PsA Awareness Illustrations
Illustrations Created for Psoriatic Arthritis Awareness Month
As someone with multiple chronic illnesses, I'm extremely passionate about sharing education during awareness months. In May, I decided to use my social media platform to educate my followers on the basics of autoimmune diseases and how PsA affects those who have it. To do this, I used myself as a model to illustrate and express each topic I would discuss for each post.
The responses to these posts were filled with overwhelming support and individuals engaging, whether they had never heard of the disorder, knew about it but had questions, or even share the diagnosis themselves!
The responses to these posts were filled with overwhelming support and individuals engaging, whether they had never heard of the disorder, knew about it but had questions, or even share the diagnosis themselves!
My name is Kaleigh and I have #PsoriaticArthritis! Since May is PsA awareness month, I’ll be making pieces to teach you guys about the condition and my experience with it. Today I’m sharing a small representation of the areas I experience pain (highlighted in red!) If you have any questions or want to learn anything specific let me know in the comments below!
✨Here are some quick facts to get us started:
⚡️ PsA is an autoimmune disorder with no known cure, but a variety of treatment options to ease the symptoms!
⚡️PsA affects the entire body, including joints, skin, nails, and even tendons!
⚡️It affects 38 Million people worldwide- that’s a lot!
⚡️PsA is a chronic condition, meaning it affects patients their entire lives!
⚡️Not all people with psoriasis will get PsA, and not all people with PsA present psoriasis as strongly! I, for example, have a lot of joint pain but little areas of psoriasis patches!
✨Here are some quick facts to get us started:
⚡️ PsA is an autoimmune disorder with no known cure, but a variety of treatment options to ease the symptoms!
⚡️PsA affects the entire body, including joints, skin, nails, and even tendons!
⚡️It affects 38 Million people worldwide- that’s a lot!
⚡️PsA is a chronic condition, meaning it affects patients their entire lives!
⚡️Not all people with psoriasis will get PsA, and not all people with PsA present psoriasis as strongly! I, for example, have a lot of joint pain but little areas of psoriasis patches!
Continuing #PsAAwareness month with some of my day to day experiences! If you have any questions or want to know more, comment below! Let’s have a conversation!✨
⚡️I deal with chronic pain and fatigue daily, so easy tasks can either take much longer or take much more energy.
⚡️Because my condition fluctuates, there are some days I wake up and have to spend the day bedridden, or wake up and feel on top of the world!
⚡️Since there’s no telling how I’ll feel, planning for my day/making plans ahead of time can be really hard. I find myself having to cancel a lot (it’s never personal, it’s just my body!)
⚡️Due to my medication, I’m immunosuppressed, meaning I have to be SUPER careful about catching germs!
⚡️My legs give and get weak often, so you may see me using knee braces or a cane to get around. Mobility aids are super helpful!
⚡️My fingers are bent a little funny. This isn’t really a day to day thing, just a lil fact!
⚡️I deal with chronic pain and fatigue daily, so easy tasks can either take much longer or take much more energy.
⚡️Because my condition fluctuates, there are some days I wake up and have to spend the day bedridden, or wake up and feel on top of the world!
⚡️Since there’s no telling how I’ll feel, planning for my day/making plans ahead of time can be really hard. I find myself having to cancel a lot (it’s never personal, it’s just my body!)
⚡️Due to my medication, I’m immunosuppressed, meaning I have to be SUPER careful about catching germs!
⚡️My legs give and get weak often, so you may see me using knee braces or a cane to get around. Mobility aids are super helpful!
⚡️My fingers are bent a little funny. This isn’t really a day to day thing, just a lil fact!
Continuing my #PsAAwareness month posts with some treatment talk! If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment below! ✨
⚡️Though there’s no cure for PsA, there are many treatment options. Many people experience the condition differently and react to treatments differently!
⚡️Medications include anti-inflammatory drugs and immunosuppressants. Some use light therapy, massages, and even acupuncture to relieve symptoms!
