To reduce joint pain and swelling caused by chikungunya, follow your doctor’s treatment, which may include using acetaminophen, cold compresses, and drinking plenty of fluids such as water, tea, and coconut water.
Chikungunya is not a serious disease, but symptoms can be quite limiting because the joints become inflamed and cause a lot of pain, so in some cases treatment of chikungunya can be prolonged.
- Treatment usually lasts between 7 and 30 days.
- But joint pain can persist for more than a year.
- In these cases physical therapy is necessary.
- And rest during the acute phase.
- Which corresponds to the first 10 days of the disease.
- Is very important because it prevents complications and reduces the duration of the disease.
The most appropriate medications are acetaminophen and/or dipirone to control pain in muscles and joints, but others such as tramadol hydrochloride and codeine may be indicated when the former are not enough to relieve symptoms.
Initially, the use of a combination of acetaminophen and codeine may be indicated to relieve pain, as it is a more potent analgesic, and tramadol can be used as a last resort, but should be used with caution by the elderly and people who have had seizures and/or liver or kidney disease.
As with dengue, drugs that should not be used are aspirin (aspirin) and anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, diclofenac, nimesulide and corticosteroids, due to the risk of complications related to kidney problems and bleeding.
Treatment of chronic chikungunya may be performed with the use of corticosteroids such as prednisone for up to 21 days, at the dose recommended by your doctor.However, this medicine cannot be used in patients with diseases such as diabetes, uncontrolled hypertension, osteoporosis, bipolar disorder.disorder, chronic kidney failure, Cushing syndrome, obesity and heart disease.
Physical therapy can be very helpful in controlling symptoms and improving joint movement and is recommended by the physical therapist.At home, the person can perform daily stretches, avoiding long walks and a lot of effort.Cold compresses are more recommended and can be used for 20 minutes to reduce joint pain.
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Signs of improvement appear when the body can remove the virus and include a decrease in symptoms.
In some cases, fatigue and joint pain and swelling can persist after the condition has healed, so your GP may recommend physical therapy sessions to help reduce discomfort.
When treatment is not performed correctly or the immune system is impaired, signs of worsening may appear, such as fever greater than 38 degrees for more than 3 days and worsening joint pain, leading to arthritis, which can persist for months.
In very rare cases, chikungunya can be fatal; In this case, the disease can cause myositis, an inflammation of the muscles, which can even lead to death because the immune system begins to attack the muscles of the body and symptoms may begin to appear.approximately 3 weeks after diagnosis of the disease.
É importante voltar ao médico quando após o início do tratamento, a febre se manter por 5 dias ou se surgirem outros sintomas que podem indicar complicações como sangramento, convulsões, desmaio, dor no tórax e vômitos frequentes. Nestes casos a pessoa pode ter que ficar internada no hospital para receber o tratamento específico.