The Role of Pain in the Lives of Patients with Psoriasis: A Qualitative Study on an Inadequately Addressed Symptom

Background: Patients with psoriasis commonly report experiencing severe sensory symptoms, and the burden of these symptoms can extend beyond unpleasant experiences to impair patients’ health-related quality of life (HRQL). However, the symptom of pain and its consequences are still poorly understood in psoriasis patients. Objective: To understand the quality and intensity of pain associated with psoriasis as well as its interference with daily function in patients with psoriasis. Methods: Three focus groups and four interviews with psoriasis patients were conducted (n = 25). A trained facilitator used a semi-structured interview guide based on a literature review and a theory-driven approach. Two researchers independently coded the narratives and reached a consensus on the major themes using NVivo 12 software. Results: Our analysis produced five main themes regarding pain. (1) Perception of pain was illustrated through intense descriptors. (2) Patients identified pain triggers, including self-inflicted triggers. (3) Patients found coping strategies to deal with pain, including suppression of sensory experience. (4) Emotional suffering was linked primarily to the compulsion to continue scratching despite repeated efforts to stop and the failure of physicians to acknowledge the burden of the pain, which led to inadequate pain management. (5) Pain led to an overt impact on HRQL in these patients through interference with daily activity, intimate relationships, and sleep. Conclusions: Pain can be a significant hardship for patients with psoriasis. We encourage clinicians to inquire about pain separate from pruritus and to consider HRQL impacts of their patients’ pain when determining treatments.