How can I effectively educate patients about the potential triggers and long-term management of reactive arthritis?

Educating patients about reactive arthritis triggers and long-term management:

• Explain potential triggers: Inform patients that reactive arthritis often follows gastrointestinal or genitourinary infections, but long-term antibiotic treatment is not recommended solely to manage reactive arthritis after these infections ¹.
• Discuss symptom recognition and flare management: Advise patients to recognize symptoms such as joint pain, swelling, and extra-articular manifestations like uveitis, which may require urgent medical attention ¹,².
• Promote non-pharmacological strategies: Encourage referral to specialist physiotherapy for individualized exercise programs including stretching, strengthening, postural exercises, and aerobic activity to maintain function and manage pain ¹. Hydrotherapy may be considered as an adjunct ¹.
• Inform about pharmacological treatments: Explain that NSAIDs are commonly used at the lowest effective dose for symptom relief, and corticosteroid injections or short-term oral steroids may be used if NSAIDs are insufficient ¹,². Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) may be initiated and monitored by specialists ¹,².
• Highlight the importance of coordinated care: Emphasize ongoing communication between primary and secondary care for medication management, monitoring side effects, and managing comorbidities ².
• Provide information on self-care and support: Encourage self-management strategies such as joint protection, pain and fatigue management, and accessing local support groups and charities (e.g., National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society, Versus Arthritis) ².
• Discuss long-term monitoring: Inform patients about the need for regular follow-up to assess disease activity, treatment response, and screening for complications such as osteoporosis and cardiovascular risk factors ².