When your joints start hurting after a stomach bug or a urinary infection, it’s not just bad luck—it could be reactive arthritis, a type of inflammatory joint condition that develops after an infection elsewhere in the body. Also known as Reiter’s syndrome, it’s not the infection itself attacking your joints, but your immune system overreacting and turning on your own tissues. This isn’t common, but it’s real—and it often shows up weeks after you thought you were already over the illness.
Most cases follow infections from bacteria like Chlamydia, Salmonella, Shigella, or Campylobacter. The trigger isn’t always obvious—you might not even remember getting sick. But if you’re male, under 40, and carry the HLA-B27, a genetic marker linked to immune system behavior, your risk goes up. It’s not a guarantee, but it’s a strong clue doctors look for. Reactive arthritis doesn’t just hit your knees or ankles. It can also cause red, irritated eyes (conjunctivitis), painful urination, or skin rashes on the soles of your feet or palms of your hands. These symptoms don’t always show up together, which is why it’s often missed or misdiagnosed.
Unlike rheumatoid arthritis, reactive arthritis usually doesn’t cause permanent damage if treated early. Most people recover fully within 3 to 12 months. But for some, it lingers or comes back, especially if the original infection wasn’t fully cleared. Treatment focuses on calming the inflammation—NSAIDs like ibuprofen are often the first step. In more severe cases, doctors may use physical therapy, corticosteroid injections, or even drugs that target the immune system. The key is catching it early and treating the root cause if it’s still around.
You won’t find a cure in a supplement or a miracle diet, but what you can control is how you respond. Staying active helps keep joints flexible. Avoiding smoking reduces flare-ups. And if you’ve had one episode, knowing which infections to watch for next time makes a big difference. The posts below cover real cases, medication risks, and how other conditions like Crohn’s disease or psoriasis can overlap with reactive arthritis. Some discuss how antibiotics are used—or avoided—after triggering infections. Others look at how joint pain from reactive arthritis compares to other types of arthritis, and what tests actually matter. There’s no fluff here—just what works, what doesn’t, and what you need to know before you walk into a doctor’s office.
Sulfasalazine helps reduce joint inflammation in reactive arthritis by calming the immune system. It takes weeks to work but can prevent long-term damage when used consistently. Side effects are usually mild, and it's often preferred over stronger drugs for moderate cases.
