A disease transmitted by mosquitoes, chikungunya is not fatal, but can be very painful, rendering one very weak. The general symptoms are high fever, headache, skin rashes, nausea, and pain in the joints. Though there is no cure for this common illness, these home remedies for chikungunya will help relieve the symptoms that are associated with it.
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These natural treatments are easy, safe and effective. These will aid you to alleviate the symptoms and speed up your recovery.
Suggested read: 12 Effective Home Remedies For Mosquito Bites
Symptoms of chikungunya
The most common symptoms of chikungunya include,
- Fever
- Joint pain
- Joint swelling
- Headache
- Muscle pain
- Skin rashes
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Fatigue
According to Mayo Clinic, you should visit the doctor when:
“See your doctor if you think you or a family member may have chikungunya, especially if you have recently traveled to an area where there’s an ongoing outbreak. Your doctor may order blood tests to look for chikungunya or similar diseases. If you are sick with chikungunya, avoiding new mosquito bites will help prevent the virus from spreading.”
Transmission
According to the World Health Organization,
“Chikungunya has been identified in over 60 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas.
The virus is transmitted from human to human by the bites of infected female mosquitoes. Most commonly, the mosquitoes involved are Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, two species which can also transmit other mosquito-borne viruses, including dengue. These mosquitoes can be found biting throughout daylight hours, though there may be peaks of activity in the early morning and late afternoon. Both species are found biting outdoors, but Ae. aegypti will also readily feed indoors.
After the bite of an infected mosquito, onset of illness occurs usually between 4 and 8 days but can range from 2 to 12 days.”
Home remedies for chikungunya
Here are the 8 most common natural treatments that help get rid of symptoms associated with chikungunya. Apart from the remedies, we have also provided some additional tips at the end of the most to help people take precaution against the disease. We hope this helps.
1. Giloy
The first remedy on our list today is Giloy capsues. You need to take two Giloy capsules every day. You can take one after every meal. The dosage should not exceed more than 1 gm.
This herb should be taken for at least a month.
Commonly called Guduchi, Giloy is called Tinospora cordifolia scientifically. It is very popular in Ayurveda and is a cure for many ailments. What makes it such a great remedy for chikungunya is it is anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory. Giloy capsules are also antimicrobial properties which ensures a speedy recovery from chikungunya.
A word of caution: Do not give Giloy capsules to children who are five years old or younger than that. Also, the dosage should not be more than 250 mg per day.
2. Papaya Leaves
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The next remedy is papaya leaves. For the treatment, take 8 fresh papaya leaves and wash them. Now get rid of the long stem. Also remove the central vein of the leaves. Now chop the leaves and blend them into a quick paste. Now strain this liquid. You need to get rid of the pulp and drink four teaspoons of the juice every four hours.
In case you do not find fresh papaya leaves, you can us papaya leaf tincture.
You need to drink the juice for at least three days or until the symptoms persist.
Papaya works as such a great remedy because during chikungunya the blood platelet count gets reduced. Papaya leaves help raise these numbers. As a result, recovery is quicker.
3. Garlic Paste
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Garlic can help against chikungunya. To use it as a natural treatment, take 10 to 12 cloves of garlic and peel them. Now grind with water to form a fine paste. On the affected joint areas, apply this paste. You should leave the paste on for a couple of hours and then rinse out with lukewarm water.
You need to apply the paste at least two times a day.
Garlic works wonders on affected joints and alleviates inflammation as well as pain which are symptoms associated with chikungunya.
4. Turmeric
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The next remedy on our list is turmeric. For the remedy, you will need half a teaspoon of turmeric powder. Add this to a glass of milk. Make sure there are no lumps. After mixing the turmeric powder in your milk, drink while it is still warm.
You should drink at least two glasses of turmeric milk every day, once in the morning and once at night.
Turmeric is a great remedy for a number of common diseases, chikungunya being one. The curcumin in turmeric, which is a strong antioxidant, lets turmeric alleviate the inflammation caused by chikungunya.
Suggested read: 8 Natural Treatments To Heal Chigger Bites So That You Can Go To Woods Without Fear!
5. Chili Peppers
Chili peppers can help get rid of symptoms that are linked to chikungunya. For this remedy, you will need about 2 and a half tablespoons of cayenne pepper and a cup of olive oil. You can also use jojoba oil in place of olive oil. Almond oil is also a good alternative. You will also need half a cup of beeswax.
Prepare a paste by mixing these ingredients (minus beeswax) and heat it for 5 to 10 minutes on medium heat. Now remove the pan from the heat, and add beeswax. Stir well and form a consistent paste. Let the paste cool for 10 minutes, and apply it on the affected joints.
You need to use this thrice a day until the pain goes away.
Why chili peppers works is because it is a rich source of capsaicin. Capsaicin is anti-inflammatory which has a soothing effect on joint pain.
A word of caution: While you prepare the paste, make sure you use gloves. Also do not touch your eyes or face as the chili pepper can cause a burning sensation.
6. Cold Compress
The sixth remedy is cold compress. You will require a few cubes of ice and a clean and soft hand towel, for this treatment. Begin by crushing the ice cubes. Now place them in the hand towel and wrap them up. You need to hold the towel on the affected joint and leave it on for a few minutes. Keep repeating for a few times.
The cold compress treatment should be done thrice a day for as long as it takes for the pain to go away.
This treatment works effectively because cold compress can help reduce inflammation swelling and damage in the joints. It slows down the flow of blood to the affected area and cures it quickly.
7. Massage Oil
The next natural treatment involves castor oil. Begin by warming the oil in the microwave. Now once it is soothingly warm, add a pinch of cinnamon powder and mix well. Apply the oil on the affected joints and massage gently.
You need to repeat the treatment two times a day until the pain is relieved.
Castor oil is anti-inflammatory and this property will come in handy when you want to get rid of the symptoms that are linked to the chikungunya virus. Cinnamon too is anti-inflammatory which only helps boost castor oil’s quality to heal joint pain.
8. Grapes
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The last remedy on our list is grapes. For this, you require a few seedless grapes. Chew on these and follow it with a cup of cow’s milk. You should do once a day for three days.
This natural treatment works because grapes give relief from both pain as well as fever, which are symptoms associated with chikungunya. Also, grapes contain phenolic compounds that make grapes an amazing antioxidant and antivirus.
A word of caution: People who are allergic to dairy or are not supposed to have dairy should avoid this and try the other remedies on this list.
Tips For Chikungunya
Apart from trying these home remedies, you can try these tips too:
- You need keep your house clean. Hygiene needs to be a priority. Make sure there is no stagnant water for too long. For example, the water in flower vases or in water storage containers.
- Always keep food and water covered if you don’t want it to get infected.
- Water should not be left stagnant in buckets outside the house.
- You need to use mosquito repellent not only in the night, but also in the day, because you can be bitten by a mosquito carrying the disease in the morning too.
- Make sure your kids sleep under mosquito nets.
- If your area is infected by the disease, wear full sleeve clothes as much as possible.
Suggested read: 15 Excellently Effective Home Remedies To Get Rid Of Mosquitoes
If even after trying all these natural treatments the problem persists, then you need to visit a doctor.
That is all we have on the home remedies for chikungunya. Do you think this post was helpful? Do you have some suggestions for us? Let us know in the comment section below.
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See you again tomorrow with a new set of remedies for a general medical condition.
Until then!
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