Dengue is a common disease that humans get from an infected mosquito’s bite. This type of disease is usually rampant in tropical and subtropical regions. Dengue must be treated seriously as it can cause severe symptoms and complications, including bleeding, drop in blood pressure, and even death. There is no cure for dengue. However, it can be prevented and managed. This article discusses some home remedies for dengue fever.
Home Remedies for Dengue Fever: Symptoms of Dengue
Symptoms vary per individual and may either be dengue without warning signs or dengue with warning signs.
Dengue without warning signs
- Fever
- Nausea or vomiting
- Various aches and pains, including headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pain
- A flat, red rash may appear later on
Home remedies for dengue without warning signs may be enough to alleviate milder symptoms. Always refer to your doctor for advice on how to deal with cases of dengue.
Dengue with warning signs
- Abdominal or belly pain
- Worsened or frequent vomiting (>3 times in a day)
- Bleeding from the gums or nose
- Blood in stool or vomit (may have a dark “coffee ground” appearance or melena)
- Changes in behavior such as irritability, lethargy, or restlessness
- If a blood test is done, hematocrit levels may rise while platelet levels drop
People who are diagnosed with severe dengue are advised to immediately visit a hospital and receive treatment there.
Home Remedies for Dengue Fever
Here are various home remedies for dengue without warning signs. These may be able to alleviate and treat early and mild symptoms of the disease but are not enough to manage dengue with warning signs.
Get Plenty of Rest
Ensure that the person who is sick will get plenty of rest. They must refrain from doing any strenuous physical activities. Moreover, they must only stay at home.
Control the Fever
The fever can be controlled by doing the following:
- Only take paracetamol as medication to keep the fever from getting any higher and manage mild to moderate pain.
- Do not use NSAID drugs (e.g. aspirin, ibuprofen, mefenamic acid, naproxen)
- Always follow the packaging directions and prescription written by a doctor.
- As an additional way to lower a fever and promote cooling, gentle spongeing or wiping down with a damp towel over areas of the face and body can be done.
Have a CBC done
- A complete blood count (CBC) may be requested by your doctor to rule in or rule out dengue.
- This test requires a blood draw and will be processed and checked by a technician to determine the levels of red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs), and platelets in your blood.
- For some patients with dengue, hematocrit (percent of RBCs) levels go up while there is a dramatic drop in platelet count.
- Follow-up CBCs may be requested to see if your blood cell levels are returning to normal levels.
Consume the Right Food
- If the person has an appetite, it is advised that they try to consume a light meal.
- Food with high water content are ideal, as it can help maintain hydration in addition to water. Fruit and vegetables like watermelon, pineapples, tomatoes, and cucumbers are good options.
- Avoid food that can dehydrate you, such as soft drinks, tea, coffee, and alcohol.
Stay Hydrated
- Adequate hydration involves drinking water and maintaining electrolyte balance.
- Sweating due to fever and bouts of vomiting or diarrhea can quickly deplete the body of water and electrolytes, so it is important to continually replenish the body.
- Ask your doctor to advise how much water and electrolyte solutions you should be taking to stay hydrated.
- Oral rehydration solutions (ORS) can be purchased and mixed with water or made at home using clean water, salt, and table sugar.
- Avoid consuming fruit juice or sports drinks to replenish electrolytes, as these beverages tend to have high concentrations of sugar and sodium which can worsen dehydration.
Supplements to Boost Immune System
These supplements help boost and maintain the regular function of a person’s immune system in order to combat dengue. This will ultimately help the patient recover from dengue symptoms and reduce the duration of the fever. Moreover, Vitamin C can reduce the likeliness of bleeding as well.
- Vitamin C
- Zinc
Key Takeaway
Dengue is a potentially dangerous disease, so people must be wary and protect themselves to avoid infection. Once a person is diagnosed with dengue, they must monitor their condition for warning signs and take the necessary steps to manage their symptoms. Mild symptoms may be treated by using home remedies whereas severe symptoms, including bleeding, dehydration, or abdominal pain, should be addressed by a medical professional.
Learn more about Infectious Diseases here.
