What is the right way to treat dengue fever?

An expert answers this question for us.

By: Debjani Arora | | Published: May 16, 2018 5:35 pm

Dengue is a mosquito-borne disease and can turn out to be life-threatening if it is not treated on time. The symptoms of dengue start to show after three to seven days of acquiring the infection. The common symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pains and skin rash. Dengue is characterised by very high fever like 104 degrees F with either one or two symptoms like a severe headache, abdominal pains, nausea, vomiting, muscles and joint pains, irritation in eyes, rashes, etc present persistently. Read to know if mosquito repellent helps to keep dengue mosquito at bay.

The first aim in treating dengue is to bring the temperature down. The first line of treatment is to take paracetamol to symptomatically treat fever and flu-like symptoms such as joint pains, muscular aches, etc. ‘However, when it comes to treating high-grade fever people go overboard thinking a high dose medication will do good and help them treat the fever soon. But that is not true. In fact, fever during dengue should be treated with paracetamol only. Taking ibuprofen or aspirin is not recommended. Remember, in dengue the platelet count goes down hard medicines like these will further create a dip in the platelet count which can increase one’s chances of suffering from internal bleeding or push one into severe dengue and lead to capillary leak syndrome,’ says Dr Sushila Kataria, Director, Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Medanta – The Medicity. Read to know why low platelet count isn’t a bigger matter of concern in dengue.

It is a condition in which fluids and proteins leak out of tiny blood vessels, into surrounding tissues making them swollen. This can result in dangerously low blood pressure (hypotension), hypoalbuminemia, and a decrease in plasma volume (hemoconcentration). This could be a potentially life-threatening condition for a dengue patient.

Ideally, to treat high fever in dengue one should take paracetamol up to four or six times a day and follow it up with sponging with tepid water to get the temperature down. ‘People should avoid intra muscular injections and hard medicines as it can lower the platelet count further and make recovery challenging,’ says Dr Kataria. The other warning signs to look out for are abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, and rapid breathing, bleeding gums, blood in vomit, fatigue and restlessness.

Image source: Shutterstock

Published : May 16, 2018 5:35 pm

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