Behçet's disease
Recurrent mouth ulcers with problems in the eyes, skin, genitals, joints or blood vessels. Uncommon, but important to recognise — especially the eye signs.
What is Behçet's disease?
Behçet's disease is a type of vasculitis that causes recurrent mouth ulcers along with problems in the skin, eyes, genitals, joints, blood vessels and sometimes the brain or gut. It is most common along the old "Silk Road" — Turkey, the Middle East, Iran, Central Asia, China, Korea and Japan — but occurs everywhere, including India and among people from those regions living in the Gulf.
Symptoms to recognise
- Painful mouth ulcers that keep coming back — at least three times a year
- Genital ulcers, which can scar
- Eye inflammation (uveitis) — red, painful eye, blurred vision or floaters — a sight-threatening emergency
- Acne-like spots, painful red lumps on the shins (erythema nodosum)
- Skin "pathergy" — a pustule at the site of a needle prick
- Joint pain and swelling, often knees and ankles
- Leg vein clots; rarely headaches, weakness or bowel ulcers
How it is diagnosed
There is no single blood test. Diagnosis is clinical, based on the pattern of features over time — recurrent mouth ulcers plus genital ulcers, eye, skin or vascular involvement. A positive pathergy test, an eye examination, and tests to exclude other causes all help. HLA-B51 is associated but is not diagnostic.
How it is treated
- Mouth and genital ulcers: topical treatments, colchicine, or apremilast
- Joint symptoms: colchicine, NSAIDs, sometimes azathioprine
- Eye, blood vessel, brain or bowel involvement: azathioprine, anti-TNF biologics or other strong treatments — urgently
- Regular eye checks
In line with the 2018 update of the EULAR recommendations for Behçet's syndrome.
Common questions
Are recurrent mouth ulcers always Behçet's?+
Is Behçet's contagious?+
Can Behçet's affect the eyes?+
Recurring ulcers with other symptoms?
A careful assessment sorts out what needs treatment and how urgently. Walk-in, no appointment needed.
Clinic timings & location