Reactive Arthritis
Reactive arthritis is a form of arthritis that affects the joints , eyes , urethra ( the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body ) , and skin .
The disease may come on slowly , with sudden remissions and recurrences .
Or , it may come on quickly and severely .
Reactive arthritis primarily affects sexually active males aged between 20 and 40 . Those with HIV are at a particular high risk .
The cause of reactive arthritis remains mysteriously unclear , but research suggests the disease is caused by a genetic predisposition to a genetic marker called
HLA – B27 .
Besides using prophylactics like condoms during sexual activity , there is no known preventive measures for reactive arthritis .
In sexually active males , most reactive arthritis follows infection through sexually transmitted diseases like Chlamydia trachomatis or through intestinal infection .
The first symptoms of reactive arthritis are painful urination , and a discharge from the penis if there is inflammation of the urethra .
Diarrhea may also occur if the intestines are affected . This is then followed by arthritis four to 28 days later affectedly impacting the fingers , toes , ankles , hips , and knee joints.
Typically , only one or a few of these joints maybe affected at any one time .
+ Mouth ulcers
+ Pain from tendon and ligament
inflammation ( enthesitis )
+ Inflammation of the eye
+ Patches of scaly skin on the palms , soles , trunk , or scalp ( keratoderma blennorrhagica )
+ Back pain from sacroiliac ( SI ) joint involvement
Diagnosis of reactive arthritis can be complicated by the fact that symptoms often occur several weeks apart . There is no specific test for diagnosing reactive arthritis but your rheumatologist may check the urethral discharge for sexually transmitted diseases.
Stool samples may also be tested for signs of any infection .
Joint inflammation from reactive arthritis is treated with nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drugs ( NSAIDs ) such as ibuprofen or naproxen .
Bacterial infections , such as Chlamydia , need to be treated with antibiotics . Skin eruptions and eye inflammation can be treated with steroids .
Patients with chronic arthritis may be advised to work out consistently and professionally referred to a qualified doctor .
The prognosis for reactive arthritis varies. Usually , 4 months , is what it takes to recover fully , but half of those have recurrences for several years down the road .
Some people develop complications that may include :
+ Inflammation of the heart muscle
+ Glaucoma
Got a question or a comment? We want to hear from you.