Do rheumatic heart disease joints feel cold?

Written by Jia Qiu Ju
Cardiology
Updated on February 15, 2025
00:00
00:00

Rheumatic heart disease does not cause cold joints during an attack. The main clinical symptoms are primarily heart failure or arrhythmias. However, due to the underlying rheumatic heart disease, there is rheumatic fever. If it is in the acute phase of rheumatic fever, cold joints, swelling, and pain may occur. It is necessary to conduct further tests including rheumatic factor, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, etc., to clarify the specific cause of the cold joints. Treatment can be directed towards the symptoms that appear. The main focus during an attack of rheumatic heart disease should be on managing heart failure and arrhythmias, maintaining heart function, reducing the burden on the heart, and controlling common arrhythmias, such as episodes of atrial fibrillation, among others.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Yue Mei
Cardiology
47sec home-news-image

Are the symptoms of rheumatic heart disease severe?

Rheumatic heart disease is a type of organic heart disease where the heart valves are damaged, leading to stenosis and insufficiency. Symptoms vary with the extent of the damage. Mild damage does not significantly alter hemodynamics, and there may be no clinical symptoms, allowing for unrestricted physical activity. Severe damage results in noticeable changes in hemodynamics, presenting with symptoms of heart failure such as coughing, expectoration, cyanosis, palpitations and shortness of breath after activity, swelling of the lower limbs, and indigestion among other signs of heart dysfunction. Early treatment is necessary to prevent worsening of heart failure and to safeguard the patient’s life.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Fan Yan Fu
Cardiology
1min 7sec home-news-image

Can people with rheumatic heart disease eat raw onions?

Patients with heart disease must undergo lifestyle modification treatments before some specific treatments, which is a priority. What does improving lifestyle include? It includes appropriate exercise according to the patient's condition, a rational diet, a pleasant mental state, and adequate sleep, which are lifestyle practices adopted by all heart disease patients. A rational diet includes a certain amount of carbohydrates, a variety of fruits, vegetables, and more. As long as these are healthy dietary foods and the patient is not allergic and can tolerate them, they can be consumed. Can patients with rheumatic heart disease eat onions? Yes, they can. First of all, onions are just a type of food. As long as the patient does not have stomach diseases and can tolerate spicy foods, they can eat onions. Onions themselves do not have any special effects; they are simply a vegetable with a spicy taste. They might stimulate appetite, and when appetite is poor, using them may help increase it. Onions do not possess any special effects; they are merely a vegetable and can be consumed if tolerated.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Yue Mei
Cardiology
50sec home-news-image

Can rheumatic heart disease be cured?

There are many clinical treatment methods for rheumatic heart disease, which can improve the quality of life and clinical symptoms of patients with rheumatic heart disease through dietary therapy, but cannot cure it, as rheumatic heart disease involves pathological changes in the valves. Currently, surgery is commonly used in the clinic to treat rheumatic heart disease, to improve the patient's quality of life, enhance cardiac comfort, and improve heart function. Therefore, patients with rheumatic heart disease should not overly rely on folk remedies for a cure, need to pay attention to rest, avoid overexertion to prevent increasing the cardiac burden, and treatment should be under the guidance of a doctor, using different medications according to individual characteristics.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Lei
Cardiology
50sec home-news-image

Do patients with rheumatic heart disease fear catching a cold?

Rheumatic heart disease is mainly caused by infections from hemolytic streptococci, leading to heart valve abnormalities and changes in cardiac function and structure. The condition most commonly affects the mitral valve, resulting in mitral regurgitation. Patients often exhibit symptoms of heart failure. Exposure to cold or catching a cold can exacerbate the burden on the heart, leading to increased cardiac load and worsening symptoms of heart failure. Therefore, patients with rheumatic heart disease are particularly susceptible and fearful of catching colds. It is crucial for these patients to stay warm, use medication promptly when symptoms of a cold appear, and avoid vigorous exercise to prevent an increased cardiac load and potential acute heart failure. (Medication should be taken under the guidance of a doctor.)

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Yue Mei
Cardiology
37sec home-news-image

Which department should I visit for rheumatic heart disease?

Patients with rheumatic heart disease need to visit the department of cardiology for diagnosis and treatment. Rheumatic heart disease involves pathological changes in the heart valves and is considered a serious heart condition that can cause complications such as arrhythmias and heart failure, necessitating regular cardiology visits. For complications that arise, a comprehensive analysis is needed, followed by systemic treatment. These patients should rest regularly, properly use medications, adjust their heart rate, improve heart function, and enhance their quality of life.