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

• 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.

-Dr.Selvin's