⚡️I take Humira, which is a biweekly shot. It’s a TNF blocker/immunosuppressant, so it helps lower my immune system so it can’t keep attacking itself!
⚡️Each treatment has its own side effects and can take months to show any improvement of skin clearing/joint pain.
⚡️Like I’ve mentioned, there are no known cures, but a combination of medications and lifestyle changes can ease the symptoms!
⚡️Though there’s no cure for PsA, there are many treatment options. Many people experience the condition differently and react to treatments differently!
⚡️Medications include anti-inflammatory drugs and immunosuppressants. Some use light therapy, massages, and even acupuncture to relieve symptoms!
⚡️I take Humira, which is a biweekly shot. It’s a TNF blocker/immunosuppressant, so it helps lower my immune system so it can’t keep attacking itself!
⚡️Each treatment has its own side effects and can take months to show any improvement of skin clearing/joint pain.
⚡️Like I’ve mentioned, there are no known cures, but a combination of medications and lifestyle changes can ease the symptoms!
Continuing #PsoriaticArthritisawareness month with some talk about #InvisibleIllnesses ! If you have any questions don’t hesitate to leave a comment! ✨
⚡️ Invisible illness is an umbrella term for any medial condition that isn’t easily visible to others- including arthritis, fibromyalgia, and mental illnesses.
⚡️96% of individuals in the USA experience chronic medical conditions with no outward signs of their illnesses, 10% experience symptoms that are disabling.
⚡️Remember to never judge a book by its cover! Many conditions like PsA significantly impact daily activities and you may never notice just by looking at someone.
⚡️Struggling with an illness that doesn’t present outwardly brings its own challenges, as many individuals will be called “fakers”, told they “look fine”, by strangers, loved ones, and even our own doctors.
⚡️ Invisible illness is an umbrella term for any medial condition that isn’t easily visible to others- including arthritis, fibromyalgia, and mental illnesses.
⚡️96% of individuals in the USA experience chronic medical conditions with no outward signs of their illnesses, 10% experience symptoms that are disabling.
⚡️Remember to never judge a book by its cover! Many conditions like PsA significantly impact daily activities and you may never notice just by looking at someone.
⚡️Struggling with an illness that doesn’t present outwardly brings its own challenges, as many individuals will be called “fakers”, told they “look fine”, by strangers, loved ones, and even our own doctors.
It’s #PsoriaticArthritis Awareness Month! So far I’ve been able to share some facts about the illness and my experiences with it, but I want to start a conversation 💖 Do you have any questions? Can you relate in any way? Do you have an experience you want to share? Leave some comments below and let’s talk! ✨
Feeling disconnected? Continuing #PsAAwareness with some brain fog talk! ⛈
⚡️Brain fog is a symptom caused by many mental and physical illnesses- it includes inability to concentrate, fatigue, and a reduced processing speed
⚡️For me, brain fog includes a lot of forgetfulness! I lose my train of thought, forget words, or just completely stop talking because I can’t remember where I was going. It can be frustrating!
⚡️There is no sure-fire fix for brain fog, but there are some ways to manage and lessen it!
⚡️Brain fog is a symptom caused by many mental and physical illnesses- it includes inability to concentrate, fatigue, and a reduced processing speed
⚡️For me, brain fog includes a lot of forgetfulness! I lose my train of thought, forget words, or just completely stop talking because I can’t remember where I was going. It can be frustrating!
⚡️There is no sure-fire fix for brain fog, but there are some ways to manage and lessen it!
Living with #PsoriaticArthritis can leave you feeling a little here and there. Symptoms aren’t always consistent and the path to diagnosis and treatment is a long one. There is no blood work or test that can immediately “prove” the diagnosis, so instead, doctors must first rule out dozens of similar disorders. The best thing you can do as a patient or friend/loved one is stay informed and keep your head up! 💖