reviewed by dr. Shabrina Wakid
Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) is a high fever characterized by several symptoms, such as the appearance of a rash, muscle or bone pain, headache, and bruising. Know the various ways to treat dengue fever to prevent serious complications.
Dengue fever is caused by the dengue virus which is transmitted by the bite of the Aedes Aegypti mosquito. So that the symptoms don’t get worse, know some of the following ways to treat dengue fever quickly and effectively.
Various Ways to Treat Dengue Fever
If the symptoms of dengue fever that you experience are mild, here are some ways to treat dengue fever that you can do:
- Pain relievers and fever relievers, for example paracetamol. This drug serves to relieve fever and reduce pain.
- Sufficient body fluids. Signs of dengue fever, namely plasma leakage and increased blood vessel osmolality accompanied by discharge from the body, for example through vomiting and high fever, cause the body to become dehydrated. To replace lost fluids and minerals, people with dengue fever need to drink more water or a rehydration salt solution.
- The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAs), such as ibuprofen or aspirin, is not recommended because of the risk of internal bleeding.
For symptoms of dengue that are classified as severe, here are some treatments that can be done:
- Blood transfusion. This method is used for people who have lost large amounts of platelets.
- Intravenous (IV) fluid supplementation or infusion. This method is applied to increase the amount of fluid in the blood vessels.
- Hospitalization is also needed so that people with DHF can be monitored, so they can prevent symptoms from getting worse.
Treatment of DHF aims to treat body fluids lost due to bleeding and plasma leakage. The recommended drugs are generally of a symptomatic type or treatment according to symptoms. If you have a fever, you will be given an antipyretic class of drugs to reduce the fever, whereas if you have nausea you will be given an antiemetic class of drugs.
To overcome the lack of fluids and thirst due to vomiting and high fever, several types of drinks will be given, for example warm tea, milk, fruit juice, or ORS solution. If ORS fluids cannot be given, it is recommended that the patient be treated so that they can be given intravenous fluids, so that the hematocrit and platelet levels in the blood can return to normal.
Monitoring the development of the condition of people with dengue fever is also important so that the healing process becomes optimal. If the symptoms of dengue fever do not improve for more than 3 days, you should consult a doctor for a thorough examination and treatment according to your condition.
Effective Ways to Prevent Dengue Fever
An effective prevention of dengue fever is to protect yourself from the bites of the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, especially if you live or travel to tropical areas. To protect yourself and your family from transmission of dengue fever, here are some ways to prevent dengue fever that you can do:
- Make sure the doors and window curtains have no holes that could allow mosquitoes to enter.
- Install mosquito coils, even indoors.
- Wear long sleeves and long pants when outside.
- Install mosquito nets in the bed area to protect against mosquito bites.
Also, to reduce the mosquito population, get rid of items that allow mosquitoes to breed, such as cans, flower pots, or old tires that can collect rainwater. You will also need to change the water frequently in your pet’s water dish or outdoor birdbath.
