Behcet’s syndrome (also called Behcet’s disease) is rare condition that causes your body’s blood vessels to swell. This can cause symptoms throughout your body. Sores inside your mouth and on your genitals are common, but you may also have symptoms in other areas.
Behcet’s syndrome is different for everyone. Some people have only mild symptoms. Others have more serious problems.
Your symptoms often come and go. Bouts of symptoms are called flares. Going long periods without symptoms is called remission.
Most people with Behcet’s syndrome have sores in the mouth and on the genitals. But the swelling of blood vessels it causes can bring on symptoms throughout your body:
Mouth:
Sores on the lips, tongue, and inside of the cheek
Because there are so many different symptoms, Behcet’s syndrome can be hard to diagnose. It has symptoms similar to many other conditions, including Crohn’s disease, lupus, and arthritis. Your doctor may want to give you a blood test to rule out other conditions. It can take months to find out for sure that you have Behcet’s.
Doctors will look at your medical history, do a physical exam, and look for groups of symptoms. You may be diagnosed with Behcet’s if you have mouth sores at least three times in a year, and you have at least two of these symptoms:
Positive pathergy test: Your doctor will prick your arm with a small needle. If a bump forms in that spot 1 or 2 days later, it’s a good clue that you may have the condition. It indicates an overreaction by your immune system to a small injury.
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