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Yang Ya Meng
Rheumatology
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.
Voices
Can you soak your feet if you have rheumatic fever?
Patients with rheumatic fever can relieve some joint pain by soaking their feet, but this does not fundamentally solve the problem. Rheumatic fever is often caused by streptococcal infection, which leads to diseases such as arthritis. Therefore, antibiotics should be used at the source to eliminate streptococcal infection and hence prevent the recurrence of rheumatism. Additionally, we can use anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs to control joint pain. Commonly used anti-inflammatory analgesics include non-steroidal pain relievers, such as diclofenac sodium sustained-release tablets. If there is inflammation in the heart due to rheumatic fever, corticosteroid treatment should be considered. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)
Difference between Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatoid Arthritis
The key difference between rheumatic fever and rheumatoid arthritis primarily lies in the fact that patients with rheumatic fever, besides exhibiting symptoms such as joint pain, also develop cardiac and dermatological manifestations. Patients with rheumatic fever may experience mitral stenosis and symptoms like erythema on the skin. Moreover, the examination of antibodies in rheumatic fever patients mainly shows an elevation in anti-streptolysin O antibody. In contrast, patients with rheumatoid arthritis typically display elevated rheumatoid factor, anti-CCP antibodies, and anti-AKA antibodies, and they seldom have skin or cardiac manifestations. Therefore, to differentiate rheumatic fever from rheumatoid arthritis, one can test for anti-streptolysin O and rheumatoid factor, and further conduct an echocardiogram to determine any cardiac involvement.
Can rheumatoid arthritis be cured?
Rheumatoid arthritis is difficult to completely cure without medication, as it is a chronic inflammatory disease of the immune system that requires lifelong medication. The main treatment plans include the following three categories: The first category is anti-inflammatory and analgesic, which includes non-steroidal analgesics and low-dose corticosteroids. The second category, which is also the most important treatment, involves the use of immunosuppressants. Commonly used immunosuppressants include methotrexate and leflunomide. If the patient does not respond well to anti-inflammatory analgesics and immunosuppressants, treatment with biological agents may also be considered. (Medications should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)