Reactive arthritis (also known as Reiter’s syndrome) can cause a wide range of symptoms. The most common symptoms include:
- inflammation of the joints (arthritis),
- inflammation of the eyes (conjunctivitis), and
- inflammation of the urethra (urethritis).
The urethra is the tube that runs from the bladder through the penis or the vulva, through which urine is passed out of the body.
Reactive arthritis develops as a reaction to an earlier infection, hence its name. The infection is usually either a sexually transmitted infection (STI) such as chlamydia, or an infection of the stomach and intestines such as salmonella. It is not fully understood why the reaction occurs.
How common is reactive arthritis?
Reactive arthritis is not common.
Reactive arthritis associated with an STI is much more common in men than in women. Men account for 90% of all cases. Reactive arthritis associated with a stomach infection occurs equally among men and women.
Most cases of reactive arthritis develop in people who are 20 to 40 years old.
Outlook
The outlook for reactive arthritis is reasonably good, and most people’s symptoms will get better within three to 12 months. Some people's symptoms will recur at some point in the future.
There is no cure for reactive arthritis. However, its symptoms can be controlled using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen.
Inflammation
Inflammation is the body's response to infection, irritation or injury. It causes redness, swelling, pain and sometimes a feeling of heat in the affected area.
Urethra
The urethra is a tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body.
Joints
Joints are the connection point between two bones that allow movement.
Continue to next section: Symptoms of reactive arthritis