Symptoms of polychondritis

Polychondritis often occurs in the ear area, causing inflammation of the ear cartilage and joints. The most obvious symptom is that the cartilage will become red and hot, and there will be redness and swelling. It will also cause different complications in patients at different stages. The cost of this disease is different, and the chance of occurrence is also different.

Symptoms and signs

It most commonly affects the ear, presenting as chondritis and arthritis of the ear, characterized by sudden onset of redness, warmth, swelling, and tenderness localized to the ear cartilage. The ear cartilage on one side is usually affected first, and damage to the earlobe is a notable feature. The inflammation subsides spontaneously after 1 to 2 weeks. After a period of varying length, it relapses. Nasal chondritis may also occur. Repeated occurrence of the lesions leads to the destruction of the normal cartilage structure and its replacement by fibrous tissue. Clinically, it manifests as floppy ears or cauliflower-shaped ears and nasal deformities such as saddle nose. Arthritis may also affect one or more small or large joints. The disease initially presents as migratory arthritis, but if only a single joint is affected, it is difficult to differentiate from gouty or infectious arthritis. The eye and its adnexal structures may also be affected, manifesting as conjunctivitis, episcleritis, keratitis, and iritis. Involvement of the airway cartilages manifests as hoarseness, aphonia, and dyspnea. If the inner ear is affected, it will cause nausea, vomiting, tinnitus, and deafness. The cardiovascular system is rarely affected, but manifestations of involvement include aortic regurgitation and aortic aneurysm. Some cases are associated with rheumatic or autoimmune diseases and leukocytoclastic vasculitis. Indirect immunofluorescence examination can detect antibodies against type II collagen in 1/3 to 1/2 of patients.

Medication

It should vary from person to person. Systemic glucocorticoids are helpful in controlling acute inflammation. Other immunosuppressants such as cyclosporine, methotrexate, and dapsone may be tried. Because of the intermittent onset and remission, it is difficult to evaluate the efficacy. In chronic and refractory cases, indomethacin can be tried.

Diet and health care

Reasonable dietary allocation.

Preventive Care

Doing everything you can to avoid provoking an immune response in the body is key to preventing autoimmune disease.

1. Eliminate, reduce or avoid pathogenic factors, improve living environment and space, develop good living habits, prevent infection, pay attention to food hygiene, and prepare meals reasonably.

2. Keep exercising to increase the body's resistance to disease, avoid excessive fatigue and over-consumption, and quit smoking and drinking.

3. Detect, diagnose and treat early, build confidence in overcoming the disease and persist in treatment. Stay optimistic.

4. Preventing infection, especially preventing streptococcal infection, is an important part of autoimmune rheumatic disease and its complications.