What Is Reactive Arthritis?
What Is Reactive Arthritis?
Reactive arthritis, formerly referred to as Reiter's syndrome, 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 is recognized by various symptoms in different organs of the body that may or may not appear at the same time. It may come on quickly and severely or more slowly, with sudden remissions or recurrences.
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Reactive arthritis primarily affects sexually active males between the ages of 20 and 40. Those with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) are at a particularly high risk.
The cause of reactive arthritis is still unknown, but research suggests the disease is caused, in part, by a genetic predisposition: Approximately 75% of those with the condition have a positive blood test for the genetic marker HLA-B27.
In sexually active males, most cases of reactive arthritis follow infection with Chlamydia trachomatis or Ureaplasma urealyticum, bothsexually transmitted diseases. In other cases, people develop the symptoms following an intestinal infection with shigella, salmonella, yersinia, or campylobacter bacteria.
Besides using condoms during sexual activity, there is no known preventative measure for reactive arthritis.
The first symptoms of reactive arthritis are painful urination and a discharge from the penis if there is inflammation of the urethra. Diarrhea may occur if the intestines are affected. This is then followed by arthritis four to 28 days later that usually affects the fingers, toes, ankles, hips, and knee joints. Typically, only one or a few of these joints may be affected at one time. Other symptoms include:
Diagnosis of reactive arthritis can be complicated by the fact that symptoms often occur several weeks apart. A doctor may diagnose reactive arthritis when the patient's arthritis occurs together with or shortly following inflammation of the eye and the urinary tract and lasts a month or longer.
The disease is recognized by various symptoms in different organs of the body that may or may not appear at the same time. It may come on quickly and severely or more slowly, with sudden remissions or recurrences.
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While there's no cure for osteoarthritis, you can still do much to relieve pain and stay active. Your osteoarthritis treatment will depend on several factors, including the severity of your pain -- and how much it affects your everyday activities. Osteoarthritis often progresses slowly, with periods when there's little or no change. If you have mild-to-moderate osteoarthritis, you can probably control your symptoms with nonprescription pain relievers. When those don't work, your doctor will...
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Reactive arthritis primarily affects sexually active males between the ages of 20 and 40. Those with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) are at a particularly high risk.
What Causes Reactive Arthritis?
The cause of reactive arthritis is still unknown, but research suggests the disease is caused, in part, by a genetic predisposition: Approximately 75% of those with the condition have a positive blood test for the genetic marker HLA-B27.
In sexually active males, most cases of reactive arthritis follow infection with Chlamydia trachomatis or Ureaplasma urealyticum, bothsexually transmitted diseases. In other cases, people develop the symptoms following an intestinal infection with shigella, salmonella, yersinia, or campylobacter bacteria.
Besides using condoms during sexual activity, there is no known preventative measure for reactive arthritis.
What Are the Symptoms of Reactive Arthritis?
The first symptoms of reactive arthritis are painful urination and a discharge from the penis if there is inflammation of the urethra. Diarrhea may occur if the intestines are affected. This is then followed by arthritis four to 28 days later that usually affects the fingers, toes, ankles, hips, and knee joints. Typically, only one or a few of these joints may be affected at one time. Other symptoms include:
- Mouth ulcers
- Inflammation of the eye
- Keratoderma blennorrhagica (patches of scaly skin on the palms, soles, trunk, or scalp)
- Back pain from sacroiliac (SI) joint involvement
- Pain from inflammation of the ligaments and tendons at the sites of their insertion into the bone (enthesitis)
How Is Reactive Arthritis Diagnosed?
Diagnosis of reactive arthritis can be complicated by the fact that symptoms often occur several weeks apart. A doctor may diagnose reactive arthritis when the patient's arthritis occurs together with or shortly following inflammation of the eye and the urinary tract and lasts a month or longer.
