Are you living under a constant fear of getting bitten by mosquitoes this season, that are ever so prevalent in the environment due to the degrading civic sense among us citizens and the apathetic authorities? Don’t panic! Every case doesn’t need to be hospitalized or treated with very strong medication. Homoeopathy can help!
With monsoon, there has been an increase in mosquito-borne illnesses including Dengue and Chikungunya. Delhi in particular is witnessing an unprecedented rise in the number of chikungunya cases this year. Though most patients recovered and serious complications are rare. Generally one should feel better within a week but in some cases the joint pains may persist for weeks or months together. People at risk for a more severe illness include newborns infected around the time of birth, older adults 65 or above and people with medical conditions like high blood pressure,diabetes or heart disease.
There is no specific vaccine or antiviral medicines to prevent/treat chikungunya virus. So the rule is to treat the symptoms like get plenty of rest, drink fluids to maintain hydration, don’t contribute to the transmission cycle: If you get infected, protect yourself from further mosquito bites in the first week of your illness.
During the first week, chikungunya virus can be found in the blood and passed from an infected person to a mosquito through bite and an infected mosquito can then spread the virus to the other people. It’s safer to take analgesics and antipyretics such as paracetamol to bring down high fever and pain. The symptoms are often difficult to differentiate from dengue, hence it is important not to take any NSAIDs (Non steroidal Anti inflammatory Drugs) like aspirin, ibuprofen till dengue is ruled out as these medicines can cause platelets to fall, increasing risk of bleeding in case of dengue.
HOMOEOPATHY is undoubtedly effective option to tackle all kind of viral fevers including the monsoon maladies like chikungunya and Dengue, as it offers a gentler and a faster cure. There are number of medicines ( viz. Rhustox, Bryonia, Eupatoreum Perf, Pyrogenum, Gelsemium, MercSol, Ipecac, Arnica, Belladonna etc) that not only help bring down the active fever,they cut it short too. Also, they come with an added advantage of no side effects/a drop in your platelet counts causing bleeding!
The terrible joint pains one experiences in Chikungunya, which may get disabling for weeks or months even after the recovery from fever, are very effectively controlled with homoeopathic medicines. Among many, Polyporous pinicola (Polyporous officinalis) is one of the specific medicines for these lingering pain in joints. Single dose of this medicine is enough to cure chikungunya pains. One more medicine which is helpful in completely alleviating joint pains even if the fever subsides is Kali mur, 1m, single dose which should be taken at least after one week of the first medicine. In higher doses it acts as a preventive.
Some medicines like Phosphoric acid, Cinchona, Arsenic can take good care of weakness and fatigue making you up and about in just a couple of days. Euphrasia can very well take care of the conjunctivitis or any other eye symptoms if you develop them. I have personally used Eupt, Bry, RhusTox as preventives for the disease, so far it has helped the families in not contracting the disease and also cut short the intensity and duration of the disease.
Homoeopathy has a very good scope in the treatment of chikungunya. Initially indicated acute remedies may give relief which may be followed by constitutional remedy in order to get rid of post fever arthralgias.
Usually, one attack confers life long immunity.
Note: Please do not self –medicate. Consult your physician if you have high fever, joint pains or any other signs that point towards the infection.