Arthritis Home Arthritis Summary Read the full fact sheet Reactive arthritis is a type of arthritis caused by certain types of bacterial infection.Symptoms include joint pain and swelling and eye inflammationMost people with reactive arthritis will find that their condition disappears completely within 6–12 months On this page Symptoms of reactive arthritis Causes of reactive arthritis Diagnosing reactive arthritis Treatment for reactive arthritis Self-management of reactive arthritis Where to get help Reactive arthritis, formerly called Reiter’s syndrome, is a type of arthritis that occurs as a ‘reaction’ to a bacterial infection in another part of the body. The most common types of infection that can lead to reactive arthritis are sexually transmissible infections and infections of the digestive system (usually as a result of food poisoning).Normally, when a person has an infection, the immune system steps in to fight it. However, in a person with reactive arthritis, this immune syst...
