The familiar symptoms of dengue are high fever, headache, pain behind the eyes, body and muscle aches, nausea and weakness. But observations this season show that in many patients, the fever is comparatively mild, or the symptoms are not appearing clearly at all. Some patients experience only physical weakness or mild aches. As a result, many are mistaking it for an ordinary viral fever and delaying treatment.
The dangerous part is that some patients deteriorate rapidly even after the fever has come down. During this period, a sudden drop in platelets, bleeding, severe abdominal pain, repeated vomiting, breathing difficulty, falling blood pressure, and kidney or liver complications can all occur. So the risk from dengue should not be judged solely by the level of fever or the platelet count.
If you develop a fever, get tested for dengue promptly on a doctor’s advice, and drink plenty of fluids. Stay especially alert for the following 24-48 hours even after the fever comes down. Go to a hospital quickly if you experience severe abdominal pain, repeated vomiting, bleeding, extreme weakness, restlessness, breathing difficulty or reduced urination. It is safest not to take painkillers on your own for dengue, particularly aspirin or ibuprofen.