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Rheumatic Fever

Last Updated on Sep 24, 2014
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Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory disease that may develop after an infection (strep throat or scarlet fever) with group A Streptococcus bacteria. The disease can affect the heart, joints, skin and brain.

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Children in the age group of 5 to 15 years are easy prey to this disease. The disease develops usually within 1 to 5 weeks after throat infection.

The symptoms of rheumatic fever result from inflammation in the heart, joints, skin or central nervous system; and may include abdominal pain, fever, joint pain, skin nodules and rash.

The diagnosis of rheumatic fever is based on physical examination (auscultation of the heart;and skin and joint examination) and laboratory tests (ASO test, hemogram, ESRand ECG).

Treatment with antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications helps reduce tissue damage from inflammation, lessen pain and other symptoms, and prevents the recurrence of rheumatic fever.

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Rheumatic fever is associated with the development of heart valve disease and other heart disorders. This illness can affect the normal lifestyle of the patient. The complication of the disease can be very grave.

The Rheumatic Fever…begins with chilly fits; succeeded by increased heat; frequent pulse; thirst; loss of appetite; and prostration of strength. The symptom peculiar to this disease is an inflammation of the joints, which often increases to great violence, with swelling, soreness to the touch, and sometimes redness of the skin…. This is a very formidable and extremely painful disease, [and] generally continues for many weeks…. The consequences of this disorder are often painfully felt for many years. - John Haygarth, 1805

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Latest Publications and Research on Rheumatic Fever


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Dr. Nilofer Naaz
Dr. Nilofer Naaz
MBBS, DGO, PGDMCH
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Dr. Shreyansh Solanki
Dr. Shreyansh Solanki
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Dr solanki, Delhi
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Comments should be on the topic and should not be abusive. The editorial team reserves the right to review and moderate the comments posted on the site.

Comments

Sudhakar01

I Suffered from RF when i was 14. It was very bad hit for me for 7 months, peak 2 months in it. We consulted almost 5 doctors for 5 months, but there was NO use. Finally, after 7 months, we consulted Homiopathy, and it started giving results in 2 weeks. After 2 continuous months of usage of Homiopathy medicines with diet, it got cured COMPLETELY.

dolly

what must be the duration of this penicillin,in case of a normal rhuematic fever..?

Nurullah120

Normal fever not need penicillin.

Lisaduncan

can a person that has already had mitral valve replacement (15 years ago) have Aorta Valve replacement, too??

controlrftoday

What no body says about rhuematic fever!!!! My son had a mild form of rheumatic fever twice. He only had a rash and migratory arthritis. he did not seem to have any heart problems, but I am aware that sometimes it does not show up until adulthood. Anyway I researched hours to find out an alternative cure besides 10 years of antibiotics!!!! I cant find anything, but I will tell you about our experience. his foot and knee were swollen up like balloons. I put him on NO SUGAR< NO PROCESSED WHITE BREAD AND SUCH, mostly vegetables, even fruit has sugar. His symptoms lasted 2 weeks!!! until I took him to a birthday party and allowed him to have cake and candy and it came back!!!!
The next time he got it I did the vegetable diet again and it stayed very mild, then I gave him all kinds of medicinal herbs which caused him hives. Sounds bad, except that the hives distracted his body from the rheumatic reaction and it never came back, he only had it 5 days!!!
soooo now he has it again. I will do the vegetable diet, lots of water, try to cause hives. I"m possitive raw apple cider vinegar will help alot and whole food green vitamins.....I wanted to share. Diet has a HUGE effect on the condition. Blessings to you. Cut down on dairy.

buterfly

i was diagnostic of non specific and until now i am only sick in my finger what treatment for this diagnostic?

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