I’m a young professional in my late 20s living in Kerala. Recently, with the spread of mosquitoes during the monsoon season, I’ve been experiencing high fever, muscle and joint pain, and nausea. I also feel very tired and low on energy. Could these symptoms indicate dengue? Should I consult a doctor or get any specific tests done to confirm it?
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Dear Reader,
Dengue is a viral infection spread by the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito. Dengue fever is not contagious and does not spread from person to person except in cases of pregnancy, where it can be transmitted to the developing baby from the infected mother. There is very little evidence of the spread of dengue fever by other routes.
To answer your second question, how to know if you have dengue? My suggestion is to never try to self diagnose dengue or any other viral fever. With the given symptoms, you should consult a doctor immediately, they will advise you of necessary tests like the NS1 antigen test, IGG and IGM for diagnosing dengue. They may also advise other tests to rule out typhoid, malaria, chikungunya, etc.
There are chances of life-threatening complications due to a drop in BP and platelet count in some people suffering from serious dengue infection. Therefore, it is very crucial to consult a doctor and follow their advice.
Hydrate well, eat healthy, and rest well till you recover.
Wish you good health.