Dengue fever also known as breakbone fever is a mosquito-borne disease that occurs in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Mild dengue fever causes high fever, rash, and muscle and joint pain. A severe form of dengue fever, also called dengue hemorrhagic fever, can cause severe bleeding, a sudden drop in blood pressure (shock) and death.
Millions of cases of dengue infection occur worldwide each year. Dengue fever is most common in Southeast Asia and the western Pacific islands, but the disease has been increasing rapidly in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Causes--Dengue fever is caused by any one of four dengue viruses spread by mosquitoes that thrive in and near human lodgings. When a mosquito bites a person infected with a dengue virus, the virus enters the mosquito. When the infected mosquito then bites another person, the virus enters that person's bloodstream.
After you've recovered from dengue fever, you have immunity to the virus that infected you — but not to the other three dengue fever viruses. The risk of developing severe dengue fever, also known as dengue hemorrhagic fever, actually increases if you're infected a second, third or fourth time.
Symptoms--Many people, especially children and teens, may experience no signs or symptoms during a mild case of dengue fever. When symptoms do occur, they usually begin four to 10 days after you are bitten by an infected mosquito. Signs and symptoms of dengue fever most commonly include:
· Fever, as high as 106 F (41 C)
· Headaches
· Muscle, bone and joint pain
· Pain behind your eyes
You might also experience:
· Widespread rash
· Nausea and vomiting
· Rarely, minor bleeding from your gums or nose
Most people recover within a week or so. In some cases, symptoms worsen and can become life-threatening. Blood vessels often become damaged and leaky. And the number of clot-forming cells (platelets) in your bloodstream drops. This can cause:
· Bleeding from your nose and mouth
· Severe abdominal pain
· Persistent vomiting
· Bleeding under the skin, which might look like bruising
· Problems with your lungs, liver and heart
TOP HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES
EUPATORIUM PERFOLIATUM 200—Eupatorium per. Is an excellent remedy for dengue fever . There is severe muscle and joint pains with high fever. Eupatorium Perfoliatum is also popularly known as “bone set” as it brings about the quickest relief in severe bone and joint pains in fever. The pain can be present in any bone or it can be generalized in the whole body. The patient may also have general body ache with a feeling as if the whole body is broken. Apart from relieving joint pains, Eupatorium Perfoliatum is also very beneficial in providing relief from severe pain in the eyeballs in Dengue Fever. It helps in recovering from headache with nausea and vomiting too. Mainly the patients requiring this remedy for Dengue have severe chill with shivering and severe body pains . In majority of the cases, sweat brings relief in all the symptoms, with the exception of pain in head.
GELSEMUM 200-- Gelsemium is the best Homeopathic remedy for Dengue Fever patients who experience utmost weakness and prostration. A state of dullness, dizziness and drowsiness is the perfect description to select Gelsemium over other Homeopathic medicines for the treatment of Dengue Fever. The patients seem lethargic and have a desire to lie down in perfect silence without any disturbance. He or she also wants to be quiet and dislikes conversation. The patient experiences chill, but in selecting Homeopathic medicine Gelsemium, the chill is most typically marked in the back and travels up and down the back. Another feature is headache with heaviness of eyes. The headache is mainly present in back portion that in most cases travels up to the forehead and eyes. There is also an absence of thirst in majority of cases.
IPECAC 30 and ARSENICUM ALBUM 200-- Along with Eupatorium for relieving nausea and vomiting in Dengue Fever, Ipecac and Arsenic Album can be used . Ipecac is a medicine of great help when there is persistent nausea and vomiting. . Arsenic Album is the ideal Homeopathic medicine when nausea gets worse by the smell or sight of food and vomiting gets worse from eating or drinking anything
BELLADONNA 200, GELSIMIUM 200, EUPATORIUM 200-- Belladonna and Eupatorium Perfoliatum and Gelsemium can be used for dengue fever with severe headache. Gelsemium is the best Homeopathic remedy when a Dengue Fever patient experiences pain in back of the head (Occiput). The pain can also travel from back of the head to the forehead or eyes. Heaviness of eyes is also marked with pain in head. Homeopathic medicine Belladona is the best choice when pain is marked in the sides of head (temples). For using Belladona, the pain is very violent and throbbing in nature. Tight binding of head provides relief. Eupatorium Perfoliatum is recommended for Dengue Fever patients when the headache is present in top (vertex) of head. The patient may also vomit along with vertex headache.
PREVENTION
The homeopathic medicine which closely relates to the symptoms of Dengue outbreak is Eupatorium Perfoliatum. Give this remedy in 200 potency twice daily during an outbreak of Dengue fever .