Q: My mother has swelling of her knee and ankle and joint since the last one year. She also feel some pain in the back. She cant sit properly. Last time her ASO was 1,000 and she was also taking injection of Penidure LA 12.5 vials and again 5 vials with an interval of 15 days for five months and also taking Refoxicib tablet, and some vitamins also. Since last month this problem is coming again. Now her ASO level is 800. How to overcome this problem?

A:It would be very unusual for rheumatic fever to be causing a problem at this age (Penidure is usually given for this). I would think that a correct diagnosis as to the cause of your mothers symptoms, needs to be made and for this, she needs to be assessed clinically by a rheumatologist.