Can people with rheumatic fever eat fish?

Written by Yang Ya Meng
Rheumatology
Updated on February 15, 2025
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Patients with rheumatic fever can eat freshwater fish, but should try to eat less fish without scales and sea fish. For patients with rheumatic fever, the general dietary rule is to eat a light diet and reduce consumption of spicy, warming, oily, and rich foods. Foods such as celery, coriander, leeks, seaweed, mushrooms, beef, mutton, dog meat, and longan should be minimized. Seafood, such as shrimp and crab, which are high in protein, should also be consumed less. In addition to dietary considerations, patients with rheumatic fever should also avoid getting cold and pay attention to rest.

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Written by Yang Ya Meng
Rheumatology
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Symptoms and Treatment of Rheumatic Fever

Patients with rheumatism often experience symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections in the early stages of the disease, such as fever and sore throat. Additionally, patients with rheumatism commonly exhibit migratory joint pain, primarily characterized by acute onset of redness, swelling, heat, pain, and limited mobility in the joints, but these can improve on their own. Patients with rheumatic fever often also suffer from carditis, which can include valvulitis, myocarditis, and pericarditis, with damage to the valves being the most common. Rheumatic fever may also present with ring-shaped erythema on the skin or subcutaneous nodules, and it can include chorea. The most common treatment for rheumatic fever is the intramuscular injection of penicillin. (Specific medication use should be carried out under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Liu Li Ning
Rheumatology
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Rheumatic fever is not caused by a bacterium, but is a complication of a streptococcal infection.

Rheumatic fever is associated with Group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal infection and is a systemic inflammatory disease. The detailed pathogenesis is not yet very clear. Common clinical manifestations include joint pain, subcutaneous nodules, erythema marginatum, fever, chorea, and carditis. The characteristic of joint pain is that it generally does not leave joint deformities, and presents as migratory pain in the large joints of the limbs. Carditis can affect the heart valves and endocardium, primarily commonly involving the mitral or tricuspid valves. During the acute phase, penicillin antibiotics are needed for anti-infective treatment.

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Written by Yang Ya Meng
Rheumatology
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Rheumatic fever clinical symptoms

The clinical manifestations of rheumatic fever primarily include: Some patients may experience low fever and rashes, and about half of the patients may exhibit symptoms such as morning stiffness. The joint pain associated with rheumatic fever often occurs more frequently in the large joints of the lower limbs and is asymmetrical, but it can also affect small joints and central axis joints. It commonly presents as non-migratory arthritis. Secondly, patients with rheumatic fever may experience cardiac involvement, with the most common being heart valve disease, particularly mitral valve stenosis. Additionally, patients with rheumatic fever may also suffer from kidney involvement, often presenting with symptoms such as hematuria and proteinuria, which are typical clinical symptoms of rheumatism.

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Symptoms of rheumatic fever in children

Children often show symptoms of rheumatic fever, which commonly leads to myocarditis, arrhythmias, palpitations, and asthma. Additionally, there can be changes in the skin, such as subcutaneous erythema nodosum, as well as joint swelling and pain. There are also general symptoms like fever, fatigue, cough, nosebleeds, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting, along with swelling of the lymph nodes throughout the body. During examinations, there is often a significant increase in C-reactive protein and elevated levels of anti-streptococcal antibodies and anti-O. Abnormalities can also be seen on the electrocardiogram. Once symptoms of pediatric rheumatic fever appear, it is crucial to promptly visit a hospital for diagnosis and timely treatment.

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Written by Yang Ya Meng
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Treatment of rheumatic fever with aspirin

Patients with rheumatic fever use aspirin primarily for its anti-inflammatory effects to reduce the inflammatory response. Aspirin also has analgesic properties that can be used to treat symptoms like joint pain associated with rheumatic fever. However, it is crucial to monitor patients taking aspirin for any gastrointestinal reactions, such as stomach pain or black stools. During the use of aspirin, it's important to be vigilant about these gastrointestinal symptoms. Additionally, medications that protect the stomach, such as pantoprazole which reduces stomach acid, can be used to prevent the side effects of aspirin. (Use medication under the guidance of a doctor.)