Zika fever outbreaks are quite common in many countries around the world. According to the CDC, the most up-to-date list of these states includes: Bolivia, Ecuador, Guyana, Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Suriname, Venezuela, Barbados, Saint Martin, Haiti, Martinique, Puerto Rico, Guadeloupe, Samoa and Cape Verde. There is no cure for this infection, but you can combine medical treatments with home remedies to heal as quickly as possible.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Home Remedies
Step 1. Stay hydrated
As you recover from the infection, be sure to consume plenty of fluids; you can become very dehydrated during illness and fever makes the situation worse. Try to drink at least the recommended daily amount of water (2 liters is the recommended minimum), if not more.
- You can stay hydrated by drinking decaffeinated tea and / or sports drinks with electrolytes.
- Avoid coffee and alcohol because they worsen the state of dehydration.
Step 2. Get plenty of rest
One of the best ways to strengthen the immune system is plenty of rest; you should sleep at least eight hours every night while trying to get over the infection.
- You should also avoid going to work and doing any stressful or strenuous activities.
- Just do relaxing things, like reading a good book, watching a TV show, or listening to calming music.
Step 3. Strengthen the immune system
Since you can only rely on the body's natural abilities to fight the virus, it can help to put into practice strategies to make them stronger. Remember that there are no peer-reviewed studies that confirm the effectiveness of supplements or vitamins for this purpose. All evidence is anecdotal in nature; as a result, the recommendations described may or may not work (it's worth a try anyway).
- Vitamin C: take about 500-1000 mg per day to strengthen the immune system;
- Zinc: the recommended daily dose for an adult man is 11 mg, while for a woman it is 8 mg;
- Garlic: try drinking a herbal tea prepared with a few crushed cloves or add it chopped to your dishes every day;
- Echinacea: drink a few cups of herbal tea daily, you can also take it in 300 mg capsules three times a day.
Method 2 of 2: Medical Care
Step 1. See your doctor if your symptoms get worse
In most cases of Zika fever, professional intervention is not necessary. You can just stay at home and rest until you are healed; however, if you experience any symptoms or pain that you are unable to handle on your own, you should go to the doctor immediately.
Since this infection generates ailments similar to those of dengue and chikungunya, it is worth going to the doctor to confirm the diagnosis. The doctor takes a blood test to check if it is zika or another condition
Step 2. Take acetaminophen to control pain
If you can't handle the feverish symptoms and / or the pain (the virus causes body aches), you can take this pain reliever (Tachipirina), available without a prescription at any pharmacy.
The recommended dose is typically 500-1000 mg every 4-6 hours; do not exceed this dosage
Step 3. Stay away from ibuprofen and aspirin
Until you get a certain diagnosis, you must avoid taking these active ingredients; if it was dengue and not Zika fever (both transmitted by mosquito bites), these drugs would increase the risk of bleeding.
Step 4. Watch out for complications
During the recovery phase, you need to monitor the possible complications of the infection. Typically, the patient heals in about a week, but other problems may develop:
- Guillain-Barré syndrome. Look out for strange numbness or tingling in the feet and lower extremities. This syndrome is an autoimmune disorder that sometimes develops after a viral infection; damages the myelin sheaths of the nerves leading to numbness and paralysis. Usually, it starts at the lower extremities and then moves up the body towards the head. This is a rare complication, but you should go to the emergency room right away if you notice these complaints.
- Microcephaly. If you are recovering from the infection and are pregnant, there are some chances that the baby will be born with this congenital malformation. The head circumference is below the normal range, the child shows developmental delays, intellectual disability and, in severe cases, can even die. If you become ill while pregnant or are trying to become pregnant after traveling to high-risk countries and experience symptoms, discuss with your gynecologist whether the baby is suffering from this malformation.
