What is viral fever ?
Viral fever is any fever caused by underlying viral illnesses. A variety of viral infections can effect the human body, for eg. Common cold, flu etc. A low grade fever is a sign of viral infection. Some viral infections can be severe too, like dengue and cause high fever.
Causes
Viral fever is a result of low immunity against microbes. Kids and older people are more likely to get effected by viral infections. Body temperature increases when the body tries to fight off viral infections. Viruses can not multiply in increased temperatures.
Viral fever is contagious, and can be caught in the following ways-
- Being around a person when he/she is coughing/ sneezing, while being infected, spreads virus from their body to yours.
- Eating/ drinking something contaminated with the virus.
- Animals and insects also carry certain viruses, so in-case you ate bit or stung by such an animal, you can get viral fever.
- Certain viruses also spread in contaminated surroundings, for example if you step in a puddle with rats infected urine.
Symptoms?
-
- High fever
- Sweating
- Dehydration
- Body pain
- Chills
- Muscle aches
- Head aches
- Sore muscles
- Fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Dizziness
- Chest and nasal congestion
- Runny nose
- Cough & cold
- Sore throat
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Skin rash
- Face redness
Although most of these symptoms fade away in a few days, consulting a doctor and taking proper medications is necessary.
Diagnosis & Treatment
Generally viral fever can be diagnosed depending on the symptoms of the patient. For example, if you are suffering from sore throat, the doctor will examine your throat and determine whether its bacterial infection or viral infection. In certain cases, blood and urine tests also help to determine type of infection.
Viral fever is easily treated by taking over the counter medications. Taking anti-biotics will not help treat the infection, but may in turn cause resistance to the infection. Medicines commonly taken to treat viral infections are- cetaminophen, Ibuprofen, paracetamol etc. please consult your medical practicer before taking these.
Other ways to recover from a viral fever are-
- Resting well
- Sleeping well
- Taking plenty of fluids
- Avoid skipping a bath. Taking a bath relaxes the muscles and lowers body temperatures.
- Taking steam inhalation to unclog nose also help.
Precautions
Certain precautions can be taken to avoid catching the infection & from spreading further.
- Drink pure/ boiled water from a water purifier.
- Cover nose and mouth with a cloth while sneezing & coughing.
- Using mosquito repellents when required.
- Maintaining a good hygiene
- Never sit in wet clothes for long, change quickly if gotten wet due to rains or so.
- Avoid drinking & eating out in rains and monsoons.
- Avoid crowded areas.
- Parents should keep their kids away from those who have the illness in the playground and schools.
- Parents in turn should also not send their kids to school if they are suffering from any such illness to avoid it from spreading.
Nails should always be cut and clean, as dirty nails attract bacteria and infect the stomach.
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Charlene Goeden
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