| Dengue / Malaria : Tips & Advice
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Disclaimer - Before reading please note that I am no doctor and just sharing my experience, please do rush to your nearest doctor and follow exact steps as given by them. The home remedies I will write about may not work on every one so please do take care. Also account for factors such as Allergies and pre existing conditions before following any home remedies.
Delhi and the NCR region is going through a Dengue/Malaria and Viral epidemic at the moment. Not two weeks ago my mother was diagnosed of both Dengue and Malaria, it was a tough ordeal and while she was just recovering last night my father was diagnosed of the same.
This disease can happen to anyone, I know that we maintain the strictest standards of hygiene at home but a mosquito is such an organism it can creep in from anywhere. I will attempt in this thread all the home remedies one can give patients suffering, as we did not have too much idea with my mother but now with my father, we are more prepared.
Symptoms - Sudden fever and this can touch 104 or more with excruciating body aches especially in the legs and back. Head aches and pain behind the eye are also present.
Some people may also get a rash on the back.
Now and I can't stress this enough anyone you know who gets even a few symptoms from the above absolutely rush to your nearest doctor. People in DLF/Sushant Lok, I can recommend Jeevan Clinic in Super Mart- 2, Dr taneja is good, he treated my mum. If you feel Hospital then try Max Hospital ask for Dr. Prabhat K Jha or Dr. Dang in internal medicine. Actually any hospital or clinic will do but do get to one at the earliest.
They usually give Crocin or any paracetamol based medicine for fever and for pains all of them gave Meftlal(spelling not sure) or Meftlal Forte for pains. Meftlal forte is a mixture of Paracetamol and pain killer, whereas Meftlal is just pain killer and is to be taken with crocin or such, again please consult doctor.
Now dengue has no cure for Malaria my mother was given Intravenous injection of Falcigo by Zydus cadilla for three days in a saline drip and Malaria was cured.
The problem with dengue is the constant dropping of Blood platelets and this can turn into a bad situation if they fall below 30,000.
Another caution, immediately STOP all fatty foods and stuff like Coke, Alcohol and such, also normal home made food can also be rich for the patient so do take extreme care in what is give to the patient to eat as this only will increase the platelets and remember fatty foods and fried stuff decreases platelets.
Now home remedies, first and foremost Hydration and this is the most important of any viral infections, keep on giving the patient water, do avoid soft drinks and boxed juices, a word of caution except for Real Activ and Tropicana 100% all brands even Real and Tropicana do not sell juices they are technically juice drinks in which they add some concentrate and Sugar and water. Please if you can avoid these products do so, as not only are they expensive they also have no real health benefit.
So water, freshly squeezed Mosambi juice mixed with Pomegranate(this is wonderful for the blood) should be give at least two times a day. Ok Nariyal Pani or tender coconut water is also a great thing it has some easily digestible fatty acids and gives good energy, do give at least one a day.
Soups - At least two times a day.
How to make soup, take a pressure cooker and add the following vegetables:-
2 Tomato's normally diced- Tomato has lycopene which is really good for increasing platelets.
1 Carrot diced- Again increases platelets.
Half a capsicum
4 or 5 french beans
100 gm of bottle gourd or ghiya, skinned and diced.
Some leaves of spinach(palak) or Raddish(mooli)
1 Raddish - skinned and diced.
Throw in the above and two to three glasses of water and a pinch of salt and nothing else. Let three whistles go, then after letting out the steam, open the cooker and gently mash all the vegetables inside, then take a strainer and decant the liquid leaving behind the vegetables in the cooker. Give at least two cups of this everyday.
Apart from this a very light Khichdi should be given and very light yellow dal with perhaps one chapatti can be give in the evening.
You may also give one glass of buttermilk or chach, do not buy this from market, instead just take some curd, a glass of water, a pinch of salt and blend in a mixer.
Give plenty of fruits, the good ones are Kiwi and apples, these really help. Pomegranate if they can eat is fine otherwise crush it and give in juice. Oranges and Mosambi will help in increasing Vitamin C and help combat medicine side affects.
And now the ultimate Platelet booster, Juice of raw crushed fresh Papaya leaf. You can google this it is really proven to work.
How to make, get some papaya leaves, have to be green and fresh, wah properly and then crush them in mortar and pestle (koondi danda) or you can also use a chakla and belna. One leaf will give you around 5 ml, give 10 ml for adults and 5ml for kids. Please note that this juice extract is very very bitter but please Please do not mix with water or add any sugar or salt, give as is two times a day. Recovery will be quick.
The above were the remedies, do ask me for any help on the above.
Now one last piece of Caution.
Dengue can lead to in some cases a very dangerous disease know as Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF), there are some checks for this but do not discuss these with the patients as more often than not patient gets worried and starts fixating on the symptoms.
Now you need to check the following, If there is any bleeding in the Mucous that means nose or mouth or stool is of black colour, or measles like rash, please rush to your nearest hospitals or get a second opinion immediately or get tests done in some other location.
Hoping that your loved one's have a speedy recovery and please do not hesitate to ask any questions.
Cheers | 
1st October 2012, 14:20
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