Rheumatic Fever Definition : What Is Rheumatic Fever?

What is rheumatic fever?

Rheumatic fever develops after an infection alongside a bacterium called streptococcus. This bacterium oftentimes causes laryngitis. The strep throat is about. But i to iv weeks thereafter, people tin post away acquire shrewd rheumatic fever. The infection ensures that the immune organization attacks its ain tissues. This is called an autoimmune disease.

The primary symptoms of rheumatic fever are:

1. High fever.
2. Joint problems. It is nail that the joints are staggered. Take turns you lot lot sense i joint. Usually, knee, elbow, talocrural articulation or wrist.
3. Heart affliction together with heart defects, such as myocarditis.

For hurting together with inflammation inwards the joints you lot lot acquire medication. Additionally, you lot lot testament inwards all likelihood alive on advised to stay inwards bed till the shrewd symptoms are over. Cardiac abnormalities extended bed residual is necessary.
Some heart defects tin post away subsequently inwards life acquire thus much work that surgery is necessary. This is particularly true for valvular heart disease.

What you lot lot divulge of rheumatic fever?

Rheumatic fever develops i to iv weeks after a throat infection is over. The affliction normally begins alongside a high fever. Then you lot lot acquire hurting inwards your joints. The joints kicking the bucket inflamed. It is nail that the joints are staggered taking turns, i articulation (knee, elbow, talocrural articulation or wrist) inflamed. Rarely more than joints are inflamed at a time.
The infections are oftentimes severe together with painful. It is besides possible that you lot lot exercise sense sick, just exercise not ain got pain.

Influenza A virus subtype A rheumatic fever ready on sometimes causes inflammation of:

1. the heart musculus (myocarditis);
2. the heart (pericarditis);
3. the heart valves (bacterial endocarditis).

These heart diseases are sometimes severe.

Rheumatic fever sometimes ain got neurological abnormalities. Your muscles kicking the bucket weak together with you lot lot are uncoordinated, random movements alongside your arms, legs together with face. You may ain got work writing, dressing, eating together with walking. Maybe going to instruct less. That's because of fearfulness together with because your concentration is worse.
These neurological disorders heal within two to one-half dozen months.

Other symptoms of rheumatic fever are:

1. spotty pinkish rash on the trunk, upper arms together with upper legs;
2. lumps under the tegument inwards the joints;
3. nosebleeds;
4. head together with abdominal pain;
5. heavy sweating.

How does the MD determines that you lot lot ain got rheumatic fever?
If the MD suspects that you lot lot ain got rheumatic fever, she get-go makes a throat swab. Then they permit your blood. The blood to come across if inwards that house is inflammation inwards your body. Also a possible strep infection is two months long to come across inwards your blood.

Influenza A virus subtype A pectus X-ray shows if your heart is enlarged. An enlarged heart means that it is ignited.

An electrocardiogram (ECG) showed heart defects.

Preventing novel attacks of rheumatic fever

In the get-go v years after your get-go ready on of rheumatic fever is a comport chances of a novel attack. It is existent significant to preclude such an attack. With each novel attack, you lot lot tin post away acquire a (new) heart defect.
To avoid a novel ready on you lot lot are prescribed monthly doses of antibiotics.

Sometimes it's skilful to ain got extra antibiotics. When?

1. When all of the dental surgeries.
2. At operations.
3. When flu.
4. In infections of the upper respiratory tract, such as sinusitis.

At to the lowest score v years after the lastly ready on swallows you lot lot inwards these situations, additional antibiotics.

If rheumatic fever has caused a heart valve abnormality, you lot lot should inwards all likelihood swallow your afterlife antibiotics.