PREVENT HEART DISEASE??? – DON’T MISS TO DIAGNOSE RHEUMATIC ARTHRITIS!!!!

PREVENT HEART DISEASE??? - DON'T MISS TO DIAGNOSE RHEUMATIC ARTHRITIS!!!!

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Untreated childhood joint disease such as Rheumatic arthritis is one of the major cause for many heart valve surgeries in our country.
Rheumatic Arthritis is a bacterial disease which can occur followed by an untreated Group A streptococcal (bacterial)throat infection.
Usual victims are children aging 6 to12 years.
In acute attacks pain is severe,and the patient is not able to walk even to the toilet.
After a severe painful attack, a period of full recovery is felt by the patient for some months or years and even some patients forget their previous severe painful attack
.In this silent period,the disease is developing within the body and slowly damages HEART mainly the valves.
During the first pain attack,patient consult the near by hospitals.
The patient is managed conservatively and advised for a blood test named ‘ASO-Titre’to confirm whether the problem is due to “streptococcal infection”. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR),C-reactive protein, Total Leukocyte count & ECG are the relevant investigations.
Unfortunately some patients miss to look for the investigations as per the advice of Physician.
Lack of awareness in our country on this disease may be the cause for the negligence.
The careless persons meet serious complications in their heart valves later.
Since after 1960 this disease has been controlled in Western countries by the wide usage of antibiotics.
Childhood deaths due to this disease was arrested in a short period by the western system of medicine.Continuous use of low dose antibiotics (such as penicillin, sulfadiazine, or erythromycin) use to prevent recurrence.
In Siddha system of medicine this disease is described as “வளி-கீல்-வாயு”.
Diagnostic methods are clearly mentioned in the ancient Siddha literature.
Various medicines are told in siddha literature, to treat the Painful conditions related with Rheumatic arthritis.
Powerful medicines also told to prevent it’s complications.
SO, EARLY DETECTION IS VERY ESSENTIAL TO PREVENT SEVERE COMPLICATIONS RELATED WITH RHEUMATIC ARTHRITIS.