; however, tenderness, pain or mild swelling could be present. Joints with OA are not usually appreciably warm, red, or largely swollen; however, swelling and tenderness may occur. Crepitus, a crackling or grinding within a joint, may be palpable.
A stress rash usually looks like raised red bumps or hives that range from a single welt to a cluster of tiny dots. Commonly, these clusters will appear on the face, neck, chest, arms, and hands. However, they are not limited to those areas and can ultimately appear anywhere on the body.
Atopic dermatitis can cause a very itchy rash. Atopic dermatitis most often occurs where the skin flexes — inside the elbows, behind the knees and in front of the neck. Atopic dermatitis (eczema) is a condition that causes dry, itchy and inflamed skin. It's common in young children but can occur at any age.
The main cause is dermatitis, which is when your skin reacts to allergens or irritants. Bacteria, viruses, allergens and conditions including eczema, hives, and psoriasis can be the source of skin rashes. A variety of treatments can relieve your symptoms and get rid of the rash.
What autoimmune diseases cause a rash?
- Lupus.
- Sjogren's syndrome.
- Dermatomyositis.
- Psoriasis.
- Eczema.
- Hypothyroidism & myxedema.
- Celiac disease.
- Scleroderma.
What it looks like: Usually, you'll have a red or purplish rash on your legs. In more serious cases, you'll have sores or purple lesions on your legs and fingers or large ulcers on your legs, says Betsy Furukawa, MD, a dermatologist at Loma Linda University Health, in Loma Linda, CA.
Autoimmune hives are red, itchy, raised bumps. They vary in size from pinhead dots to large swollen lumps. You may see an eruption of one or two hives, or many hives that form a shapeless cluster or rash.
Mycosis fungoides is a type of lymphoma—the most common form of blood cancer. When someone has mycosis fungoides, malignant cells in the blood travel to the skin. The most common mycosis fungoides symptoms causes lesions that appear as a scaly, itchy rash.
The main cause is dermatitis, which is when your skin reacts to allergens or irritants. Bacteria, viruses, allergens and conditions including eczema, hives, and psoriasis can be the source of skin rashes. A variety of treatments can relieve your symptoms and get rid of the rash.
PsA rash typically looks the same as psoriasis rash. The most common type of psoriasis rash features raised patches of red skin covered with silvery-white scales. These are called plaques. Plaques may itch, burn, or hurt.
The two conditions can cause similar symptoms, but they have different causes and treatments. OA usually affects fewer joints, and its symptoms are generally limited to the joints. The progression of RA is more difficult to predict, and it can cause more widespread symptoms.
Osteoarthritis is not an autoimmune disease, and although the exact causes are not known, multiple risk factors have been identified. In a healthy joint, cartilage provides cushioning and a smooth joint surface for motion.
Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is an inflammatory disorder characterized by quotidian (daily) fevers, arthritis, and an evanescent rash. First described in children by George Still in 1896, "Still's disease" has become the eponymous term for systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis [1].
People with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) sometimes experience itchy skin. This may be due to the condition itself, the medications they are taking, or another condition, such as eczema. Switching medications with a doctor's approval may be an option. Home remedies can also provide relief.
What is the first red flag of psoriatic arthritis?
Joint pain, stiffness and swelling are the main signs and symptoms of psoriatic arthritis. They can affect any part of the body, including your fingertips and spine, and can range from relatively mild to severe. In both psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, disease flares can alternate with periods of remission.
A psoriatic arthritis rash looks like red patches of skin with silvery scales (plaques). It typically appears on the scalp, elbows, knees, and around the ears. Sometimes psoriatic arthritis rashes will be localized in a few small patches, but sometimes they develop all over the body.
Differences in Symptoms
People usually get osteoarthritis in their hands, hips, feet, knees, and spine. With psoriatic arthritis, you can develop symptoms of psoriasis (like thick patches of skin with scales that look white or silvery) before you show signs of psoriatic arthritis.