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Rheumatic Fever
The Difference Between Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatoid Arthritis
Most patients with rheumatoid arthritis primarily exhibit symptoms related to the joints. Mainly affected are the symmetrical small joints of both hands, including both wrists, both palmar digital joints, and both proximal interphalangeal joints. In addition, patients with rheumatoid arthritis often have elevated rheumatoid factor, anti-CCP antibodies, and AKA antibodies. During the acute phase of joint disease, there is a marked increase in inflammatory markers, which is a major manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis. Patients with rheumatic fever, aside from joint pain, may also have heart valve disorders, such as mitral stenosis, and some patients may develop skin lesions, commonly erythema nodosum. Most importantly, patients with rheumatic conditions often show a significant increase in anti-streptolysin O.
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.
Does rheumatic fever spread?
Firstly, rheumatic fever is a group of delayed sequelae caused by an infection of Group A Streptococci, simply put, it refers to a type of reactive arthritis that appears after an upper respiratory tract infection. It is associated with this streptococcus, and mostly occurs during the cold and humid seasons of winter and spring. It can affect people of any age, but is most commonly seen in children aged 5-14 and adolescents. Therefore, it is not a contagious disease, but rather a set of symptoms, such as fever and joint pain, appearing in individuals with weakened immune systems following an upper respiratory tract infection. Some people may even experience valvular heart disease. However, if treated actively in the early stages, the disease usually does not lead to any long-term consequences, unless it goes untreated or is treated under poor medical conditions, which may then result in rheumatic arthritis and rheumatic heart disease.