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Yang Ya Meng
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About me
Graduated from Anhui Medical University in 2005, working in the Department of General Medicine at the Second People's Hospital of Anhui Province, specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of common and prevalent internal medicine diseases.
Proficient in diseases
Conventional diagnosis and treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and gouty arthritis, as well as regular diagnosis and treatment of prolonged unexplained fever.
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Voices
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How to treat rheumatic fever?
Patients with rheumatic fever who develop a fever can first use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as sustained-release diclofenac sodium tablets for symptomatic fever reduction. At the same time, it is also necessary to actively treat the primary disease of rheumatic fever. If the rheumatic fever is induced by a streptococcal infection, additional anti-infection treatment is also needed. Furthermore, as rheumatic fever is also an autoimmune disease, while using NSAIDs to reduce fever, it is also necessary to add some immunosuppressants, such as methotrexate or leflunomide, to control the condition. Only on the basis of controlling the condition can rheumatic fever potentially be completely cured. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a doctor.)
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Is rheumatic fever prone to recurrence?
Rheumatic fever recurs because it is caused by an infection with Group A streptococcus. If the streptococcus is not completely eradicated, recurrence is likely. Therefore, it is critical for patients with rheumatic fever to undergo a full course of anti-infection treatment initially. The most commonly used treatments are antibiotics such as penicillin and second-generation cephalosporins. Additionally, long-acting benzathine penicillin treatment outside the hospital is necessary to completely eradicate the streptococcus, thereby preventing the recurrent episodes of rheumatic fever. If the streptococcus is well-controlled, the likelihood of recurrence of rheumatic fever will be relatively small.
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The difference between rheumatic fever and rheumatoid arthritis
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis primarily exhibit symmetrical swelling and pain in the small joints of both hands as the main clinical manifestations, with rarely any involvement of visceral organs. Blood tests can show elevated inflammatory markers, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein, as well as positive rheumatoid factor, anti-CCP antibodies, and AK antibodies. These indicators can be considered as diagnostic for rheumatoid arthritis. Patients with rheumatic fever, in addition to joint pain, often have cardiac complications, such as mitral stenosis or chorea-like symptoms. The main difference between rheumatic fever and internal rheumatism is that patients with rheumatic fever often have cardiac complications.
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Is rheumatism hot compress useful?
Hot compresses for rheumatic diseases can alleviate joint pain by increasing the local skin temperature, and have a certain effect in relieving joint swelling and pain. However, they cannot fundamentally solve the problem. Rheumatic diseases still require chronic oral medication treatment. The commonly used medications for treating rheumatic diseases fall into three main categories. The first category consists of drugs that control pain symptoms, which we call anti-inflammatory analgesics, commonly including medications like celecoxib. Additionally, to control the progression of rheumatism, it is also necessary to use some immunosuppressants, with the most common being methotrexate and leflunomide. If the above methods are not effective, we may consider treatment with biologics. (Medication should be administered under the guidance of a doctor.)
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What medicine is taken for rheumatoid arthritis?
The medication for rheumatoid arthritis mainly falls into three categories, The first category is the choice of anti-inflammatory and pain relief medications, which mainly includes two types: non-steroidal analgesics and low doses of corticosteroids. If the patient's pain symptoms are mild, non-steroidal analgesics can be opted for. However, if the patient's pain symptoms are more severe, and there is significant liver or kidney damage, or concurrent interstitial lung disease, then the use of low doses of corticosteroids should be considered. The second and most important category is the choice of immunosuppressants, which include drugs like methotrexate and leflunomide. The third category is the treatment with biologic agents. (Medication should be administered under the guidance of a doctor)
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Is the rheumatoid factor high in rheumatic fever?
Patients with rheumatic fever often do not have elevated rheumatoid factor levels, as rheumatic fever primarily follows a streptococcal infection. There is typically an increase in anti-streptolysin O antibodies, while rheumatoid factors are often negative. In addition to elevated anti-streptolysin O, patients with rheumatic fever may also experience valvular heart disease, most commonly mitral stenosis. Some patients may present with skin erythema and symptoms similar to chorea, which leads us to consider the possibility of rheumatic fever. The treatment of rheumatic fever primarily involves regular antibiotic therapy and continued administration of intramuscular benzathine penicillin for a period of time. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a professional doctor.)
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Can people with rheumatoid arthritis drink alcohol?
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis can drink a small amount of alcohol, but long-term heavy drinking is not recommended. This is mainly because patients with rheumatoid arthritis need to take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for pain relief due to joint pain. The most significant side effect of these painkillers is their impact on the gastrointestinal tract. As alcohol is known to be harsh on the stomach, patients who take NSAIDs while drinking alcohol are at a higher risk of developing complications such as gastrointestinal bleeding. Therefore, it is advised that patients with rheumatoid arthritis should not engage in long-term heavy drinking. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)
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Can people with rheumatoid arthritis drink alcohol?
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis should avoid drinking alcohol. Due to joint pain, patients with rheumatoid arthritis inevitably consume anti-inflammatory pain relievers or steroids for pain relief. These anti-inflammatory drugs are already harsh on the stomach, and alcohol is similarly harmful. Consuming both anti-inflammatory pain relievers and alcohol can easily lead to gastrointestinal bleeding. Some patients may even develop complications such as gastric ulcers or severe gastrointestinal bleeding. Therefore, it is not recommended for patients with rheumatoid arthritis to drink alcohol. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)
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Symptoms of recurrent rheumatic fever
Symptoms of recurrent rheumatic fever in the early stages may include fever and sore throat, similar to streptococcal infections. Later, patients may experience joint pain, some may develop ring-shaped erythema on the skin, and others may develop subcutaneous nodules. Severe cases may even exhibit symptoms such as carditis and chorea. If a previous rheumatic fever patient shows these symptoms, the possibility of recurrence should be considered. Treatment involves using antibiotics to eliminate streptococcal infections. Additionally, anti-inflammatory pain relievers should be used to manage joint pain. In severe cases, such as those with cardiac inflammation, corticosteroids may also be considered. (Please use medication under the guidance of a physician.)
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Mild symptoms of allergic purpura
Allergic purpura mainly includes three pathological types. The symptoms of the mild type mainly involve changes in the skin, primarily purpura-like rashes around the lower legs and ankle joints. If there are only skin lesions, it is considered a very mild case of allergic purpura. Additionally, more severe cases may involve kidney impairment, such as the presence of protein in the urine. Some patients primarily experience joint pain, also known as the arthritic type. Another group of patients presents mainly with sudden abdominal pain, primarily known as the abdominal type. Therefore, mild symptoms of allergic purpura might just be typical rashes. As long as there is no involvement of the visceral system, it is considered relatively mild.