In the office, patients who have already passed the acute phase of chikungunya and suffer from intense joint pain that can become disabling will be treated.
In this regard, Dr. Yanira Yinde, head of said agency, recommended not to be scared and be patientbecause the condition will pass once the cycle of the viral disease is over.
The chikungunya has three phases, beginning with the acute that can last from 5 to 10 days according to the table of clinical phases of chikungunya of the Ministry of Health, characterized due to high fever, fatigue, severe arthralgia (joint pain), myalgia (muscle pain), headache, facial and extremity edema (swelling), among others.
Meanwhile, the next phase is the sub acute and understands the persistence of pain; and the third and final phase is the chroniclea, from the fourth month with the same manifestations as the previous one.
The doctor stated that in the sub-acute phase, rheumatologists can now intervene, but he stated that for this the clinician, emergency physician or family doctor who attended the patient You must be discharged.
He pointed out that it is important to make sure of this, because in the phase acute there may be complicationssince it is a multisystemic disease, which can affect the organs.
He stressed that once the first stage of the disease has been overcome, sequelae may remain, especially in patients who are older or who have some underlying pathology, and in some cases also in previously healthy people.
He noted that they can stay arthritis or residual pain, arthralgia, pain stiffness, leg swelling, and in these cases the treatment can already be given by a rheumatologist.
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“All those pains are part of the chikungunya pathophysiology, It does not imply seriousness, but it is painful and that worries people a lot that leads them to do any type of empirical treatment. The edema, that is, the swelling causes fear and he believes that it will remain that way, but there is a well-protocolized treatment scheme in Paraguay as well as in the countries that are suffering from this epidemic and they should know that when the cycle of the disease is complete, it will pass”, he highlighted.
He also commented that any chronic illness suffered by the patientlike diabetes, is destabilized by a new disease, triggering some symptoms.
In addition, he said that cases of chronic form of arthritis, Cases of people who had persistence of symptoms after three months are written, which is called chikungunya disease in its chronic form where symptoms very similar to rheumatoid arthritis are observed and which already imply another type of treatment.
He called on patients to do not be alarmed by the persistence of the pain, have a little patience, stressing again that it will happen when the viral cycle ends and that it rarely lasts a year.
However, he urged those who cannot bear the pain of the subacute phase to go to the office that has been authorized for itbut with the medical discharge corresponding to the acute phase, and would be those with probable rheumatoid arthritis, which can appear in genetically predisposed people and flare up during an acute illness.
Consulting room
The office to treat patients who have passed the acute phase of chikungunya works from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., on Wednesdays and Fridays, on the second floor of the UPA building.}
For a better organization patients must be scheduled in advance going themselves or sending a third party, in person at the Rheumatology Secretariat.
