Reactive arthritis is a kind of arthritis that is
unlike the conventional ones that most people suffer
from. Also known as Reiter's syndrome (this name is
however not that much in use these days), it affects
mostly young males, and the most common symptoms include
inflammation in the joints, in the genitals or the
urinary organs or the gastrointestinal systems and
also inflammation in the eyes (this can also be conjunctivitis)
and even in the skin. The symptoms of reactive arthritis
are usually notices after someone has suffered either
from urethritis or dysentery. Sometimes, the symptoms
last for more than a year too, and thus it becomes
necessary to diagnose the disease and seek treatment
as early as possible. Because reactive arthritis can
even lead to long-term disability.
Those who are affected are usually between the age
of 20 to 40 years (but there are exceptions to this),
and interestingly it has also been seen that mostly
white skinned people get the disease. It is very rare
among the colored population and also among women.
It has also been seen that those who have the HLA-B27
body tissue tend to suffer from reactive arthritis
more than others. Incidentally, not all people have
this tissue – some have them, and others do
not. It is just like the blood type and the color
of hair. The HLA-B27 body tissue is received from
parents.
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The name ‘reactive arthritis’ comes from
the fact that the disease occurs when the immune system
is ‘reacting’ or trying to fight back
a bacterial attack to the gastrointestinal, urinary
or the genital area. It is this reaction that causes
the inflammation to happen.
The disease was first observed during WW-1 by a German
physician in the military named Hans Reiter, who observed
a soldier getting reactive arthritis while he was
recovering from diarrhea. To study the subject, Dr.
Reiter made several experiments in the concentration
camps of the Nazi regimen. And that is one reason
why (due to the Nazi connection) his name is being
removed from the disease (Reiter's syndrome).
As mentioned earlier, reactive arthritis is caused
by the human body’s natural reaction to a viral
attack. The name thus comes from the fact that it
is basically a reaction to another disease. When the
system tries to fight the attack – the result
is a swelling in the affected parts. Though the disease
has an effect on many body parts, including the eye
and the genitals, but reactive arthritis mainly affects
the toes, ankles and knees.
Here are a few common warning signs…
• Early signs of the disease may be food poisoning
or some other intestine illness.
• Chlamydia, a sexually transmitted infection
is another warning.
• Stiffness in the joints and pain particularly
in the morning and the night.
• Swelling in the joints.
• Eyes becoming sensitive to light.
• Lower back pain is yet another early sign.
• Sores in the mouth or at the genital region.
