{"id":1547,"date":"2020-05-18T11:36:10","date_gmt":"2020-05-18T11:36:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.blog.kayawell.com\/?p=1547"},"modified":"2025-09-10T10:18:24","modified_gmt":"2025-09-10T10:18:24","slug":"chikungunya-symptoms-causes-treatment-and-prevention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/chikungunya-symptoms-causes-treatment-and-prevention","title":{"rendered":"Chikungunya- Symptoms, Causes, Treatment and Prevention"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Much like\nthe most notorious dengue, chikungunya is also an infectious disease\ntransmitted by a mosquito. Most of the time, chikungunya is not fatal but the\nsuffering can be extremely traumatic. It induces fever and very serious joint\npains which can last for several years to come. The discomfort is unbearable\nand can make it impossible for many patients to even walk properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many\nchikungunya symptoms are akin to dengue and zika. Consequently, it can easily\nbe misdiagnosed in places where both of these diseases are widespread. If your\nresidence is close to any mosquito breeding areas, you are at a very high risk\nof chikungunya and other diseases transmitted by the mosquito such as dengue\nand zika. If chikungunya is not tested at the right time, the results of the\nlaboratory don&#8217;t even reflect that. There is precisely no cure for chikungunya,\nWorld Health Organization reports because the disease care focuses on relieving\nthe symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_73 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\r\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\r\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\r\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\r\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/chikungunya-symptoms-causes-treatment-and-prevention\/#Symptoms\" title=\"Symptoms\">Symptoms<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/chikungunya-symptoms-causes-treatment-and-prevention\/#When_to_see_a_doctor\" title=\"When to see a doctor\">When to see a doctor<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/chikungunya-symptoms-causes-treatment-and-prevention\/#_Causes\" title=\"&nbsp;Causes\">&nbsp;Causes<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/chikungunya-symptoms-causes-treatment-and-prevention\/#Treatment\" title=\"Treatment\">Treatment<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/chikungunya-symptoms-causes-treatment-and-prevention\/#Prevention\" title=\"Prevention\">Prevention<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Symptoms\"><\/span>Symptoms<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If a person\nis bitten by an infected mosquito, usually symptoms may appear within 4 to 8\ndays. They may also show up after 2 days or may not show up till 12 days. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>City physicians\nbelieve the virus has spread, leading to more severe symptoms now than before.\nChikungunya will usually start with an abrupt fever that is followed by joint\npain. The pain in the joints can be debilitating for the condition of the\nsufferer as it can last for a very long period of time. The viral primarily\naffects finger joints on both hands and feet, resulting in swelling and acute\npain. Sadly, in some cases, this pain can persist for months or years. The\ncriticality and longevity of this pain decided if chikungunya will be acute,\nsub-acute or a chronic disease. In most of the cases, however, the patients\nrecover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some\npatients also reported eye, heart, neurological and gastrointestinal\ncomplications in addition to pain in the joints. Nonetheless, instances of such\nallegations remain uncommon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When\nchikungunya&#8217;s patient is an elderly person, the condition may become very\nserious and may even lead to the patient&#8217;s death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many times\nsigns of chikungunya patients go unrecognized. They are also most frequently\nmisdiagnosed especially in areas where other mosquito-related diseases, such as\ndengue, are prevalent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;However, the most common Chikungunya signs and\nsymptoms include::<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Flu- chills, cough, headache and sore\njoints-Joint pain can occur especially in the hands, wrists, ankles and feet\nthat can last from weeks to months and can even last for a year.<\/li><li>Nausea<\/li><li>Fatigue<\/li><li>Rashes<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_to_see_a_doctor\"><\/span>When to see a doctor<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you think\nyou or a family member could have chikungunya see your doctor, particularly if\nyou&#8217;ve recently travelled to an area where there&#8217;s an ongoing outbreak. Your\ndoctor can order blood tests to look for chikungunya or the like. If you&#8217;re\nsick with chikungunya, avoiding new bites on the mosquito can help prevent the\nspread of the virus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"_Causes\"><\/span>&nbsp;Causes<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Incidentally,\nboth Dengue and Chikungunya are caused by mosquitoes such as Aedes aegypti and\nAedes albopictus, two species that play havoc in the country. It is transmitted\nfrom one person to another with the bite of the female specie of the mosquito.\nSuch mosquitoes are usually known to bite during daylight hours. At two points\nof time, early morning and late afternoon, the risk of getting bitten are the\nhighest during the daylight hours. Though these mosquitoes are typically known\nto bite outdoors, Aedes aegypti can bite indoors as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Treatment\"><\/span>Treatment<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The virus is\nrarely lethal, but the symptoms can be serious and disabled. Most patients\nrecover from fever within a week but it has been known that the joint pain has\npersisted for months. Even after 1 year, 20 per cent of patients report\nrecurring joint pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are no\nspecific medicines for treating chikungunya; physicians simply recommend rest\nand plenty of fluids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over-the-counter\nmedications help in relieving fever and joint pain. Including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Naproxen<\/li><li>Ibuprofen<\/li><li>Acetaminophen<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>For\nlonger-lasting aches, physiotherapy may be helpful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Prevention\"><\/span>Prevention<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If your\nresidence is close to mosquito vector breeding sites, this is a very major risk\nfactor not just for chikungunya but also for other diseases borne by\nmosquitoes. In these situations, there is a need for policy action and measures\nto ensure minimal risk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Any natural\nor artificial sites containing water and which help mosquito breeding need\neffective and regular insecticide treatment. Flying mosquitoes should be\nsprayed over and insecticides should be applied to surfaces of the containers\nand nearby objects. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, if the\nproximity of the site and any place of residence is more than it should be, the\ngovernment needs to ensure that the community is moved somewhere else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Apart from\nthe measures to be taken at the level of the authorities, there are other\nspecific steps that you should take. Here are a few tips to protect you from\nChikungunya:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Keep yourself covered and minimize skin\nexposure<\/li><li>Applying skin repellents can be cover exposed\nskin<\/li><li>Keep a check on your surroundings<\/li><li>Don&#8217;t let water accumulate<\/li><li>Stay extra safe during daytime<\/li><li>use nets to avoid mosquito bites<\/li><li>Keep the environment clean and search for\noverflowing trash bins <\/li><li>Change the water regularly in flower vessels\nto prevent mosquito breeding<\/li><li>Keep back the toilet seats when not in use<\/li><li>Shower daily and use unscented shampoos.\nMosquitos are believed to be attracted to smells like perfume and sweat<\/li><li>Purchase mosquito repellent that contains\nDEET, especially if you have a balcony garden.<\/li><li>Try growing marigold and lemongrass. They are\nnatural insect repellents<\/li><li>Use smokeless mosquito repellents. Using\nsmoke coils outdoors or in well-ventilated areas<\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Much like the most notorious dengue, chikungunya is also an infectious disease transmitted by a mosquito. Most of the time, chikungunya is not fatal but the suffering can be extremely traumatic. It induces fever and very serious joint pains which can last for several years to come. The discomfort is unbearable and can make it [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3824,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1547","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-healthcare"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1547","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1547"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1547\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3824"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1547"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1547"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1547"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}