Equipping People To Make Sense Of What They Are Told
Bechets Disease - A form of vasculitis that can lead to ulceration and other lesions.
It can be interpreted as a chronic disturbance in the body’s immune system.
A chronic rheumatic illness, initiated through the bodies immune system being over-reactive,
and producing unpredictable episodes of inflammation which affect mostly the small
blood vessels. Symptoms may occur wherever there is a blood supply.
People with Behcet’s disease will usually begin to have symptoms between 20 and 30
years of age.
Globally, men are affected more frequently than women. However, in the United States,
more women are affected than men 1.
Currently the cause is still unknown. It is not known if the disease is hereditary,
but this is suspected.
Behcet’s disease can cause a wide range of symptoms, but it is uncommon for someone
with the condition to experience all of the possible symptoms.
Symptoms.
Behcet's disease may disappear and recur on its own. The signs and symptoms experienced
depend on which parts of the body are affected by the inflammation of Behcet's disease.
Body areas most commonly affected include:
Mouth ulcers - painful mouth sores, identical to canker sores, are the most common
sign. Sores begin as raised, round lesions in the mouth that quickly turn into painful
ulcers. The sores heal usually in seven to 21 days, though they do recur.
Skin - Some may develop acne-like sores on their bodies. Others may develop red,
raised and tender nodules on their skin, especially on the lower legs.
Genitals - The sores most commonly occur on the scrotum or the vulva. Sores appear
as round, red and ulcerated lesions. The genital sores are usually painful and may
leave scars. Like mouth ulcers, genital ulcers are also a common symptom of Behcet’s
disease.
In men, the ulcers usually appear on the scrotum, while in women they appear on the
cervix, vulva or vagina. However, genital ulcers can appear anywhere in the groin
region, including on the penis. Men may also experience inflammation or swelling
of the testicles, while women may find that the ulcers make sex painful.
Genital ulcers that are caused by Behcet’s disease are not contagious and cannot
be spread through sexual intercourse.
Eye inflammation a condition called uveitis. (The uveal tract is a group of connected
structures inside the eye, made up of the iris (the coloured part of the eye), the
ciliary body (the ring of muscle behind the iris), and the choroid (the layer of
tissue that supports the retina).
The symptoms of uveitis can cause:
Painful, red eyes,
Sensitivity to light (photophobia),
Floaters (dots that move across the field of vision), and
Blurred vision.
In the most severe cases of Behcet’s disease, inflammation of the eyes can lead to
a permanent loss of vision.
Escudier M, Bagan J, Scully C (March 2006). "Number VII Behçet's disease (Adamantiades
syndrome)". Oral Dis 12 (2): 78–84.
Joints - Swelling and pain most commonly affect the knee in those. The ankle, elbow
or wrist also may be involved. Signs and symptoms may last one to three weeks and
go away on their own.
Inflammation of the veins and arteries occurs in a minority of people with Behcet’s
disease. It produces redness, pain and swelling in the limbs. In the most severe
cases of vascular disease, the inflammation of the veins and arteries can result
in serious and possibly life-threatening complications. The complications can include:
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) - a blood clot in the leg.
Aneurysms - swelling of an artery.
Pericarditis - swelling of the lining of the heart.
Digestive system - A variety of signs and symptoms that affect the digestive system,
including abdominal pain, diarrhoea or bleeding. Inflammation of the stomach and
intestine can cause symptoms such as:
Vomiting,
Loss of appetite,
Indigestion,
Diarrhoea, and
Abdominal pain.
Brain Inflammation may occur which causes:
Headache.
Fever.
Disorientation.
Poor balance.
Stroke.
Inflammation of the nervous system - the most serious type of symptom associated
with Behcet’s disease. CNS inflammation occurs in an estimated 5-10% of cases of
Behcet’s disease, usually within five years of the initial onset of symptoms.
The symptoms of CNS are most common in men. The inflammation usually develops quickly,
over the space of a few days.
