Can Rheumatic Fever Causes Rheumatic Heart Disease?

Rheumatic fever is a very rare but potentially life threatening inflammatory disease which usually results from untreated throat infection [Throat inflammation].

This inflammatory health condition is most common in children aged between 5 and 15. However, it can also be developed in adults and mainly causes severe damage to heart, brain, joints, spinal cord and also to your skin.

Never ignore a streptococcal throat infection!

Strep throat is considered as the main root cause for rheumatic fever. Many of you usually ignore throat infection, considering it as a minor problem. But, it is very important for you to know that the main root source for rheumatic fever is bacteria, which will host in your throat along with your throat infection.

If you are affected with rheumatic fever, then it can show all its potential effects to become a life threatening disease. You can experience painful and swollen joints; severe muscle aches and also fever, if you become a victim for rheumatic fever. For some people, a red lattice rash typically begins with in one or six weeks after a short period of strep throat. However, in some cases, this bacterial infection can be mild and becomes difficult for you to recognize.

Persistent rheumatic fever can end up with rheumatic heart disease!

Whenever rheumatic fever becomes persistent or permanent, it is more likely that your heart valves get damaged and results in rheumatic heart disease. Mostly, this damage to valves of your heart is not possible to identify immediately, as the damaged heart valve doesn’t either open or close completely.

As the time passes, gradually the damaged heart valves leads to serious disabling health conditions. These adverse health conditions mainly depend up on the degree of damage and the type of valve it has affected. The most advanced and serious health condition could be a congestive heart failure, in which the size of your heart increases and interrupts the pumping of blood to all other parts of your body.

Identify the disease in early stages!

The only best defense against this rheumatic fever and associated heart disease is to identify the throat infection in early stages and seek immediate medical attention.

Don’t worry about this rheumatic fever; acute form of rheumatic fever can be treated very easily. It usually starts with mild throat infection, which can be cured easily by using appropriate antibiotics and other medications.