Dengue fever refers to a mosquito-borne tropical disease. Also called dengue hemorrhagic fever, the disease is common in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. It is marked by bleeding related to the decrease in platelet count and it may progress to hypovolemic shock if the symptoms do not improve. The following are the causes, signs and symptoms, and home remedies for dengue fever.
Dengue fever is caused by the dengue virus, which is transmitted via a vector – a mosquito. Dengue virus from an infected person enters the mosquito after it bites then transfers to another person through the bloodstream.
Signs and Symptoms
Dengue fever presents several symptoms. According to Web MD, these symptoms include severe headaches, high fever, pain behind the eyes, fatigue, joint and muscle pain, nausea, skin rash, vomiting and mild bleeding. The person may also exhibit some signs of bleeding, such as epistaxis or nose bleed, gum bleeding, petechiae, melena or black tarry stools, and hematochezia or fresh blood in the stools. As per the publication, the symptom onset is four to six days following infection and they may persist for up to ten days.
While dengue fever involves symptomatic management as part of the treatment regimen, home remedies can also be applied to treat the disease.
Water consumption is another remedy for dengue fever. Water helps regulate the body’s temperature in case of high grade fever and it also stands as a primary intervention for cough and colds. For blood loss, water also helps replace fluid and blood volume in the body. This way, shock and death can be prevented.
Papaya is one of the known remedies for dengue fever. According to Live a Little Longer, papaya leaf extract is capable of managing the signs and symptoms of the condition. As per the publication, the person takes a fresh papaya leaf and cuts it into slices. Then, the person removes the veins. Next, the leaves are mixed with ten ml of cold water. After that, the mixture is ground and is filtered. Once done, the juice is strained and consumed four times a day. It is noted that papaya juice is best taken in the early stages of the disease, which means from the start of platelet reduction. Otherwise, papaya may not be as effective if dengue fever has progressed to an organ failure.
Another remedy for dengue fever is barley grass. According to Organic Facts, it is capable of boosting the amount of platelets in the body, which is done by activating blood cells production. As per the publication, eating barley grass or drinking barley tea yields a fast increase in the platelet count, which enables the body to shorten the duration of bleeding. This way, the body will also be able to prevent dengue fever complications, such as weakness, risk for infection, bleeding, and hypovolemic shock.
Prevention is better than cure. According to Food NDTV, dengue can be prevented by maintaining the cleanliness of the surroundings, as well as wearing protective clothing. Also, mosquitoes should not be allowed to breed by throwing the stagnant water in the house, as well as their breeding grounds, such as old tires and garbage. As per the publication, herbal sources may act as mosquito repellent. They include lavender, catnip, citronella, feverfew, basil, garlic, lemongrass, rosemary, and peppermint.
Dengue fever is a disease caused by a mosquito bite and it involves bleeding in various systems of the body, which may become life-threatening if unmanaged well. Thus, it is best to seek medical consult from the doctor for proper assessment, planning, intervention, education, and evaluation.