Spondyloarthropathies are diagnosed

through: medical history lab tests by symptoms of joint and tissue inflammation morning stiffness other symptoms unique to a specific spondyloarthropathy (such as scaly skin in psoriatic arthritis).

Treatment is focused on relieving pain and stiffness and on good posture and stretching of the affected areas to prevent stiffening and deformity. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used to treat pain and inflammation linked to spondyloarthropathies. Other treatment options depend on the type of spondyloarthropathy you have.

 There is no single lab test used to diagnose reactive

arthritis. Stiffness and pain are monitored. Sedimentation Rate- is a blood test that may be obtained to document the presence of inflammation in the body. Rheumatoid factor ---is usually negative in reactive arthritis. The HLA-B27 gene marker blood test can be helpful, especially in the diagnosis of patients with spine disease.

 X-rays- of the spine or other joints can reveal

typical changes of inflammation in these areas but generally not until later in the disease. ophthalmology evaluation- for patients with eye inflammation, to document the degree of inflammation in the iris. Stool cultures - might be obtained to detect the presence of infections in the bowel. Urinalysis and culture of the urine- may be necessary to detect bacterial infection in the urinary tract. Prostate gland can also be examined for tenderness.

For joint inflammation, patients are generally initially treated with: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
They should be taken with food to minimize this risk.

Corticosteroids, such as prednisone,

helpful in reducing inflammation and are used in the

short-term treatment of inflammation in reactive arthritis. They can be given by mouth or by local injection into the joint.

 Sulfasalazine (Azulfadine)
has been shown to be effective in some

patients with persistent reactive arthritis. For the aggressive inflammation of chronic joint: Methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Trexall) It is given on a weekly basis and requires regular monitoring of blood counts and blood liver tests

Eye inflammation can be alleviated with: antiinflammatory drops. Some patients with severe iritis require local injections of cortisone to prevent damaging inflammation to the eye, which can lead to blindness.

The inflammation around the penis can be helped by: cortisone creams (such as Topicort). When bacteria are discovered in the bowel or urine, antibiotics specific for those bacteria are given.

 The TNF-blockers, such as etanercept(Enbrel)

and infliximab (Remicade) have potential for treating severe, resistant reactive arthritis. These drugs may improve both the joint and non-joint areas of inflammation.