Behcet's disease is a condition that causes chronic inflammation within a variety of areas within the body. It is thought to be caused by the body’s immune system mistakenly attacking its own healthy tissues and cells, although this has not been definitively proven. Behcet's disease symptoms tend to vary widely from each individual with the condition and may continually recur and subside without warning. The condition does not have a cure, so its treatment will generally involve temporarily controlling the individual symptoms.
One of the most common Behcet’s disease symptoms is mouth sores on the moist lining of the inside of the mouth. When they initially form, the sores may be raised, but they may begin to form deeper into the mouth’s tissue and become painful as the develop further. Mouth sores associated with Behcet’s disease will typically subside on their own within 21 days, but tend to recur regularly.
Behcet’s disease symptoms may also include uveitis, a condition in which the uvea of the eye become inflamed. The uvea is the area of the eye between the retina, the membrane in the back of the eyes, and the white of the eye. Inflammation in the uvea can result in pain, redness, blurred vision, or inflammation of the blood vessels in the retina, which can lead to vision loss.
Skin lesions are another one of the common Behcet’s disease symptoms. The appearance of the skin lesions tends to be different depending on the individual. Some people with the disease may experience small, red bumps on the skin that appear similar to acne, while others may have red lumps on their skin that are tender or painful to the touch.
The disease may also cause inflammation of the body’s blood vessels. This inflammation can result in the arteries becoming inflamed and unable to pump blood properly. One possible complication that may result is a blood clot, in which the blood thickens into a small mass that can cause swelling, redness, or pain in the arms and legs. If the arteries are unable to fully function, it can cause weakening of the artery walls and lead to aneurysms, in which the arteries fill with extra fluid and expand like a balloon. This expansion can cause the artery to burst and lead to death as a result of blood loss.
