Written By: Bhavyajyoti Chilukoti | Updated: September 14, 2016, 12:20 PM
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Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne infection which is caused by the same species of mosquito which transmits the virus of Zika and dengue. The symptoms of chikungunya start to appear within 3 – 7 days after the mosquito bites. Dr Amitabh Parti, additional director, internal medicine, Fortis Memorial Research Institute explains common symptoms of chikungunya you need to know about.
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Joint and muscle pain: While muscle pain is also seen in people suffering from dengue, chikungunya causes arthritis-like pain in the joints, especially of the hands and legs. In some cases, it can also cause swelling in the joints. The joint pain can last for few weeks to a year.
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Headache: Another common symptom of chikungunya is severe headache, which usually starts off during the first few days after an infection with the virus. If you have high fever and severe headache along with joint pain for more than two days, consult your doctor immediately.
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Tender lymph nodes: Not many people known that swelling of the lymph nodes could indicate chinkungunya. The lymph nodes are present on either side of the neck, under the jaw and behind the ears. Hence, swellings in these regions should not be ignored!
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Extreme fatigue/malaise: One of the most common symptoms of chikungunya is feeling of extreme fatigue or malaise (feeling of uneasiness or discomfort). It is quite common if you have high fever and severe joint pain, but consult your doctor if the condition worsens.
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Skin rashes: In some cases, skin rashes also start to appear, which is seen once you get high fever. It generally occurs as red spots with small bumps on the skin, which can also appear on the palm, face and torso. Consult your doctor about the same.
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Nausea and vomiting: Nausea and vomiting, extreme weakness and lack of appetite may be due to an underlying infection. So if you have high fever and severe joint pain and mosquitoes breed in your area, it is advised to get tested for chikungunya.
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High fever: In the case of chikungunya, your body temperature increases to 102 – 104 degrees. If high fever fails to subside within three days then consult your doctor as in the case of chikungunya, it lasts for more than a week.
