What is psoriatic arthritis? Adam Thomas in 'pain every day' from condition
Actor and former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Adam Thomas has given an update on his health condition, having been diagnosed with arthritis in 2023.
In an Instagram post, the Waterloo Road star has shared how the condition impacts his life on a day to day basis, telling fans how he's "in pain every day" as he posted an image from his latest trip to the hospital.
Initially the actor was told he had rheumatoid arthritis, but the Waterloo Road actor, 36, has since shared that he's actually living with psoriatic arthritis.
Alongside a picture of him undergoing new tests in hospital, Thomas explained how he is coming off his latest medication because the side effects have become "too much".
"My arthritis journey...," he wrote on Instagram. "So for those of you that know,I’ve been on my methotrexate injections for quite some time and the side effects were just too much for me, I’ve had enough so I’ve decided to come off them.."
He went on to outline how living with arthritis impacts his life. "The thing is I’ve never been pain free!!” he continued. “Over two years I’ve been in pain EVERYDAY and as you can imagine it definitely takes its toll. The only time I can think of, that I’ve not been pain free, is when I was doing strictly… 4-5 weeks in the pain was unbearable to the point i couldn’t physically carry on anymore I was putting on a brave face, but really I was suffering!”
Despite continuing to document his pain battle on social media and the methods he is taking to try combat the symptoms, Thomas says he struggles to open up about his health battle.
“I genuinely do not talk to anyone about any of this, and the reason I share this is because I know a lot of you are suffering, but I want you to know that we have to stay strong!” he wrote. “No one will understand what we are going through it’s tough some good days some bad, but we can’t let it beat us. I refuse to give in!!”
Last year the star marked his birthday on Instagram with a post explaining a little more about the signs that lead to his arthritis diagnosis.
"I've been in a lot of pain since January, it started with my knees and then travelled to my wrists, fingers and now ankles and toes," he wrote alongside a family snapshot with his wife Caroline Daly and the couple's two children.
"I never knew what was happening and finally after several blood tests and back and forth to doctors and hospitals, I've been diagnosed with rheumatoid Arthritis! I thought that was something people, later on in their life get... but that's not the case, clearly!"
While he shared at the time how he'd been told he had rheumatoid arthritis, he has since told how his initial diagnosis has been changed, saying in January on Loose Women that he's actually living with psoriatic arthritis.
What is psoriatic arthritis?
The NHS says psoriatic arthritis is a long-term condition that causes joint pain, swelling and stiffness. Medicines can help treat the symptoms. Some people with the skin condition psoriasis may develop psoriatic arthritis as they get older.
Symptoms of psoriatic arthritis are similar to rheumatoid arthritis and include, pain, swelling and stiffness in one or more joints, swollen fingers or toes. Other potential symptoms include your nails changing from their usual colour, or tiny dents or pits developing in your nails. You may also feel drained of energy.
There is no cure for psoriatic arthritis, but thankfully it can be treated and managed. The main treatment for psoriatic arthritis is medicines, which can include.
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) – which can help with mild symptoms
steroid injections – injected into the joints to help ease the pain
disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) – used for moderate to severe symptoms
biological treatments – usually given by injection and can be used if DMARDs do not help
You may also be referred to a physiotherapist, occupational therapist, or both.
If you’re living with psoriatic arthritis the NHS also recommends
exercise regularly – particularly low impact exercises like swimming, walking and yoga, which can help strengthen and protect your joints
trying to lose weight if you're overweight to reduce pressure on your joints
cutting down on alcohol particularly if you're taking medicines – alcohol can affect medicines
Differences between rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis
While there are a number of arthritic conditions psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are two of the most common and share many similarities, including:
symptoms like pain, stiffness, and swelling
both being autoimmune diseases
both gradually damaging a person’s joints, bones, and tendons
However, there are some differences between the two conditions. While a person with PsA may also experience psoriatic skin conditions, someone living with RA will commonly experience symptoms in the knuckles and middle joints of their fingers and may present with rheumatoid nodules, among other complications. There are also some differences in treatments of the two conditions.
Read more about health and wellness:
What to know about autoimmune diseases as Nadiya Hussain gives health update (5-min read)
Nightmares could be an early warning sign of an autoimmune disease flare-up – new study (The Conversation, 4-min read)
Star Wars actress Daisy Ridley diagnosed with Graves’ disease (PA Media, 1-min read)
