Kim Kardashian discusses ‘painful and scary’ psoriatic arthritis diagnosis in new essay

Kim Kardashian West has written a candid essay about her struggle with psoriasis and being informed that she has developed psoriatic arthritis.

Psoriasis is a skin condition which can cause red, flaky patches of skin to appear on areas of your body including your elbows, knees, scalp and lower back, the NHS outlines.

Kardashian West first experienced a psoriasis flare-up when she was 25 years old, which she explained came about after she had suffered from a cold.

“I got a common cold, and since psoriasis is an autoimmune condition, this triggered it. It was all over my stomach and legs,” the reality star wrote in an essay published on Poosh, a website founded by her elder sister, Kourtney Kardashian.

Kardashian West’s psoriasis disappeared for a few years after she received treatment from a dermatologist, but then returned again when she was in her early thirties.

“For the past eight years, although the spots are unpredictable, I can always count on my main spot on my right lower leg, which consistently stays flared up,” the beauty mogul said.

Kardashian West stated that while her psoriasis “fully went away” during her pregnancies with daughter North and son Saint, it returned earlier this year and got “extremely bad”.

“It covered my whole face and a majority of my entire body,” the 38-year-old said.

It was at this point that Kardashian West started experiencing severe pain in her hands, to the point that on one occasion she was unable to “even pick up a toothbrush”.

The television personality visited a doctor, under the suspicion that she may have developed rheumatoid arthritis.

While an initial blood test came back positive for rheumatic arthritis and lupus, Kardashian West later discovered that the test had been a false positive, and that she had actually developed psoriatic arthritis.

“It’s similar to arthritis that can stem from psoriasis and it can come and go,” Kardashian West said.

“It’s still painful and scary, but I was happy to have a diagnosis. No matter what autoimmune condition I had, I was going to get through it, and they are all manageable with proper care.”

When a person has psoriatic arthritis, they may experience “pain, swelling and stiffness” in and around their joints, Versus Arthritis states.

According to the organisation, one in five people who have psoriasis are likely to develop psoriasis arthritis.

Kardashian West ended her essay with a message of comfort for other individuals who suffer from psoriasis.

“If you have psoriasis, you can’t let it ruin your life or get the best of you,” she wrote. “You have to do what you can do make sure you are comfortable but not let it take over.

“I live a healthy life and try to eat as plant-based as possible and drink sea moss smoothies. With all the stress in life, I try to make sure I take time for myself so that I am centred and keep my stress to a minimum.”

Kardashian West added that she hopes her story will “help anyone else with an autoimmune disease feel confident that there is light at the end of the tunnel”.

According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, approximately 125 million people across the globe have psoriasis.

To find out more about psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, visit the Versus Arthritis website here.