Understanding and Managing Chikungunya Joint Pain

Are you struggling with joint pain after chikungunya? The aches can linger long after the fever subsides, leaving many searching for effective ways to regain comfort and mobility. Chikungunya, a virus transmitted by mosquitoes, often results in severe joint pain that can disrupt daily activities and diminish the quality of life. But there's hope! Considering some effective home remedies and medical treatments, you can significantly alleviate these symptoms.

Whether you have recently recovered or are still combating the pain, in this blog, we will explore some effective remedies that focus on chikungunya joint pain. Keep reading to discover!

Chikungunya Joint Pain Home Remedies

If you have mild symptoms, first consider home remedies. Before getting into home remedies, it should be understood that joint pains may stay after chikungunya. Hence, there is a need for management to maintain quality of life. Home remedies are useful as they give more relief alongside medical treatments, thus enabling quick recovery. 

This table shows some suggested home remedies:

These remedies work well for chikungunya joint pain. For people interested in learning about how to recover from chikungunya joint pain, incorporating different kinds of remedies along with prescribed medications will make symptoms easier to manage leading to faster healing times.

Also Read: Chikungunya Home Remedies: Simple and Effective Methods

Best Medicine for Chikungunya Joint Pain

If the joint pain comes along with fever, the doctor may prescribe certain medicines. The following are the best medicines for chikungunya joint pain: 

• Acetaminophen (Tylenol): Commonly recommended to reduce fever and pain without increasing the risk of bleeding. This is very crucial since symptoms can mimic those of dengue fever, which involves bleeding risks with certain medications.

• NSAIDs or Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs: Useful for managing pain and inflammation but should be used cautiously due to the risk of side effects. Those effects include stomach ulcers and kidney problems.

• Corticosteroids: Sometimes prescribed for severe inflammation. However, these should be used under strict medical supervision due to potential side effects.

• Immunomodulatory Drugs: In cases where chronic joint involvement is present, these drugs may help manage symptoms. However, they typically require careful monitoring by a healthcare provider.

To achieve holistic management, it is important to reach out to medical practitioners who can offer you custom advice based on your health status. 

Other Healthy Approaches You Can Also Try

You can also consider the following ways through which you can reduce chikungunya joint pain: 

1. Practice Chikungunya Joint Pain Exercises

• Leg stretching: Be seated in a chair, extend one leg at a time, and hold for 10 seconds before bringing it down. Repeat the same for the other leg. Performing this exercise twice a day will prevent the legs from stiffness. 

• Standing: Another exercise includes trying to stand on your toes with both feet near. Hold for a few seconds and release.

• Joint movement: In addition, move all your joints slowly at least twice throughout the day. 

• Body twisting: Twist your body gently in both directions while standing. 

• Flexibility exercises like stretching will also help in improving the movement of the muscles.

• Yoga: Perform basic yoga poses that can help soothe muscles. 

2. Eat Balanced Meals

Eating nutritious foods is the best approach to prevent chikungunya joint pain. Consume the food items that can effectively soothe joint pain and swelling. Those foods basically include garlic, turmeric, lentils, green leafy veggies, soups, and herbal tea. Diet is a key part of the treatment of chikungunya joint pain.

3. Take Help of Physiotherapists

Physiotherapists play a huge role in helping people recover from chikungunya joint pain. The effects of the pain can make you feel stiffness in the back, lower back, and knees. Though some simple exercises can help at home, physiotherapists are experts at targeting specific muscle groups. This can help you with the appropriate intensity of training.

4. Get Enough Rest

Lack of sleep can impact the immune system, triggering pain and swelling. So, plenty of rest is very crucial to treat joint pain due to chikungunya. This is because it gives sufficient time for the body to recover from such discomfort. Make sure to keep the sleeping environment not very damp or too hot, as it can increase joint pain. 

Potential Symptoms of Chikungunya

Understanding symptoms is crucial for making early necessary adjustments and getting the right treatment. The chikungunya symptoms are as follows:

1. Fever

A person with chikungunya might feel a fever that can last for 3 days to a week. It is usually around 102 to 105 degrees F.

2. Rashes

Approximately, 40%-50% of the people get rashes. Red rashes with small bumps appear after 3-5 days after the fever occurs. The rashes are known to subside within 3 to 4 days.

3. Arthritis

Patients experience joint pain in wrists, ankles, knees, and shoulders which can be due to arthritis. The pain is at its peak in the morning. But with mild exercises, it can be relieved. Also, the pain can get worse at times. It may hinder the movements of the patient making him feel fatigued and lethargic. 

Also Read: Ayurvedic Treatment of Post-Chikungunya arthritis

4. Chikungunya foot pain

This kind of foot pain is frequently intense and can impact the ability of a person to walk comfortably. It typically manifests in the soles and toes, making every step painful.

5. Headaches

Frequent and intense headaches are common. They may also accompany the fever. This can also add discomfort experienced during the infection.

6. Chikungunya knee pain

This symptom specifically impacts the knees, causing swelling and severe pain. These discomforts can limit mobility and affect everyday activities. 

Also Read: Chikungunya Symptoms & Warning Signs

Chikungunya Joint Pain Duration

How long chikungunya pain lasts can vary widely among individuals. Basically, chikungunya pain can last for a few weeks to several months. Some may experience pain for only a few weeks, However, others may suffer from chronic pain that lasts for months or even years. Chronic pain may require additional medical interventions.

Diagnosis Of Chikungunya

If you experience joint pain or overall body pain along with a high fever that lasts for more than 5 days, see a doctor. They can determine whether you have chikungunya by conducting the following two tests:

• ELISA (enzyme-linked immunoassay): This diagnostic test specially checks for antibodies against the virus. The antibodies basically form at the end of the initial week of infection and increase in amount in around 3 weeks and stay for 2 months.

• RT-PCR (reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction): It utilizes virus-specific gene coding proteins for testing. These proteins help detect the chikungunya viral RNA from the sample. 

Also Read: Chikungunya Diagnosis and Treatment

Can Chikungunya Be Prevented?

There is no cure. However, you can prevent chikungunya by vaccination. The FDA approved the first vaccine for chikungunya- "IXCHIQ" for people above 18 years, particularly those who are more prone to chikungunya virus. As the vaccine for the virus is only for adults, it is crucial to avoid mosquito bites. You can do this by considering these measures:

• Use insect repellents like creams, sprays, creams, and candles to keep away the mosquitos.

• Wear full clothes that can entirely cover your legs, arms, and feet.

• Remove still water from home areas as they are breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

• Use mosquito nettings while sleeping or covering strollers or tents.

• Make sure to close the doors and windows.

• Avoid visiting the areas or countries with active outbreaks of chikungunya. This is particularly essential during the last trimester of pregnancy as newborns are more prone to infection.

Note: People who already have chikungunya should avoid getting more mosquito bites in the initial weeks of the infection. This is because if non-infected mosquitoes bite and get the virus from you, they can pass it to others. Thus, spreading the illness. 

Final Thoughts 

Home remedies, medicines, rest, and physiotherapy can help relieve chikungunya joint pain. If these methods don’t work or make symptoms worse, then consult a doctor immediately. Leaving such problems unattended might cause other complications later on. It is always important to talk about any new exercise regimens, particularly chikungunya joint pain exercises with your doctor. So that they can recommend to you what best suits your condition. Visiting a medical specialist will equip one with personalized treatment plans and assurance of good health.

Also Read: Chikungunya Treatment for Joint Pains