Do I Have Rheumatic Fever?

Have you been treated for a strep throat or a scarlet fever recently (between 1 and 5 weeks)?

Have you had a rheumatic fever before?

Do you have a fever?

Do you have painful, tender joints (most commonly in the knees, ankles, elbows, and wrists)?

Do you have a pain in one joint that migrates to another joint?

Do you have red, hot or swollen joints?

Do you have weakness, shortness of breath, or feeling very tired?

Do you have jerky, uncontrollable body movements (called “chorea”)?

Do you have small, painless bumps beneath the skin near joints?

Do you have a chest pain?

Do you have a rash that appears as pink rings with a clear center on your chest, back, or stomach?

Do you have a stomach pain or feeling less hungry?

Based on your answers it is unlikely that you have a rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory disease that develops after infections such as a strep throat or scarlet fever that are not treated properly. A strep throat and scarlet fever are caused by bacteria called group A Streptococcus. Rheumatic fever is actually an impaired response of the immune system to a previous infection, which leads to inflammation of various body organs such as the heart, joints, brain and skin. Rheumatic fever is not a contagious disease, so a person cannot catch it from someone else. Rheumatic fever is rare in the United States.

Based on your answers there is a possibility that you have a rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory condition that can affect your heart, joints, skin, and brain. It usually develops within 1 to 5 weeks after infection with bacteria known as group A Streptococcus. Rheumatic fever is most common in children between the ages of 5 and 15. Rheumatic fever is an autoimmune disease which causes inflammation and swelling in the tissues. The risk of rheumatic fever becomes higher in people who have recurrent untreated strep throat infections. A diagnosis is based on your medical history, a physical examination, and results of various tests.

Based on your answers there is a high possibility that you have a rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammatory processes in your body. Rheumatic fever can be a very serious condition, because it can lead to a rheumatic heart disease with damage to the heart valves. A person who has had rheumatic fever in the past is at a higher risk of getting it again if he is re-infected with streptococcal bacteria. The goal of treatment is to destroy the remaining bacteria in the body, alleviate the symptoms and prevent the recurrence of the disease. Treatment involves antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and anticonvulsant medications.