Everything you need to know about the treatment of chikungunya and dengue

Know everything about medication, home remedies and prevention.

Written By: Debjani Arora | Published : August 22, 2018 2:34 PM IST

As both chikungunya and dengue are viral infections caused by the same mosquito, their clinical manifestations are quite similar, therefore, several times they both are mistaken. The line of treatment is very similar in both. Here Dr Dhrity Vats is a medical officer with Healthians tells us how these two viral fevers are treated.

It needs medical supervision and sometimes hospitalization as well to control the symptoms such as bleeding in dengue and regular monitoring of the platelet levels is required in dengue. Treatment is mainly symptomatic and may include:

Rest in the acute stage of the disease. The patients are prone to dehydration and therefore, are advised to increase their fluid intake
Relief of pain and fever by acetaminophen (paracetamol) or ibuprofen, but not in the first three days. Since both the diseases have similar symptoms, giving any kind of medicines, including painkillers in the first two-three days is fatal. It could lead to bleeding, in some cases.
Chloroquine may be used for prolonged joint pains.

Home remedies for Chikungunya and Dengue

Also Read

Home remedies can be tried once relief is achieved from medication.

Here are some remedies for chikungunya

Consume ginger tea, green tea which can help relieve inflammation.
Apply an ice pack wrapped in a small hand towel over the joint for a while to reduce inflammation and pain

Here are some remedies for dengue

Steeping neem leaves and then drinking the subsequent brew has been shown to increase both blood platelet count and white blood cell count, two of the most dangerous side effects of the virus.
Papaya leaves are widely known as being a natural cure for dengue fever. The complex mix of nutrients and organic compounds in papayas can cause a rise in your platelet count.

Prevention from chikungunya and dengue

Prevention of any disease is better than its cure, but prevention of such diseases is certainly difficult. Unlike many diseases, there are no vaccines. The only prevention available for both of these diseases is prevention from mosquito bites.

Various methods can be implemented to reduce the risk of mosquito bites like:

Do not allow water accumulation in and around your house
Stagnant waste materials to be removed regularly
DDT sprays to kill insects
When weather permits, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants
Using eucalyptus oil to reduce mosquitoes in the surroundings
Applying mosquito repellent creams
If you use both sunscreen and insect repellent, apply the sunscreen first and then the repellent

Just follow the tips of healthy and clean living and avoid mosquito bites to stay safe from these viral diseases. In spite of all precautions, if a mosquito has bit you and you are showing symptoms of fever, get checked. Blood test for chikungunya or dengue done at the right time can help you recover fast.

Image source: Shutterstock

Add The Health Site as a Preferred Source

Disclaimer: The content on TheHealthSite.com is only for informational purposes. It is not at all professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a healthcare specialist for any questions regarding your health or a medical condition.