Curing Dengue Fever: Medications and Home Remedies

Dengue fever is a type of viral infection that spreads through the Aedes albopicyus and Aedes aegypti mosquitos, affecting a number of people each year. Dengue fever is mostly contracted in tropical areas where there is a huge presence of mosquitos.

Symptoms

Symptoms usually begin four to six days after the mosquito bite and can last for up to 10 days. Some of the symptoms are-

• Sudden/ high fever
• Pain behind the eyes
• Severe headaches
• Fatigue
• Joint and muscle pain
• Vomiting
• Skin rashes (2-5 days after fever)
• Mild bleeding (bleeding gums, nosebleed, easy bruising)

The symptoms are so similar to the flu or viral infection that one may mistake dengue fever to be a normal fever. For those who have never had the infection before, cases may be milder than others. However, some cases may be way more severe than the others like dengue hemorrhagic fever, a rare complication. This may result in high fever, nose/ gum bleed, damage to blood/ lymph vessels, liver enlargement and circulatory system failure. These symptoms may then advance to massive bleeding, shock, and even death. This condition is commonly referred to as dengue shock syndrome (DSS). If one has a weak immune system or a subsequent dengue infection, they are at a greater risk of developing the dengue hemorrhagic fever.

Medications and Remedies

There is no direct medical treatment for curing dengue, however, some home remedies do help to relieve the symptoms. Some of the remedies include using neem leaves, papaya leaves, orange juice, barley grass, goldenseal, coriander, basil leaves, fenugreek seeds and pomegranate juice.

Some of the home remedies one can use include-

Giloy-

Giloy is one of the most important herbs in Ayurveda. Besides maintaining a healthy metabolic rate, it helps in strengthening the immune system protecting the body against infects. For dengue fever, boil its stems and serve as a herbal drink.

Papaya Leaves-

Papaya leaves help in increasing the platelet count and reduce the symptoms of fever like body ache, chills, fatigue, and nausea. For dengue fever, crush the leaves and drink the juice to help flush out the toxins.

Turmeric-

Turmeric is known for its metabolism boosting properties that make the healing process faster. Consume it along with milk to feel much better.

Water-

Water is one of the most important components to consume during dengue fever. This is due to the body going through excessive sweating, exertion, and weakness. All this dehydrates the body which can further complicate the matter. Drink as much water as possible to ease the symptoms of the fever and simultaneously drain the body of excess fluids and unwanted toxins.

Neem Leaves-

Neem leaves are not only great for dengue fever but also great for a variety of other ailments. They help the body by increasing platelet blood count, white blood cell count, which are two main side effects of the dengue fever. For dengue fever, steep neem leaves and drink the subsequent brew to help the body recover. It is mandatory to ensure that the neem leaves are properly brewed as it improves the immune system and returns body strength much faster. Besides these effective home remedies, it is advisable to consult the doctor about any other medications.