LUCKNOW: Asha, a 32-year-old Narahi resident, began experiencing high grade fever, joint pain, and body ache on November 3. The fever subsided after seven days of taking the doctor's prescribed medications, but joint pain persisted. She went back to the doctor. This time, the test confirmed chikungunya.
"It became difficult for me to get out of bed, but my condition has improved," she explained. Like Asha, a number of patients are coming to private and government hospitals these days with complaints of acute joint pain persisting days after recovering from 'viral fever'.
According to experts, persistent joint pain after recovery could be viral Arthralgia, which can occur after any viral infection but is most common and lasts the longest in the case of chikungunya, a vector-borne disease.
Pathological tests can detect chikungunya only seven to ten days after symptoms appear. However, in most cases, tests are performed soon after a patient develops his or her first bout of fever, and if the results are negative for vector-borne diseases, people dismiss the case as a seasonal viral infection.
Experts recommend that patients get tested for chikungunya 7-10 days after the onset of symptoms so that treatment for viral Arthralgia can begin as soon as possible. In addition, if joint pains persist for more than a week after recovering from viral fever, people should see a doctor.
"IgM antibodies against chikungunya develop after five days, so tests in the first four days after onset of symptoms do not confirm chikungunya," said Prof D Himanshu, medical superintendent at King George's Medical University.
Prof Vikram Singh, medical superintendent of the Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, stated, "Chikungunya causes a hyper immune response, resulting in acute joint pain. The pain usually goes away in 3-6 weeks, but it can last longer depending on how hyper the immune system was."
"A patient in this situation should see a doctor. Nonsteroidal pain relievers combined with adequate fluid intake and exercise can help manage it after diagnosis "He went on to say.
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