{"id":3790,"date":"2019-02-07T04:13:45","date_gmt":"2019-02-07T04:13:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=3790"},"modified":"2021-03-25T20:49:26","modified_gmt":"2021-03-25T20:49:26","slug":"14-symptoms-you-didnt-know-about-chikungunya","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/14-symptoms-you-didnt-know-about-chikungunya\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Symptoms You didn’t Know About Chikungunya"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Before the year 2006, chikungunya was not often seen in the United States. Since then, the virus has become more prevalent. Now, this virus has caused at least one case in almost every state throughout the country. The chikungunya virus is primarily transferred through mosquito bites. There have been a few reports of health care professionals and lab workers becoming infected after dealing with the blood of a patient who is infected. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is no antiviral therapy available for chikungunya disease. This means that patients who are diagnosed with it may receive treatment for joint pain through physiotherapy or corticosteroids and may take NSAIDs as a pain and fever reliever. Rest and plenty of fluids are recommended for those who suffer from this virus. While this virus is becoming more prevalent in the United States, it is still one that not many people have heard from. Here are some symptoms and facts about the disease to be aware of. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Severe Joint Pain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The name chikungunya comes from an African word. This word describes a person who is twisted and bent over in a severe amount of pain. This makes sense as one of the most common symptoms of chikungunya disease is severe joint <\/a>pain. This severe joint pain is different for everyone who is infected. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some people, the joint pain lasts for just a couple of days and in others, this joint pain will last for several weeks. There are some case histories of the disease where the person experienced joint pain for several months. In the most severe cases, this joint pain could last for several years. This joint pain can be quite severe and debilitating and is often one of the worse symptoms of this disease. If you are suffering from unexplained joint pain and have some of the other symptoms on this list, seek medical attention to determine the cause. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Fever<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are many types of illnesses that can cause a person to run a fever<\/a>. However, a high fever is also characteristic during the onset of chikungunya. A person who was bitten by a mosquito and starts to run a fever should be checked out by a doctor to see if they have chikungunya. The fever can reach as high as 104 degrees F and may last for a few days. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most commonly, the fever will start about a week or so after the person has been bitten by an infected mosquito. Even when a person\u2019s illness follows the pattern, coming up with an accurate diagnosis is not quite so simple. If the person lives in an area where the disease is not common, it increases the chances of a misdiagnosis. The symptoms of chikungunya are often confused with malaria symptoms as well as other illnesses that are more common and familiar to the area they live in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Insomnia<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the more common symptoms of chikungunya during the early phase of the disease is the inability to sleep. This insomnia <\/a>will typically start about a week after being bitten by a mosquito. Insomnia is often accompanied by a fever. The fever may last only a few days, but insomnia may continue for up to a week or longer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While insomnia by itself is not dangerous, it does have an effect on the natural resistance of the body. This can create consequences that are much more serious. A person who has a fever and is suffering from insomnia may feel much weaker because they are not getting the rest that they need in order to heal from the disease. A person who has been infected by a mosquito bite should see a doctor as soon as possible if they are suffering from insomnia that is accompanied by a high fever. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Nausea and Vomiting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There is an entire long list of illnesses, infections, and diseases that can cause a person to experience nausea <\/a>and vomiting. During the first stages of being infected by chikungunya, a person will often vomit. While this in and of itself is quite unpleasant, vomiting can create several other health issues as well. In order for the body to function properly, a person must have a regular intake of nutrients and liquids. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is very important to avoid becoming dehydrated as dehydration can cause many dangerous health issues. If a person is unable to hold down any type of food or drink for a period of time, it can be difficult to remain hydrated. While chikungunya is not often considered to be a fatal disease, if the patient becomes dehydrated it can impact their health in many ways. If unable to consume food or drinks in a traditional manner an IV of fluids may be given to the patient to help them stay hydrated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Chills<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If a person is bitten by a mosquito and suddenly starts to feel very chilled, there is reason to believe that they may have been exposed to chikungunya<\/a>. The chills are a symptom that will also appear during the beginning stages of the illness. Typically, there will be a two or three-day delay between being bitten by a mosquito and experiencing the chills. The chills will often only last for a few days and may be accompanied by a high fever. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A person may go from feeling very hot to being very cold on and off for several days. Once again, getting the chills is something that is associated with many types of diseases. It is for this reason that a person who has chikungunya may be misdiagnosed at first. If you were bitten by a mosquito and develop any of the symptoms on this list, getting tested by a doctor is important to determine the underlying cause. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Headaches<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It is quite common for a person to have a headache <\/a>from time to time. In fact, most people experience headaches at least once a month or more often. There are numerous reasons that a person may develop a headache. When a person has chikungunya along with experiencing extreme joint pain and fever, they may also develop a headache. This all will occur during the beginning stages of the disease. As with the other symptoms of chikungunya, a headache may occur days or up to a week after they were bitten by an infected mosquito. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In most cases, the headaches will only last a few days. However, in more severe cases a person may have a headache along with many of the other symptoms on this list for up to a week or longer. While these symptoms are common for many ailments, when they appear together and occur after getting a mosquito bite there is a chance that it is chikungunya. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Rashes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

During the initial stage of chikungunya, the disease may cause a person to develop a rash<\/a>. This rash typically will appear on the limbs as well as other areas of the body. The rash is typically in the form of a bump that is raised. The spots that appear on the skin may be purple or red in color. Instead of small bumps, the rash may appear as patches located across the skin. \u00a0A person who develops a rash may also suffer from peeling skin. They may even notice some spotting on the skin that is called hyperpigmentation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people may even develop ulcers in their mouth. For typical chikungunya cases, these symptoms should go away without any type of treatment within two or three weeks. They could even go away sooner. The chikungunya rash is not as common as the other symptoms and only about have of the people infected with this disease develop a rash. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Heart Issues<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, in most cases, chikungunya rarely causes any type of damage to the heart. However, in complicated cases, there is a chance that a person may suffer from heart damage as a result of the disease. For chronic cases of the disease, it may cause the heart muscle to become inflamed. While fatalities from chikungunya are quite rare, there is a source of concern for those people who already have heart issues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The elderly and babies are more at risk for developing heart problems as a result of being infected by this disease. Most people who develop chikungunya symptoms that are severe are over the age of 65. About a third of these individuals will die as a result of complications caused by the disease. However, this figure only accounts for a small percentage of those patients who have the disease. The majority of those infected <\/a>by chikungunya are better within a week or so. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

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