SkiptomaincontentHomeHealthAtoZBacktoHealthAtoZRheumaticfeverRheumaticfeverisaveryrarecomplicationthatcandevelopafterabacterialthroatinfection.Itcancausepainfuljointsandheartproblems.Mostpeoplemakeafullrecovery,butitcancomeback.HowrheumaticfeveristreatedIfyouoryourchildarediagnosedwithrheumaticfever,you'llhavetreatmenttorelievethesymptomsandcontrolinflammation.Youmayneed:antibioticspainkillers–givenastablets,capsulesoraliquidyoudrinksteroidinjections–ifyourpainisseveremedicines–ifyou'rehavingjerky,uncontrollablemovementsYoushouldalsogetplentyofbedresttohelpwithyourrecovery.Information:Mostpeopleusuallymakeafullrecoveryafteraboutamonth.Butitcansometimestakelongertogetbetter.OngoingtreatmentforrheumaticfeverIfyouhavehadrheumaticfeveronce,itmakesitmorelikelythatitcouldcomeback,somakesuretogetsorethroatstreatedearly.Youmayalsobeadvisedtotakeantibioticsforseveralyearstotrytostopitreturning.It'slesslikelythatit'llcomebackifit'sbeen5yearssinceyoulasthadanepisodeandifyou'reolderthan25.Butitcancausepermanentdamagetoyourheart(rheumaticheartdisease).Thiscantakeyearstoshowup,soyoumayneedregularcheck-upsandfurthertreatmentwhenyou'reolder.Alwaysaskadoctorwhatongoingtreatmentyoumayneed.Non-urgentadvice:SeeaGPif:youhavehadrheumaticfeverbeforeandyouthinkit'scomebackyouhavehadabacterialthroatinfectionrecentlyandyoudevelopsymptomsofrheumaticfeverInformation:Coronavirusupdate:howtocontactaGPIt'sstillimportanttogethelpfromaGPifyouneedit.TocontactyourGPsurgery:visittheirwebsiteusetheNHSAppcallthemFindoutaboutusingtheNHSduringcoronavirusSymptomsofrheumaticfeverSymptomsusuallyappear2to4weeksafteryouhavehadabacterialthroatinfection.Theyinclude:ahightemperatureof38Corabove(fever)redness,painandswellingofyourjoints(arthritis)–usuallyankles,knees,wristsorelbowspaininyourchest,breathlessnessandafastheartratejerky,uncontrollablemovementsinyourhands,feetandfacetinybumpsunderyourskinpale-redpatchesonyourarmsandtummyCausesofrheumaticfeverRheumaticfeveroccursafteryouhavehadabacterialthroatinfection.