Reactive arthritis is a condition developed by the body in response to some infection which has occurred in some other part of the body. If your body is infected by bacteria, then the infection in the body will trigger reactive arthritis. It shares the same symptoms as other arthritis. It got the name reactive because it is the reaction of the body to infection. Urethritis, inflammatory arthritis and inflammation of the eyes are common symptoms of reactive arthritis. It is not necessary that every person who gets infection will develop this disease.

The inflammation of the joints may later be accompanied by red eyes and rashes.

Some other symptoms of reactive arthritis are pain and swelling in joints, knees and ankles. The infections that trigger reactive arthritis are gastrointestinal infection, infection in the genital tract, viral infection affecting throat. Reactive arthritis is triggered after few weeks of your body getting infection. It can also affect spine where it will make the spine stiff and it will be really painful to move your back. Reactive arthritis does not get spread from one person to another.  Normally people between the age group of 20 to 50 years are sufferers of reactive arthritis.