Dengue - Treating dengue
- Introduction
- Symptoms of dengue
- Causes of dengue
- Treating dengue
- Complications of dengue
- Preventing dengue
- 'I wouldn't want to repeat the experience of having dengue'
- Diagnosis
There is currently no cure for dengue, so treatment involves trying to relieve your symptoms while the infection runs its course.
It is recommended that you:
- use paracetamol to relieve symptoms of pain and fever – the use of aspirin or ibuprofen is not recommended, as they can trigger internal bleeding in people with dengue
- drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration – if you are currently travelling, make sure you only drink bottled water from properly sealed bottles and not tap water
- get plenty of bed rest
If you do not notice any improvement in your symptoms after three to five days, you should seek further medical advice.
Getting back to normal
You will feel tired and unwell for a while. Most people recover within two weeks, although it can sometimes take up to six weeks for you to get completely better.
If you are worried about any aspect of your treatment or diagnosis when abroad, see your GP when you get home. Make sure you tell them where you have been, what your symptoms were and what treatment you received.
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