According to studies on the incidence of Behçet's disease in Turkey, which is mostly encountered in lands extending from the Mediterranean to the Far East, 20-420 out of every 100 thousand people are struggling with this disease.
What is Behçet's Disease?
Although it is a disease that can be seen in both women and men, ocular involvement, which is one of the important symptoms of the disease, is more common in young men. The disease, which usually occurs between the ages of 20 and 40, can rarely show itself in childhood or old age.
In 1937, Dermatologist Prof. Dr. Behçet's disease, defined by Hulusi Behçet, occurs when three different symptoms come together. We can list these symptoms as oral aphthae, genital ulcer and uveitis with hypopyon. The disease, which is actually a vascular inflammation, shows different symptoms depending on the region of the inflamed vein in the body. Although the causes of the disease are not known exactly, it is not hereditary or contagious. There is no specific test for Behçet's disease that can be applied to the patient at the diagnosis stage.
Even though a pathergy test is performed while diagnosing Behçet's disease, a definitive diagnosis of the disease cannot be made based on the results of this test; this test represents only one of the criteria for diagnosis. Diagnosis is made according to the symptoms and each patient's own situation. Behçet's disease, which directly affects other systems in the body, can not be treated definitively, but there are various treatment methods that relieve symptoms. When these methods are applied regularly under expert control, patients' daily lives can be restored to normal.
What are the Symptoms of Behçet's Disease?
Among the symptoms of Behçet's disease; There are skin diseases such as recurrent mouth sores, eye problems such as iritis, iridocyclitis, hypopyon, genital area wounds, erythema nodosum, superficial thrombophlebitis, pustules and pathergy reactions. Aphthous formations are seen in 75-90% of patients. These aphthae appear as round or oval. Aphthae with yellow-white center and red around turn into painful sores.& nbsp;
Some patients with aphthae in their mouth have difficulty in eating and speaking. Aphthae smaller than 0.5 cm are seen in the tongue, lips and cheeks, and heal within a week to ten days. Larger aphthae can also settle on the palate and throat as well as these areas and heal in a longer time.
Recurrent aphthae can be seen in 20% of the population, even if they do not have Behçet's disease at the same time. Therefore, only the presence of recurrent aphthae is not sufficient to make a definitive diagnosis that the person has Behçet's disease.
Eye Involvement: Behçet's disease causes eye problems. Among these problems, eye involvement called “uveitis” stands out. In this condition, which is seen in 50% to 70% of patients, redness, blurred vision, blindness, floaters and pain in the eyes are experienced in and around the eyes. Although it varies from patient to patient, depending on the location of the eye involvement, even if there is no pain and redness, in some cases, low vision and floaters may be encountered.
Skin Findings: Erythema nodosum-like lesions and papulopustular lesions are among the most common skin findings in Behçet's patients. Erythema nodosum usually presents as red, painful bumps on the front of the legs. These findings with rounded lines are the size of a hazelnut or walnut.
In some patients, inflammation is not seen in these lesions, which are also seen on the hips and arms. It heals in 10-15 days without turning into an open wound and does not leave any traces on the patient's body. Papulopustular lesions appear as acne-like formations on the legs, arms, back and face. Lesions, which are usually red and inflamed, should not be confused with puberty-related acne in young people.
An important skin finding is the pathergy reaction. The pathergy reaction to the formation of redness and pus-filled buds on the skin traumatized with a needle, and the test performed to show this is called the pathergy test. It appears in. These formations, which are similar in appearance to aphthae in the mouth, are deeper and inflamed, unlike those in the mouth. Slightly longer to heal Reproductive genital area aphthae usually leave marks on the body.
In women, it can settle in the inner part of the vagina and cause discharge and pain. The aphthae in this region are called "Is Behçet's disease sexually transmitted?" begs the question. However, it is known that this disease is not sexually transmitted.
At the same time, these substances are among the symptoms of diseases such as Lupus, Lyme, and Crohn's. For this reason, when researching "What are the symptoms of Behçet's disease, which can be easily confused with other diseases," the patient should seek medical support for the symptoms seen in the body, without trying to diagnose himself. On the other hand, Behçet's disease varies from patient to patient.
While some patients can survive for many years with only the skin findings on their bodies, some patients have eye and vascular involvement. Therefore, it is not possible to see the above-listed symptoms together in every BD patient. The treatment processes of patients with different findings also vary.
How is Behçet's Disease Treated?
For Behçet's disease, which has no definitive treatment, different treatment methods are applied according to the findings. Drugs containing immunosuppressive substances such as cyclosporine, cyclophosphamide, azathioprine can also be used in the treatment of Behçet's disease, depending on the condition of other organ involvement. Colchicine, on the other hand, can be used for longer-term, skin and joint involvement of the disease. In the treatment of Behçet's disease, which adversely affects many systems in the body when left untreated, physical therapy, rehabilitation, psychological measures and surgical procedures can be applied in addition to these methods. Experts from various branches such as immunologists, neurologists, and gastroenterologists come together to discuss the methods to be applied, the drugs to be used and the determines their own. Thus, the damage to other parts of the body during the treatment is tried to be minimized.
Is Behçet's Disease Fatal?
The course and severity of Behçet's disease vary from patient to patient. While only skin findings are observed in some patients, system problems may occur in the digestive system and other parts of the body in some patients. Some patients are exposed to severe involvement. Eye involvement called uveitis can cause vision loss if necessary precautions are not taken.
However, the treatments under the title of treatment help to reduce the negative effects of the disease. In this disease, which is observed in recurrent attacks at regular intervals, the treatments applied in reducing the severity and number of attacks are of great importance. "Does anyone die from Behçet's disease?" If you ask, the death rate from Behçet's disease is low. Death may occur due to large vasodilation and rupture, vascular thrombosis, gastrointestinal bleeding and perforation.
Young male patients are especially at risk for vascular involvement and should be followed up with stronger drugs.
What's Good for Behçet's Disease?
It is aimed to reduce pain and minimize the number of complications in the treatment of Behçet's disease. . In this sense, herbal treatment methods for Behçet's disease are among the measures you can take on your own.
For example, nutrients such as apple cider vinegar, green tea, papaya, blueberry, broccoli, sweet potato, turmeric, seaweed, vitamins and minerals they contain, immune-boosting effect is showing. In addition to these, omega-3 and vitamin C supplements also play an important role in fighting Behçet's disease.
Also, uveitis attacks, which is the biggest problem of Behçet's patients, are triggered by stress, extreme fatigue and feverish diseases. For this reason, the precautions that patients will take to protect themselves from the common cold are of great importance. As in many diseases, staying away from stress and fatigue prevents the attacks of Behçet's patients from increasing. Sinusitis and dental abscess formation in patients are among the factors that trigger uveitis attacks.
Behçet's disease without a specific hereditary or environmental cause It can occur in individuals of any age. For this reason, those who have the symptoms of Behçet's disease, regardless of genetic factors, should consult a doctor for examination and diagnostic procedures at the first opportunity.
People with non-healing aphthae, non-healing wounds on the skin and visual impairment should go to a specialist without delay and if they have Behçet's disease, they should start the healing process with appropriate treatment. Otherwise, Behçet's disease can cause various health problems in the rest of the body.
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