Can vaginosis, uveitis and back pain happen together?

Question

HeIlo doctor,

In the past several months, I was diagnosed with anterior uveitis in my right eye. Several weeks later, I was also diagnosed in my left eye. In addition, I experienced some achilles heel tendonitis and back pain. I completed the 8 week treatment program (dilating drops for the first week and slow recession of Steroid drops) and about 2 weeks later, symptoms began reappearing in the left eye, followed by the right. I began another round of Steroid drops in both eyes and slowly tapered the consistency. I am down to 2 drops per day and I have begun experiencing severe back pain, which had previously quieted down. Also in the past 2 weeks, I have had a Pityriasis Rosea attack - the 2nd attack in 3-4 years. I was also treated for bacterial vaginosis a few weeks ago and prescribed antibiotics. It seems to me that everything is connected, but I tested negative for inflammation in my blood and no doctor has been able to link everything or look at all my symptoms as a whole. Any help or input is greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

It seems from the history that you are having recurrent attacks of uveitis. Uveitis is an inflammatory disease of the eye and it can be because of infections, allergies, systemic diseases. Skin diseases like pityriasis can be seen associated with uveitis. However, there is no definitive relationship between vaginosis and uveitis. Back pain because of arthritis is a common association with uveitis. The treatment for uveitis is by steroids and cycloplegic dilating stops as you are taking now and you can continue same treatment. Since the episodes of uveitis are recurrent I advice for a systemic evaluation. The common tests need to be done are complete blood count, ESR, CRP. Since you are having backpain we need to rule out arthritis and spondylitis as a underlying cause. Hence, you require X-ray of spine and RA factor. There is definitive and proven link between back pain and uveitis, hence I advice you to get evaluation done to rule out spondylitis and arthritis.