What is Behcet’s Disease?
Behcet’s Disease, also called Silk Road Disease, is an autoimmune disease in which the blood vessels of your body get inflamed (a defense reaction of your body to any stimulus).
Symptoms of Behcet's Disease
Below we have mentioned some of the many symptoms of Behcet’s disease:
A group of four symptoms are commonly known to occur in this disease: Mouth ulcers, Genital Ulcers, Skin problems and Inflammation inside your eye. Your joints, digestive system and nervous system may also be affected.
Inflammation inside your eyes can cause uveitis (uvea is the area around your pupil), retinitis (retina is the light-sensitive tissue in your eye) and iritis (iris is the coloured part of your eye).
- Blurry vision
- Pain
- Sensitivity to light
- Redness
- Tearing
- Blindness may be seen sometimes when your retina does not get enough blood supply
Causes of Behcet's Disease
What causes your own body’s cells to attack the blood vessels is not exactly known. People of Asian and Eastern Mediterranean origin are found to suffer more frequently. Men are affected more commonly than women and especially so during their 20s and 30s. Genetic factors combined with environmental factors like microbes are thought to play a role.