{"id":5900,"date":"2019-04-19T05:12:45","date_gmt":"2019-04-19T05:12:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=5900"},"modified":"2020-05-14T06:55:09","modified_gmt":"2020-05-14T06:55:09","slug":"14-signs-symptoms-of-coxsackie-virus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/14-signs-symptoms-of-coxsackie-virus\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Signs & Symptoms of Coxsackie Virus"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Understanding what the symptoms of the Coxsackie virus are and how it can be treated as an important thing for parents know. Although this is not a serious infection, it can be a somewhat scary one of you do not know what to expect. Almost all children the contract this viral infection recover from it on their own. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is no real cure for the illness, but there are ways that you can boost your immune system and help your body to eradicate it. But being able to treat the disease starts with understanding what the symptoms are in the first place. We will be looking at 8 common symptoms of the Coxsackie virus otherwise known as hand, foot and mouth disease or HFM. This is not a comprehensive list of all of the symptoms of this illness, but it is a list of the most common ones that you should be looking for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Fever<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Having a fever is a pretty obvious sign of an illness. When you have a fever, you know that you are sick. Your body generally only generates a fever when it is trying to rid itself of an infection of some kind. Sometimes this is a bacterial infection, sometimes it is the standard flu virus and other times it might be something like HFM. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re going to treat this fever the same as you would a fever from any other type of illness. The best way is simply to put your child into bed, take care of any responsibilities that you have for a couple of days and allow your child to sleep is much as possible. Most fevers will get under control by themselves if your body is allowed to heal itself through sleep. In some cases, you may want to use aspirin to treat the fever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Reduced Appetite<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Your child will almost certainly have a reduced appetite if they have HFM. Most children do not feel like eating when they get sick. This is perfectly understandable, as they may be feeling nausea or with this particular disease, they may even have sores inside their mouth the make it very difficult even anything. Painful sores are one of the symptoms of this illness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, there are ways that you can still get them the nutrients they need without triggering painful sores or forcing them to eat something that will make them nauseous and want to throw up. Beef or chicken broth is a really good substitute for meals when your child doesn\u2019t feel like eating. Beef broth is milder and flavor than chicken broth typically, so you may want to go with that instead if your child is mouth sores. You may also want to add coconut oil as it is a powerful antiviral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Sore Throat<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A sore throat is a dead giveaway that you are sick. When your throat is sore, it can be difficult to do just about anything. It is uncomfortable and painful, and it can make it so that you do not want to eat or do anything else that you would normally deem to be a normal activity. Just like with a fever, the best way to you can treat a sore throat is by allowing your body time to rest and heal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, there are some herbal supplements out there that will treat the sore throat. Lemon balm in chamomile can both be made into teas that then sip slowly or swished around in the mouth. This will help alleviate the pain from a sore throat as well as mouth sores. Just make sure that the tea is not too hot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. The feeling of Being Sick<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Your child will probably also have a general feeling of being unwell. This is really common when it comes to illnesses. If your child complains of being sick, then he should definitely take it seriously. They may not have any of the other symptoms that are listed here if they are in the beginning stages of the illness, but they will generally have that feeling of being unwell or sick. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if they are not able to pin down exactly which part of the body hurts or where they are feeling sick, you still want to take the time to allow them to recover and rest because if it is this virus than they are going to need all their strength to eradicate from the body. Your child will probably develop other symptoms down the road; possibly even the ones that are listed here<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Painful Sores<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the easiest ways to tell that your child has HFM and not something else is by small painful spots that usually appear in the mouth. They can get larger, and they often begin in the back of the throat but then move forward. They can also begin blistering become extremely painful. These painful sores make it difficult for children with HFM to eat and should be treated with Tylenol or aspirin depending upon the age of your child. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your child is experiencing a great deal of pain, then you may want to call your pediatrician and get some advice. These mouth sores are a very common sign of HFM disease and besides treating the symptoms with pain medication and cooling foods like homemade popsicles made from coconut water, there is not a whole lot you can do except try to eliminate the disease altogether.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Spots, Rash & Blisters<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You may also notice spots, rashes, and blisters on other parts of the body as well. You definitely want to check your child for these symptoms if they are experiencing any of the other signs on this list. Knowing that they have HFM instead of some other viral illness will probably not change the way that you treat the overall disease, but it can help you know what to look for such as the painful mouth sores mentioned earlier. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The skin rashes will usually appear on the palms of her hands and soles of the feet and they start off as flat red spots to develop just a couple days after the infection has been acquired. Sometimes these spots will turn into painful blisters. In addition, they may appear on other parts of the body, although the hands and feet are the most common. You want to check the knees, elbows, buttocks and genital region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Dehydration<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Some children will also be dehydrated due to this illness. This is difficult to manage because if your child has painful blisters on the inside of their mouth, even drinking water can be painful for them. However, it is extremely important that they get as much water as possible. That\u2019s why you may have to develop new strategies for getting them hydrated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Water can help the body heal, and you do not want your children to become dehydrated. You can give them homemade popsicles made out of coconut oil and some kind of flavoring or try to get them to drink with a straw and see if that is less painful. If your child is starting to show signs of dehydration, then you do not want to fool around. You should seek medical help immediately if you cannot get them to take in enough liquids and they are showing dehydration symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. No Symptoms<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In some cases, there will be no symptoms at all. These cases are rather rare, but they do happen from time to time, and the only thing that your child will probably report is a general feeling of being unwell. However, just because they are not showing the obvious symptoms that are listed here such as the sores inside the mouth or on the hands and feet does not mean that they do not have this virus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If they are not showing symptoms and you\u2019re concerned about it, then you can go to your pediatrician and they can do a test for HFM. Alternatively, you can simply treat the same way that you would with any other viral infection with rest, over-the-counter cold and flu medications and keeping them home so that they do not infect others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Hand Foot and Mouth Disease<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Coxsackievirus is responsible for the development of the hand, foot, and mouth disease. HFM disease transmits by contact with an infected person. The body fluids of the patient contain the live virus, and should they wipe sweat from their forehead and then shake your hand, you run the risk of exposure to the virus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coxsackievirus also transmits through touching surfaces contaminated with the virus. Coxsackie can live outside of the body for up to 24-hours, and coming in contact with a contaminated surface means that you run the risk of developing the infection. Should an infected person touch a handrail at the subway station, the virus can survive on the surface and jump into a new host.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After infection, HFM disease likes to hang around in the back of the mouth, nose, and throat, as well as in the blister pus, stool, and urine of infected individuals. Washing your hands is the best prevention tip for avoiding the disease.
