Reactive Arthritis: What Else Happens During A Doctor Visit?

At the start of an exam, a doctor will more than likely take a complete medical history and take down a person’s symptoms, as well as note any infections or previous medical issues. Before and after a doctor’s visit, it is sometimes helpful for a patient to keep a record of symptoms that occur, when they occur and how long they last. It is particularly important for a person to report any flu-like symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting and fever, because these issues could be evidence of a bacterial infection.

Some doctors might order an HLA B27 test, while other physicians may order antinuclear antibody testing or a rheumatoid factor test to see if a person has arthritis. Most individuals with reactive arthritis will come up negative when tested, and even if the results are positive, it may be related to some other type of arthritis or rheumatic disorder.

What Type Of Physician Treats Reactive Arthritis?

A person who has reactive arthritis will more than likely need to see several types of physicians because the disease attacks different parts of the body. However, it may be a good idea to have a rheumatologist because this is a specialist that can coordinate treatments and monitor the side effects of different medications a person may need to take. Other physicians that a person may need include:

• Physiatrist: to manage and supervise exercise regimens
• Ophthalmologist: to treat diseases of the eyes
• Orthopedist: to perform surgery on badly damaged joints
• Gynecologist: to treat genital symptoms in women
• Urologist: to treat genital issues in males and females
• Dermatologist: to treat skin symptoms and issues

How is Reactive Arthritis Treated?

Although there is no cure for reactive arthritis, there are many ways of treating the symptoms and giving a person some relief from the pain. A physician could recommend one or more of the following treatments:

• Early stage: The early stages of inflammation can be treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications. These medicines will stop pain and swelling and the exact dose recommended will vary from patient to patient.
• Late stage: Chronic reactive arthritis could require treatment using antirheumatic drugs such as methotrexate or sulfasalazine. Sulfasalazine may be more beneficial when this disease is triggered by a gastrointestinal infection. In some situations, joint inflammation may benefit from corticosteroid infection.

Prognosis

While there is no cure for reactive arthritis, most patients find relief of the painful symptoms through a combination of different treatments. Physical therapy, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications and cortisone injections can be helpful for painful joints and tendons and fascial inflammation. People with reactive arthritis usually do not require hospitalization, but inpatient care may be necessary for those who are unable to manage oral administration of medications.

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No dietary changes are necessary, unless a person is receiving steroidal therapy. Physical therapy may be helpful at relieving pain in many instances, but the symptoms of reactive arthritis will usually inhibit someone’s activities to some extent.