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Behçet's Disease

How to pronounce it: Behcet's - buh-shehts


AiArthritis defines Behçet's Disease as:

Behcet’s disease is a rare condition that causes inflammation of the blood vessels (vasculitis). It can affect various parts of the body, including the mouth, eyes, skin, and internal organs.


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  • Mouth sore caused by Behçet's Disease, showing painful ulcer inside the lip

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  • Skin rash and small bumps on the face, a typical skin problem seen in Behçet's Disease

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  • Person showing extreme tiredness and discomfort, a common complaint of people living with Behçet's Disease

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Symptoms & Characteristics

Common in All AiArthritis Diseases

Flares: Periods of worsening symptoms are called flares. A flare can last for hours, days, weeks, or months.


Physical Activity: Condition improves with activity and exercise and worsens with rest.


Comorbidities: When inflammation is left uncontrolled due to lack of proper treatment, comorbidities can develop. 70% of patients with chronic, lifelong disease will develop comorbidities, including dual or triple diagnoses.


Family History: Autoimmune diseases often run in families, indicating a potential genetic predisposition where that gene can cause disease. Autoinflammatory diseases can occur multiple times in a family, but is based off of genetic mutation. It is not a gene that causes the disease— but a mutation on the gene that can cause the disease which can then be passed on to the next generation.

"Auto" Symptoms

Fatigue: Severe fatigue or exhaustion that may not be helped by caffeine/stimulants and can happen even after a long period of rest.


Cognitive Dysfunction: Brain fog  or periods of time where thinking gets clouded and it becomes difficult to concentrate.


Flu-like symptoms: Without having the flu- nausea, muscle weakness, and general malaise.


Fever: Typically low grade in autoimmune (with exception of juvenile idiopathic arthritis) and higher grade in autoinflammatory (% strongly varies per disease).


Reference: Early Symptoms of AiArthritis Study, AiArthritis, 2019.


View Early Symptom Study

Inflammatory Arthritis Symptoms

Stiffness: Severe stiffness in one or more joints, especially in the morning or after sitting for long periods of time. 


Joint Pain: Episodes of joint pain that may last for hours, days, or even weeks, that can appear and disappear suddenly. Often described as “jumping pain” into different locations.


Typically the joint pain will coincide with one or more “Auto” symptoms and start and stop suddenly - for no apparent reason (which is called a "flare"). Some people will experience all of the above symptoms, others only a few.


 If you have any of the arthritis features, and at least one of the “Auto” features, please consult your physician about a referral to a specialist.


Symptoms Often Associated with Behçet's Disease

  • Painful mouth and genital sores
  • Skin lesions that look like acne
  • Eye inflammation (blurred vision, pain)
  • Gastrointestinal problems
  • Blood clots
  • Gastrointestinal problems
  • Inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, with severe headaches, stiff neck, and fever
  • Lung involvement

  • Diagnosing Behçet's Disease


    There’s no single test that can confirm a Behcet’s disease diagnosis, so rheumatologists rely on a combination of physical exams, blood tests, and imaging, along with a family history of autoimmune or autoinflammatory diseases.


    For a Behcet’s disease diagnosis, recurrent mouth sores (occurring at least three times in 12 months) must be present, along with at least two of the following:


    • Recurring genital sores
    • Eye inflammation
    • Skin sores

    A pathergy test may also be used, where a sterile needle is inserted into the skin. If a small red bump forms at the site within a few days, it indicates an immune system overreaction, supporting the diagnosis of Behcet’s disease.


  • Behçet's Disease Treatment Options

    Treatments are tailored to each individual's disease, but visit our Treatment Options page to learn more about the different types of treatments that are used for Behçet's Disease.

    Treatment Options

  • What Fellow Behçet's Disease Patients Want You to Know

    We need YOUR advice! Fill out this form to give peer advice to those with your disease.

    Submit YOUR Advice

  • Interesting Facts about Behçet's Disease

    • Behcet’s disease is named after Turkish dermatologist Dr. Hulusi Behçet, who first described it in 1937 after noticing a triad of symptoms: oral ulcers, genital ulcers, and eye inflammation. The disease was later understood to be an inflammatory condition affecting blood vessels, with higher prevalence along the Silk Road regions.


    • Until recently, this was considered a disease strongly associated with those of Middle Eastern dissent, which caused significant diagnosis issues for those who are Caucasian. There has been a movement to consider "Behcet's- like disease," which has expanded diagnosis to include many who reside in the United States.

  • Behçet's Disease Awareness Days/Months


    • World Autoimmune and Autoinflammatory Arthritis Day - May 20th
    • Rare Disease Day - February 29th (28th)
    • Autoimmune Awareness Month - March
    • Behçet's Awareness Day - May 20th
    • Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month - September
    • Pain Awareness Month - September
    • Chronic Disease Awareness Day - July 10th
    • Invisible Disabilities Week - 3rd full week of October

  • Other Behçet's Disease Resources



    AiArthritis Resources

In an effort to ensure this page has the most accurate and up-to-date information, this page is currently awaiting medical review. Some information is subject to change.


Page Last Updated: 10/31/2024

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