Can Cosentyx (secukinumab) cause joint pain?
Cosentyx (secukinumab) can be associated with joint pain. Joint pain (arthralgia) is listed among possible side effects for the medicine, so it can occur even though Cosentyx is used to treat inflammatory conditions that involve joints (such as psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis).
Is joint pain a side effect, or could it be your condition acting up?
Joint pain after starting Cosentyx can have two main explanations:
- A medication side effect (arthralgia).
- Ongoing disease activity or flare of the underlying condition you’re taking Cosentyx for.
Because Cosentyx is prescribed for joint-related diseases, it’s often hard to tell whether new or worsening pain is from the drug versus the illness unless symptoms change after starting, stopping, or adjusting therapy.
When should you contact a doctor about new joint pain on Cosentyx?
Contact your prescriber promptly if joint pain is:
- New and not improving
- Getting worse over time
- Severe or accompanied by swelling, redness, or warmth in a joint
Seek urgent care if joint pain comes with other concerning symptoms such as fever or signs of a serious allergic reaction.
Could Cosentyx also be linked to other related symptoms?
Patients can report a range of musculoskeletal and inflammatory symptoms while on biologics. If your joint pain is accompanied by muscle pain, rash, back pain changes, or other new symptoms, it’s important to have clinicians reassess whether your regimen is working and rule out other causes.
What alternatives exist if joint pain continues on Cosentyx?
If joint pain persists or interferes with daily life, clinicians may consider:
- Confirming the diagnosis and disease activity
- Checking whether other conditions (or injuries) could explain the pain
- Adjusting therapy or switching to another biologic or targeted treatment option depending on your condition and treatment history
If you tell me what condition you’re taking Cosentyx for (psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, plaque psoriasis, etc.) and when the joint pain started relative to your injections, I can help you think through the most likely possibilities to discuss with your doctor.
Sources
- [1] https://www.drugs.com/sfx/cosentyx-side-effects.html