Come monsoon and there is beauty outside your window so long as you keep indoors. Wonder why? Well, monsoon is more than scenic downpours or eternal games of kick ball on wet fields. It is also about diseases. There are certain diseases that monsoon is guaranteed to spread and you need to be aware of them and know how to fix them beforehand.
Malaria
Malaria is an infection caused by single-celled parasites that enter the blood through the bite of an Anopheles mosquito. Symptoms of malaria can begin as early as six to eight days after a bite by an infected mosquito. They include high fever (up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit) with chills, profuse sweating when the fever suddenly drops, fatigue, aches throughout the body and nausea.
Malaria is treated with antimalarial drugs and some other means to control symptoms including medications to control fever, antiseizure medications when needed, and fluids and electrolytes.
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Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea refers to a condition marked by frequent liquid bowel movements. It is caused by an infection with bacteria, viruses or a parasite. Bacteria invade the intestine or produce toxin that makes the intestine secrete more water. When food is contaminated with bacteria or parasites, it is referred to as food poisoning. Besides frequent loose stool, the patient may experience abdominal pain, vomiting, fever and chills.
When symptoms start, try to rest more and switch to a liquid diet. As you begin to feel better, start eating solid foods gradually to prevent stomach cramps. Stomach cramps can be eased with warm compress or electric heating pad set on low heat.
Cold and Flu
Sneezing, scratchy throat, runny nose are common during monsoons. Cold can be accompanied by mucus buildup in your nose, difficult breathing, swelling of sinuses, sore throat, cough and headache.
To ease symptoms of cold and flu, rest as much as you can. Drink plenty of fluids, gargle with warm salt water and take aspirin or acetaminophen—Tylenol.
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is a viral infection that can inflame and damage the liver. It spreads via contaminated food or water. It can also spread by contact with the blood of an infected person such as when intravenous drug users share needles. Symptoms of the condition are tiredness, loss of appetite, fever, tenderness in the stomach area, dark-coloured urine and yellow eyes.
Doctors recommend bed rest, eating well-balanced meals, drinking plenty of fluids and avoiding alcoholic beverages to relieve symptoms.
Chikungunya Fever
Chikungunya fever is caused by a virus and is transmitted by bite of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which usually bites during the day. Symptoms of the disease are similar to dengue fever. Chikungunya generally starts with fever, but the condition can give you joint and muscle pains, high grade fever, conjunctivitis and rashes later.
Acetaminophen or ibuprofen is prescribed to relieve fever and pain in muscles. During summers, drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.
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Read more articles on Communicable Diseases.