Red fever, or Mitchell's disease, is a rare, painful peripheral vascular disease that primarily affects blood vessels in the legs or hands, with episodes of repeated blockage and excessive blood flow. The main features of this disease are severe burning pain and redness of the skin, and the attacks are often triggered by factors such as heat, pressure, exercise, sleeplessness or stress. Although the disease can exist as a stand-alone illness or as a symptom of other diseases, it has been reported that the gene variant associated with red fever may make some people's nervous systems extremely sensitive to pain.
According to the study, red fever may be associated with small fiber neuropathy, and how these changes physiologically affect the occurrence of pain remains to be further explored.
The main symptoms of red fever include redness, swelling, deep pain and burning sensation of the skin, which usually appear symmetrically on the limbs and are usually more common in the lower limbs than in the upper limbs. The frequency and duration of attacks vary greatly, ranging from a few hours to several months, and they most often occur at night, seriously affecting the patient's sleep quality.
Some patients find that the heat from wearing shoes or socks tends to make red fever attacks more frequent or even cause discomfort.
The origin of red fever is mainly attributed to neuropathology and microvascular changes. In primary red fever, hypersensitivity of sensory nerves results in severe pain perception, while microvascular changes are due to an abnormal response of the sympathetic nervous system to thermal stimulation. Mutations in the SCN9A gene have been reported to affect the function of sodium channels, which play a key role in the perception of pain.
The diagnosis of red fever is quite difficult, and there is currently no specific detection method. Doctors usually need to make a diagnosis based on the patient's symptoms, medical history, and some auxiliary tests. The patient's skin may show signs of decreased capillary density during an attack, which is also one of the indicators that can be used as a reference during the diagnosis process.
For secondary red fever, treatment linked to the primary illness is critical; for primary red fever, management is primarily symptom-focused. For mild pain, your doctor will usually recommend pain relievers, such as aminourea or regular pain relievers. For more severe symptoms, stronger pain relievers, such as opioids, may be needed.
Many patients find that simple physical cooling measures, such as placing the affected area in a cool environment, are quite helpful in relieving pain, but care should be taken to avoid placing ice directly on the skin to avoid tissue damage. damage.
Patients with red fever often face a decline in their quality of life, which affects their normal work and social activities and may even lead to depression. Because treatment options for this disease are still being explored, many patients take years to receive correct diagnosis and treatment. Therefore, more awareness and attention are still needed in the medical community to improve the lives and health of patients with such rare diseases.
From the pathophysiology of red fever to its impact on patients' lives, the disease highlights the complex relationship and interaction between heat and pain. Have you ever wondered how heat affects our pain perception and quality of life?