What Is Rheumatic Fever?
Reviewed: Dr. Mera
9. Sydenham Chorea
Another rare manifestation of acute rheumatic fever is known as Sydenham chorea. Chorea is a neurological disorder defined by the presence of involuntary, uncontrollable, random, and continuous movements of any part of the body. This disorder usually involves the face, tongue, and extremities (often worse on one side of the body). Other manifestations of Sydenham chorea include muscle weakness (i.e. difficulty maintaining a steady hand grip), slurred speech, personality changes, and emotional lability.
Symptoms of Sydenham chorea usually resolve within 3 weeks to 6 months. Nevertheless, for some patients, symptoms may last longer than one year.
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