Dengue fever, a mosquito-borne viral infection, has become a significant global health concern with more than 100 million cases being reported worldwide every year. While people often dismiss the disease as a mere fever, it can lead to a more severe illness in some cases, repercussions of which can be severe. This disease is transmitted by the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes, that live in tropical and subtropical regions. Understanding how to reduce dengue fever and ways to recover sooner can help you manage the symptoms of the infection better and deal with the weakness that you might experience after getting infected. Besides rising temperatures, you might also experience body pain as well as rashes and headaches.

What is dengue?

Dengue is a viral disease often contracted through mosquito bites, particularly those from Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that about 100-400 million infections occur in the world each year. “If this mosquito has fed on someone who is infected with dengue, it may transmit the virus to a healthy person when it bites them,” says internal medicine specialist Basavaraj S Kumbar. The most common symptoms of dengue virus are persistent high fever, headaches, body aches and rashes, therefore the virus is also known as “break-bone fever” as it makes the aching feeling very severe. Knowing the causes of the infection can help you prevent it.

Regularly checking your temperature and not missing fever medications can help manage this disease. Image courtesy: Freepik

Why does dengue cause fever?

It is a virus that affects the blood cells of the body and causes inflammation, resulting in fever. “The body tries to fight and eliminate the virus which activates the immune system which also causes fever,” explains internal medicine specialist Dr Hemlata Arora. Once the dengue virus enters a human host, it deceives the immune system, which in turn responds by trying to fight the virus through the release of some chemicals. These chemicals are broad in specific effects and work by increasing metabolism to cause fever. Fever is like the body’s way of turning up the heat to make it harder for the virus to spread. Besides fever, the other symptoms of the illness include intense muscle spasms and joint pain, states the US National Institutes of Health (NIH).

How to reduce dengue fever?

The first step in managing the illness is to take care of the symptoms with high temperature being a pertinent one. Here is what you can do:

1. Rest and hydrate

Drinking a lot of fluids like water and coconut water as well as natural juice to keep hydrated is essential. Hydration helps in lowering the fever and removal of toxins. It is also important to give the body adequate rest. A study published in the journal Emerging Infectious Disease, observed that fluid intake, especially in the 24 hours, was associated with decreased risk for hospitalization of dengue fever patients. The most important aspect of treatment in dengue is hydration and maintenance of intravascular volume with adequate fluids as much as 4-5 litres per day.

2. Take fever medication

Your doctor will prescribe medicines to lower the fever. Make sure to take these at regular intervals whenever the temperature rises. Also, ensure that you check your temperature every few hours. According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, symptomatic dengue begins after 5–7 days of incubation and fever typically lasts 2–7 days.

3. Cool Compresses

Placing a cool, damp cloth on the forehead or neck helps reduce body temperature and can make you feel more comfortable. Especially in the case of kids, sponge the skin with cool water. This would help to reduce the temperature, states the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). Make sure to not use cold water, normal tap water can be utilised for the compress.

4. Eat nutritious foods

Eating foods rich in vitamins, like fruits and vegetables, helps the body get the strength it needs to fight the virus. As far as your diet goes, try to include leafy greens vegetables, carrots, and tomatoes as well as chicken, fish and tofu. Vitamin C-rich fruits such as oranges, papaya and strawberries can also help you.

What else to remember while dealing with dengue fever?

While home remedies and medication may help to bring down the temperature, it is best to visit a doctor to make sure everything is okay, as dengue can sometimes become more serious. It is also necessary to monitor the CBC and liver tests to understand how the virus is behaving in each patient.

Hydrating and resting well can help manage symptoms. Image courtesy: Freepik

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How is dengue fever different from regular fever?

Dengue fever is caused specifically by the dengue virus, which spreads through mosquito bites, unlike regular fever, which can come from different viruses or bacteria. Dengue often causes intense body aches, pain behind the eyes, and sometimes a rash, which are less common in regular fevers.

2. Can dengue be life-threatening?

Dengue fever in itself is not dangerous and is merely a response to the virus. The more dangerous aspects are dehydration, vascular leakage and shock.

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