For many decades, scientists from different countries have been trying to answer this question.
Until recently, rheumatism was primarily considered a kind of painful joint change. That's why they called it "articular rheumatism." But the joints are not involved in the process simultaneously, but one after the other, which is why the disease was also called "volatile rheumatism." However, back in the 19th century, scientists assumed that rheumatism affects not only the joints, but the changes also affect the heart.
The more the manifestations of rheumatism and its prevalence are studied, the clearer it becomes what significance this disease has in the origin of almost two thirds of the changes in the valves of the heart muscle that occur in humans - heart defects.
Rheumatism is a disease that usually begins in children and young men and continues in people in the prime of their creative powers. It often incapacitates a person.
With the flourishing of bacteriology, a particularly persistent search for the causative agent of rheumatism began. Scientists had to finally find out which microbe was responsible for its occurrence.
Most often, streptococcal cultures were isolated from the blood of patients. The association of rheumatism with streptococcal infection is also evidenced by the observations of clinicians who have studied hundreds and thousands of case histories. They found that rheumatic fever is usually preceded by sore throats or flu-like upper respiratory tract catarrhs caused by the same streptococci.
These diseases are most common in early spring, late autumn and winter. It is noted that rheumatism also occurs at the same time. Thus, each outbreak of rheumatic diseases is preceded by a wave of sore throats or infectious catarrhs of the upper respiratory tract.
The difficulty in combating rheumatism lies in the fact that this increased painful reaction eventually manifests itself not only in response to the action of the sensitizer itself, streptococcus, but also to other infections caused by non-streptococcus: croup pneumonia, influenza. In case of injury and childbirth, a pathogenic effect on the body is also possible, however, no longer from foreign microbial proteins, but from the products of protein breakdown of their tissues. Rheumatism can also be caused by sudden cooling of the sensitized organism. If the disease has already started and lasts for a long time, then the body becomes more and more sensitive to cold.
Streptococcus is known to be a very common microbe, but a person develops immunity to it during his lifetime. Therefore, most adults do not suffer from sore throats or rheumatism. Children still do not have sufficient protection against streptococcus, which is why they are more susceptible to rheumatism. The older a person is, the less likely this disease is.
That's why many elderly people are wrong, who think that once they have joint pain, it means they have developed rheumatism. Most likely, they experience the manifestation of repeated attacks of this disease, suffered in childhood or adolescence and not noticed by them.
Rheumatism, and in particular rheumatism of the heart, sometimes proceeds secretly, and this is another reason for the difficulty of combating such an insidious disease.
Long-term observations have established that the best way to prevent rheumatism is to harden the body and engage in systematic physical education. Physical exercise builds endurance. A person ceases to be afraid of sudden temperature changes and cooling.
In a healthy person, the body quickly adapts to the cold, its skin arteries dilate, warm blood rushes to the cooled area, and the skin turns red. In patients, the skin vessels shrink from the cold, and the skin turns pale. The same degree of cooling is harmful for the sick, but useful for the healthy.
To prevent sore throats, students are irrigated with tonsils. It is equally important to treat sore teeth and tonsils in a timely manner. Is it reasonable to leave a purulent streptococcal infection in the body and, referring to the fact that it "so far" does not affect well-being, wait for rheumatism to develop? Wouldn't it be better to see a dentist and get your teeth fixed? Or consult a doctor for diseases of the ear, throat, nose and, if he advises, remove the tonsils in time or be treated in another way.
Contact with patients with sore throats, flu, and runny nose can cause damage to health if personal hygiene rules are not followed. Streptococci persist for a long time on dirty linen, a handkerchief, a towel, a pillowcase - that's why cleanliness of linen and indoor air, observance of personal hygiene rules is of great importance for the prevention of rheumatism.
A person with rheumatism after an acute attack period of at least six months should be very careful. Any repeated attack of the disease can lead to a heart defect, or, if it has already formed, worsen it.
In autumn and spring, at a time when outbreaks of mass flu or sore throat are possible, rheumatism sufferers can take antibiotics on the advice of a doctor. They protect against repeated severe attacks of rheumatism. Only a year after the rheumatic attack, the patient can go to the resort. At home and at the resort, you must strictly follow the regimen prescribed by your doctor. And there's no way you can even dream of traveling to the south or other places in a "wild way."
Carefully, under the supervision of a doctor, you can begin preventive hydrotherapy: warm procedures followed by a gradual decrease in water temperature and mandatory red-hot rubbing of the whole body.
If you feel good, such procedures should become a habit.
Close contact with a doctor is necessary, primarily because a person is not guaranteed against a recurrence of catarrh of the upper respiratory tract, sore throat. The doctor will immediately notice the onset of the disease and decide whether to temporarily stop water procedures or ban them altogether. After the welcome bonus is activated, Bangladeshi players can continue benefiting from regular promotions. These include cashback offers, special event rewards, and periodic betting challenges linked to major sporting tournaments. Starting the journey with the
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