What are the symptoms of Behcet's syndrome?

Symptoms are different in each person. Some have only mild symptoms, while others have more severe ones.

People with Behçet's disease usually have painful, yellowish sores, similar to canker sores, in the mouth. While canker sores generally occur one at a time, people with Behçet's disease tend to have multiple sores. These usually go away within two weeks, but often return. More than half of people with Behçet's have sores around the genitals that look like the mouth sores. Behçet's can cause rashes, including acne-like bumps on the skin and inflammation around hair follicles. Blood clots can occur, usually in the legs, and can cause pain and tenderness.

Many people with Behçet's disease have joint pain and swelling, usually in the knees, ankles and wrists. Although the joints can be stiff and painful for several weeks at a time, the disease usually does not cause long-term joint damage or deformity.

Up to 75% of people with Behçet's disease have eye inflammation, particularly a condition called uveitis that usually shows up within two years of the first symptoms. Uveitis is more common in men than in women. At first, it may not cause any pain or vision problems, although it can cause blurred vision. Repeated flare-ups of uveitis can lead to decreased vision or blindness.

In about 10% of cases, Behçet's disease causes inflammation of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). Symptoms include fever, stiff neck, headache and uncoordinated movements.

Rarely, Behçet's will inflame the intestinal tract, causing diarrhea or constipation, vomiting and stomach pain.