Chikungunya is a viral disease that manifests itself in the form of a high fever, headache, swelling and aches of the joints, severe muscle pains, nausea and vomiting, and body rash. The chikungunya virus is transmitted to humans by mosquito bites, and it can take up to seven days for the infected person to fall sick. The fever may last for several days or even several weeks, and the patient may continue to experience fatigue and joint pains for many more months afterwards. While there have been no reported fatalities from this disease so far, it is a debilitating illness and, unfortunately, there is no surefire treatment as yet. For most part, treating chikungunya is more about treating the specific symptoms, and as these can vary from patient to patient, the treatment may be accordingly variable. The best chikungunya treatment is, of course, the one that brings you a certain amount of relief.
There are no specific antiviral medicines for chikungunya. Your medical practitioner may prescribe a medication like paracetamol for joint pains and crocin for the fever; aspirin, being an anticoagulant, is not to be taken for chikungunya treatment. There do appear to be more effective treatments in Ayurveda and homeopathy. Ayurveda practitioners recommend medicines such as Amritarishta, Sudarsanam Gulika and Vilvadi Gulika for treating the fever, Inthukantham Kashaya to bolster the immune system, and Panchathikta Kashayam for pain relief. In homeopathy, remedies using Arnica, Bryonia and Rhus Tox have been found to be rather useful in chikungunya treatment.
The main thing in the treatment of chikungunya is that the patient should get as much rest as possible and drink plenty of fluids. Adequate rest and intake of fluids are two things that will assist the immune system in fighting off the virus. Fresh grape juice and coconut water are particularly recommended, and eating carrots and herbs like basil may also help.
It may also help do some yoga breathing exercises as part of the chikungunya treatment. Performing yoga may aid your immune system and offer some relief from the joint pains. It is important to keep the exercises gentle and low-key though.
Preventing the disease is really the best chikungunya treatment. As the disease is spread by mosquitoes, it is advisable to put up mosquito door and window screens, and to make sure that there is no standing water in your area where mosquitoes might breed. It is also essential to isolate the patient to keep the disease from spreading.
