Reactive arthritis

What is reactive arthritis?

Reactive arthritis is a relatively short-lived condition causing painful joint swelling. It develops shortly after a bowel, genital tract or, less frequently, throat infection.

Find out more

What are the symptoms of reactive arthritis?

Common symptoms include:

painful and swollen joints, usually in your ankles or knees
swollen and tender tendons surrounding your joints
swollen fingers or toes that look like sausages – this is sometimes called a sausage digit (dactylitis)

Less common symptoms include:

inflamed, red eyes (conjunctivitis)
scaly skin rashes over your hands and feet
diarrhoea, which may start some time before the arthritis
mouth ulcers
inflammation of the genital tract, causing discharge from your penis or vagina
in men, a sore rash over the end of your penis

Find out more

What causes reactive arthritis?

Unlike septic arthritis, which is caused by an active infection within your joint, reactive arthritis is a reaction to an infection elsewhere in your body, for example:

in your gut, such as food poisoning or dysentery, usually involving diarrhoea
in your genital tract, which is sometimes caused by a sexually transmitted infection (STI)
in your throat, which is usually caused by streptococcus
an ordinary viral or bacterial infection

Find out more

Reactive arthritis will usually disappear completely within 6 months. In 10–20% of people the symptoms last longer, but only a small number of people go on to develop a persistent arthritis that requires longer term treatment.

Find out more

How is reactive arthritis diagnosed?

Reactive arthritis can usually be told apart from other arthritic conditions because of the link to an earlier infection. Your doctor will probably ask about your recent health and sexual activity if they think you have reactive arthritis.

Find out more