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10. Shedding<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

People infected with HFM disease typically experience the worst of their symptoms in day-4 through to day-9. The infection usually resolves on its own in 10-days, and the blisters leave no permanent scarring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, while the HFM disease disappears and the patient is no longer feeling the effects of the symptoms associated with HFM, they may still shed the coxsackievirus for several weeks after symptoms dissipate. During this time, the patient \u201csheds\u201d virus cells in urine and feces, as well as through their sweat. People that come in contact with these fluids may contract the virus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the infection and contagion phase, medical professionals recommend that parents quarantine children at home and adults should receive bed rest to improve their recovery rate. Going out into the community when you have an infectious disease is irresponsible behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The patient should notice a reduction in their symptoms after the end of the first week, and by the end of the second week, they should feel fine.
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11. Chills<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Patients with coxsackievirus infection develop a fever in the early stages of the disease. This symptom occurs as the body\u2019s natural defense mechanism against invading pathogens. By turning up your body heat, the nervous system provides an inhospitable environment for the growth and spread of the virus, shortening its lifecycle in the body.
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When the brain first notices the presence of the virus, it signals the hypothalamus to increase the production of pyrogen proteins. These proteins attach to nerve endings in the lower back, where they indicate the nervous system to turn up the heat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result, the body receives a new temperature setpoint, and the patient may notice a lag in the time it takes them to achieve the level of the new setpoint. As a result, the patient starts to develop symptoms of shivering and chills. After the body reaches the new temperature setpoint through the fever, the chills will subside.
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12. Malaise<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Malaise describes a mental health disorder where the body is aware that something is wrong with it, be it an infection or trauma, but you have no accurate diagnosis. An example would be a patient with coxsackievirus that does not know why they are sick. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result of remaining undiagnosed, the patient\u2019s mind may start to wonder about the possibilities of what is wrong with them. This stress leads to anxiety and eventually depression. There is no set guideline of the intensity and duration of malaise symptoms as they differ from person to person. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, should the person fail to receive a diagnosis for their condition, the malaise continues to deepen, resulting in a lasting depression. The only way to lift malaise is to receive a diagnosis from a qualified medical professional. When the brain understands what\u2019s going wrong with the body, the patient will notice the malaise lift in a matter of minutes.
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13. Fatigue<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

People who are dealing with a coxsackievirus infection may find that they start to develop feelings of fatigue as symptoms begin to present. Fighting off a viral infection is hard work for the body to endure, and it requires plenty of energy. As a result, the patient may feel tired and want to sleep. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bed rest is the most effective treatment for patients dealing with coxsackievirus infection. When a pathogen enters the body, the immune system goes into overdrive, producing white blood cells and antibodies to fight off the invaders. However, this also places a strain on the body, providing further feelings of fatigue in the patient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using stimulants like coffee to stay awake is a bad idea. The fatigue is your body\u2019s way of telling you to slow down and rest, take the time to rest and recover from the illness or risk developing adverse complications related to the infection.
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14. Upper Respiratory Symptoms<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Some patients dealing with coxsackievirus find that they start to experience symptoms of a sore throat which leads to a cough. As the virus spreads, the patient may also begin to notice that they develop problems with breathing and clearing their throat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These types of upper-respiratory symptoms typically last for a few days before resolving on their own. If the coughing and wheezing become out of control, the patient may use over-the-counter medications such as decongestants, to relieve the upper-respiratory symptoms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diffusing is another favorite method of reducing upper-respiratory issues. Fill a Pyrex bowl with boiling water, then add a few drops of tea tree oil along with some eucalyptus oil. Place a towel over your head and position your face above the water. Breathe in the medicated steam, and you\u2019ll notice immediate relief from your symptoms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alternatively, you can purchase a diffuser from your online health retailer and run it in your bedroom overnight.
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