Rheumatic Fever and Covid-19

II have inherited susceptibility for rheumatic heart fever from my father. He got it after sleeping in a very cold bed in the military service 1918. He was cured at the local but large hospital by being placed in a sauna several days. I have got it two times; one time when sleeping in my sailboat a cold night and another time when I got pneumonia without to need penicillin. In the first case I could notice that my physical strength was much lower than normal. Luckily I could cure myself in the sunny weather by letting sun shine light fall directly on my breast. In the case of the pneumonia I was almost healed when I got the rheumatic fever. In the warm summer weather it disappeared in a week..

26 February and 04 March this year I participated in an exercising group at the local gym. There were some indications (overheard talks after the exercise) that people that had met persons skiing in northern Italy (or been their themselves?), were participating in the group. Later I did find that I had problems to pass a small uphill when cycling to the shopping center to buy food. These problems came every time when I passed the small hill that I did many times. 20 March I could feel joint pain and later that evening I got formation of mucus in my throat The whole following night I had to cough up mucus. The following day I rested but did not feel any substantial fever and I did not check it. I still had to cough up mucus but now decreasing. The following day the formation of mucus was considerable lower. On March 27 I went on my bicycle to the local shop center to buy food. To my great surprise I had no problems to pass the small uphill!

These experiences have led to the thoughts, that the bacteria Streptococcal Pharyngitis causing Rheumatic Fever, perhaps may be produced in an early stage of Covid-19 infection and cause the heart capacity to be lowered. Old people shall be observant if they find it more difficult than normal to pass a hill when walking or go upwards a staircase. If so they ought to be treated with warming up the heart with infrared light. Warming up also the throat and breast is certainly not negative. The acute reception at the University Hospital at Linköping, is now always warming up the heart as the first measure in cases with myocardial infarction.

The cost of just a replacement infrared lamp for a strong 375 watt bulb is not more than 20 US$. The lamp can be connected to a regular wall outlet. Normally lamps for medical purposes are not that strong. But it must be placed in a stable holder to avoid fire or skin damages. So great attention for the security must be taken especially if the person is lying in a bed. In the market there are several type of complete units intended for medical purposes in the cost range 50-130 US$.

2020-04-04

Olof Nirs