The choice of medication for chikungunya (bone flu) which is effective in relieving symptoms

Chikungunya disease is a disease caused by the chikungunya virus. This viral infection can make sufferers experience fever and severe joint pain. Some people even have to curl up or bend over to endure the pain. So, is there any chikungunya medicine that is effective in relieving the symptoms? Check out the complete information below.

Recognize the symptoms of chikungunya disease

Chikungunya is a disease that is transmitted through the bite of various mosquitoes Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus . Since 2004, this disease has spread widely in more than 60 countries, including countries in Asia.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed that the most typical symptoms of chikungunya are fever and joint pain, especially in the knees, wrists, toes, to the spine. This very severe joint pain often makes it difficult for sufferers to move, so this disease is also known as "bone flu".

The sufferer's skin will also look red or a rash, then headaches, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea appear in some cases.

Although the symptoms are similar to those of dengue fever, chikungunya tends to be harmless or life-threatening. The fever from chikungunya usually goes away on its own within a week, but the healing of the joint pain can take quite a while to take months.

Drug options for treating chikungunya

Chikungunya will usually be diagnosed by a doctor based on your symptoms and whether you have recently returned from a place with a high incidence of the disease. After that, the doctor may order a series of additional tests to confirm the diagnosis, such as blood tests.

However, there is actually no specific chikungunya medicine that can treat this disease completely. The medications commonly given to chikungunya patients only serve to relieve symptoms and speed up the recovery process.

To relieve joint pain and chikungunya fever in patients, doctors will usually give drugs:

1. Naproxen

As soon as the symptoms of chikungunya fever start to hamper your day, take naproxen immediately. Naproxen works by blocking the production of prostaglandins, which are substances in the body that trigger pain and inflammation.

After taking naproxen medicine, the symptoms of joint pain and chikungunya fever will subside within a few days. Make sure you take this chikungunya medicine according to the recommended dosage.

2. Ibuprofen

Ibuprofen is often used to reduce pain, swelling, or inflammation due to various diseases. One of them is because of chikungunya disease.

Just like naproxen, taking ibuprofen can reduce fever and relieve joint pain due to chikungunya. This drug is available in the form of tablets, capsules, or intravenous fluids specifically given for certain conditions.

3. Paracetamol

Just like ibuprofen, paracetamol can also relieve fever due to chikungunya. It works the same way, which is to inhibit the production of prostaglandins which trigger pain and inflammation in the body. But the difference is, the side effects of paracetamol tend to be lighter because it doesn't cause stomach acid to rise or stomach pain.

It should be noted that you should avoid taking aspirin or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to treat chikungunya fever. The reason is, the two types of drugs can increase the risk of bleeding, especially if taken without a doctor's supervision.

You can find the above medicines for chikungunya easily at pharmacies. However, you should take the drugs above according to a doctor's prescription. This is even more so if you have other pre-existing medical conditions besides chikungunya.

Can chikungunya be treated with vaccines?

So, is it possible for chikungunya disease to be treated with vaccines? Unfortunately, there is currently no vaccine that is proven to be 100% effective in protecting the body from infection with the chikungunya virus.

However, a study from The Journal of the American Medical Association is currently testing the effects of the chikungunya vaccine. The results of these studies are promising and carry minimal risk of side effects. However, further research is still needed to ensure its safety and success rate.

Therefore, immediately consult a doctor if you experience symptoms of chikungunya. Especially if you have just traveled to an area where there is an outbreak of chikungunya, then your risk of getting this disease will be even greater.

How to deal with chikungunya symptoms apart from medication

Chikungunya medicines will certainly not work optimally in dealing with the symptoms if they are not accompanied by changes in your lifestyle. Therefore, make sure you get complete rest so that the fever subsides quickly and the joint pain does not get worse.

In addition, you can also follow the tips below to help relieve chikungunya symptoms:

1. Try natural remedies from spices

Apart from medical medication, you can try traditional remedies to treat the symptoms of chikungunya. Herbal ingredients that you can use for chikungunya medicine are herbs such as turmeric and ginger.

An article from a journal Frontiers in Nutrition shows that turmeric and ginger can help reduce the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease that attacks the joints.

There is no research to prove the spice's effect on chikungunya. However, there is nothing wrong with trying turmeric and ginger to relieve joint pain due to chikungunya.

You can drink ginger and turmeric stew, or mix it with other foods and drinks.

2. Avoid mosquito bites

For the time being, avoid going outside to prevent mosquito bites. Protect yourself from mosquito bites by installing a mosquito net, planting mosquito repellent plants, or applying insect repellent regularly.

No less important, do the eradication of mosquito nests (PSN) with 3M plus actions, namely:

• Close the water reservoir
• Drain the water reservoir
• Burying used goods
• "Plus" use anti-mosquito topical medication and install a mosquito net, as previously explained.