Dactylitis usually won't go away on its own.

Is dactylitis permanent?

Dactylitis is defined as inflammation affecting all anatomical layers of a digit. Acute dactylitis is tender. Permanent damage has been demonstrated in digital joints affected by dactylitis, so it has a prognostic role as a sign of disease severity.

Is dactylitis serious?

Unfortunately, the presence of dactylitis often denotes more severe disease, Dr. Gladman says. “Digits with dactylitis are more likely to have damage than those without dactylitis,” she says.