Reactive Arthritis - Medtick
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Reactive Arthritis

What is it?

Arthritis means inflammation (hot, red and swelling) of one or more joints.

  • Reactive arthritis is caused when a joint ‘reacts’ to an infection elsewhere in the body.
  • The infection which triggers reactive arthritis is not actually in the joint. It’s normally in the abdominal region.
  • Symptoms can last from three to twelve months.
  • This condition can be also referred as Reiter’s syndrome.

Cause

  • Unknown
  • Tends to occur after the following infections that mainly that affect the intestines and gut (but not always):
    • Bacterial gastroenteritis:
      • Clostridium infection
      • Cyclombacter jejuni infection
      • E.coli infection
      • Salmonella infection
      • Shigella infection
      • Staphylococcus infection
      • Yesinia infection
  • Protozoan infection
  • Sexually transmitted disease:
  • Viral infection:
  • Respiratory infection:
  • Genetic:
    • Individuals who have the gene marker: HLA-B27

Symptoms

(Symptoms can develop quickly or gradually, normally after a gut or urethra and/or covid infection)

  • Any unknown lumps or swellings on any part of body?
  • Joint stiffness at first before any pain (severity of pain and swelling can vary from mild to severe)?
  • One or more joints affected (commonly in knees, ankles and toes, base of the spine is also common which causes low backache and buttock pain)?
  • Tendons and ligaments next to some joints inflamed (the most common site for this is the Achilles tendon at the back of the ankle which may become painful?
  • Ligaments in a finger or toe become inflamed at the same time as the joints, the whole finger or toe may look swollen. This may then look like a ‘sausage’ finger or toe)?
  • Inflamed (hot, red and swollen) joints and/or warm to touch?
  • Pain when urinating?
  • Uveitis (inflammation of a deeper part of the eye) this can cause redness of the eye, pain and blurring of vision?
  • Whites of eye look inflamed, hot, red, and swollen?
  • A scaly skin rash on the hands and feet (keratoderma blennorrhagica)?
  • High temperature greater than 38°C (100°F) or over and/or chills and sweats longer than 72 hours?
  • General discomfort (muscle weakness), uneasiness or ill feeling (malaise) and/or fatigue (tiredness)?
  • Hot, red and soreness and sores (spots/ulcers) on genitals causing a discharge?

Male only:

Nail changes:

Complications /Information to beware of/General tips:

Medical Emergency Condition

And/or do not wait, phone for ambulance if have or develop:

This condition can lead to:

This condition may show similar symptoms to:

Please talk to your healthcare professional (i.e. Medical Doctor/Pharmacist) for further advice

Detailed Information

Please copy and paste any key words from the title: Reactive Arthritis in the following respective 'Medtick References and/or Sources' to find out more about the disease (this also may include diagnosis tests and generic medical treatments).

Diet, Exercise and Body Manipulations

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