Everything You Need To Know About Migratory Arthritis

Migratory arthritis is a pattern of arthritic symptoms and joint involvement that can affect many joints. Although it is not a distinct kind of arthritis in and of itself, the migratory pattern can help a diagnostician determine the specific form of arthritis that is present and can also be used to anticipate how the disease will progress.

What Exactly Is the Migraine Arthritis?

Simply said, migratory arthritis is the condition that occurs when the symptoms of arthritis (such as pain, swelling, warmth, redness, and stiffness in or around a joint) move from one joint to another joint. These symptoms can be seen in or around a joint.

When there is a migratory pattern, it is typical for one or more joints to be affected for a length of time, followed by a period of remission in those joints, as the symptoms reappear in other joints. During this time, however, the symptoms will arise in other joints (usually asymmetric joints). In most cases, the symptoms of migratory arthritis appear suddenly.

The migratory pattern is distinct from the intermittent pattern, which can be summed up as an exacerbation of symptoms followed by a period of total recovery from those symptoms. In simpler terms, an intermittent pattern is characterized by the presence of symptoms for a finite amount of time, after which the symptoms disappear.

The migratory pattern is also distinct from the additive pattern, in which a limited number of joints are afflicted at the beginning, but the number of affected joints steadily increases over time.

Conditions That Often Occur Together

When considering the migratory pattern, it is common for there to be an underlying medical problem associated with it. The following are some examples of conditions that might be linked to a migratory pattern of arthritis:

Arthritis Caused By Infection

Infectious arthritis is brought on by a pathogen (a bacterium, virus, or fungus) that makes its way from one joint to another after traveling throughout the body.

The skin, nose, throat, ears, or even an open wound are all potential entry points for the bacterium. It is also possible to develop infectious arthritis if an already present infection spreads to a joint as it is traveling through the body.

Arthritis Caused By Gonococcus

Infection of a joint is what leads to the development of gonococcal arthritis. People who have gonorrhea, which is brought on by a particular bacteria called Neisseria gonorrhoeae, have an increased risk of developing this form of arthritis. 

Infectious Rheumatic Fever

Rheumatic fever is a condition that arises as a consequence of an infection with group A streptococcus. Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory disease that has the potential to harm the heart, joints, brain, and skin. In most cases, an infection caused by streptococcus will manifest itself in the upper respiratory tract as a condition known as strep throat or scarlet fever.

Arthritis Caused By Reactions

An acute spondyloarthropathy, also known as reactive arthritis, is a form of arthritic condition that manifests itself as a reaction to an infection that has occurred in another part of the body. In addition to the involvement of joints, reactive arthritis is linked to symptoms such as redness and inflammation of the eyes, as well as inflammation of the urinary tract.

The Erythematous Systemic Form Of Lupus

Systemic lupus erythematosus, sometimes known as SLE, is a persistent autoimmune illness that causes inflammation. The joints, skin, kidneys, lungs, heart, and nervous system are just some of the organs that might be affected by lupus. Because lupus can be mistaken for other forms of arthritis and rheumatic disorders, correctly diagnosing the condition can be challenging. 

The Disease Of Inflammatory Bowel (IBD)

Chronic diseases of the intestinal tract such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are frequently grouped together and referred to as inflammatory bowel disease because they share similar symptoms. However, the ways in which these diseases affect the digestive tract are different from one another. The extra-intestinal consequence of inflammatory bowel disease that manifests most frequently is arthritis.

Sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis is a condition that can affect any part of the body, but the lungs, lymph nodes, or skin are the most typical sites where it manifests itself. In patients with sarcoidosis, inflammation in the tissues of the body leads to the formation of lumps, known as granulomas. Granulomas have the potential to disrupt organ function as they expand and become more clumped together.

A Disease Known As Lyme

Borrelia burgdorferi is a bacterium that is classified as a spirochete. It is the causative agent of the infectious sickness known as Lyme disease.

Borrelia burgdorferi is an organism that dwells inside deer ticks and can be transmitted to humans when an infected tick bites a person.

In the early disseminated stage of Lyme disease, the Infection spreads to the rest of the body in the weeks that follow the tick bite. This can lead to a variety of symptoms and complications, including discomfort in the joints. Chronic arthritis can be caused by an infection that is in its late stage, which can occur months or even years after the onset of symptoms.

Bacterial Endocarditis

Inflammation of the endocardium, or the inner lining of the heart, is referred to as endocarditis or infective endocarditis. When bacteria find their way into your heart, you've got bacterial endocarditis, the most frequent form. Germs that are present in one section of your body will eventually make their way to your bloodstream.

Endocarditis caused by bacteria can wreak havoc on your heart valves. Pain in the joints is one of the potential symptoms of chronically infected endocarditis, which can manifest in a variety of ways. 

The Disease Of Whipple

Whipple's disease is an extremely uncommon ailment that affects the small intestines and makes it impossible for nutrients to be absorbed by the body as a whole (malabsorption).

10 Infection with a particular strain of bacteria known as Tropheryma whippelii is what leads to the development of Whipple's illness. Joint pain is the early sign of Whipple's disease that manifests itself the majority of the time.