Dengue is one of the lead deadly illness contracted through a mosquito bite in the tropical areas of the world. There are more than one-third of the entire world’s population that live in high-risk areas and have to protect themselves and their loved ones from getting infected by this terrible disease. Each year up to four hundred million people are treated for this mosquito-bite disease, and unfortunately, a means of prevention through vaccination has not been discovered as of yet. The one thing people can do to prevent catching this deadly disease is to use bug spray to prevent any mosquito bites at all.
Upon first being bit by a mosquito, you might not notice the symptoms right away. As soon as you are aware of your symptoms and think something might be wrong, you need to get to a doctor or hospital as soon as possible because the sooner you receive treatment, the less your chances are of having serious medical complications. While mosquitos have been around since the beginning of time, this disease has not been a known cause of death since the 1950s, mainly in the country of Puerto Rico. There have not been many cases documented in the United States but in the Latin America countries, it is more common than people would like to admit.
If you are applying bug spray, you are doing all you can to help prevent the disease from entering your body. Since mosquito bites are very common in the warmer months of the year, it is wise to be educated on the potential symptoms that might occur if you have contracted any harmful disease. The more educated you are, the better your chances of survival will be.
1. Sudden High Fever
One of the most common side effects of the disease is a sudden high fever – and it is important to note that it is actually commonly referred to as Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF). If you notice a spike in your temperature after getting a mosquito bite, don’t just brush this under the rug. A sudden high fever is a symptom of this disease and needs to be treated by a medical professional right away, especially if it occurs in combination with any of the other listed symptoms.
Usually, a patient suffering from this mosquito bite disease will have a fever anywhere from 2-7 days, but when the fever breaks is when you are at a high risk of developing further problems such as low blood counts. When this happens, your circulatory system does not properly function and some people have even had their bodies go into shock which will leave you with serious issues without warning. If you are unable to get treatment immediately, death might be at your doorstep.
Since fevers are relatively common side effects when people get sick, it might not seem like much of a big deal if one arises out of nowhere. If a high fever comes on suddenly after getting a mosquito bite, be proactive and get to the doctor right away, it could potentially save your life.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]2. Severe Headaches
Another common symptom of the disease is severe headaches. Headaches are very common for a number of people, but most of the time people can identify the cause of their headache and can take an over the counter medication and go along with their day. Usually, it is dehydration, too much sun exposure, not enough to eat, or other possible scenarios. If a severe headache, almost like a migraine, appears after you get bit by a mosquito, you need to contact your healthcare provider as soon as you can because you might have something more severe.
If your headache does not go away with Tylenol or Advil, having a second opinion will at least give you peace of mind. In most cases, the patient can have symptoms that are very common for a mild case of the flu or another viral infection. If you were in the Latin American countries and have a severe headache, seek a second opinion.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]3. Pain Behind The Eyes
This disease can affect the body in ways you might not expect, including causing pain behind the eyes. If you frequently have headaches, you might be familiar with this symptom because it will feel very similar. Having pain behind the eyes can often be mistaken as a headache, but needs to be looked at by a professional, especially if you were potentially exposed to mosquitos in the tropical areas of the world. Often times people who experience this pain will not be able to open their eyes and will feel a sharp pain that makes them feel dizzy and nauseous all at the same time.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]4. Severe Joint And Muscle Pain
People who frequently work out and exercise their bodies might experience muscle or joint pain from time to time, but if it comes on out of nowhere after you notice a mosquito bite, it could potentially be a symptom of dengue that needs medical attention right away. There is a difference between feeling sore after a workout and having severe muscle and joint pain, often to the point where the patient cannot even walk without their body hurting. Seek medical attention if this is happening in combination with other symptoms because you might be dealing with something very serious and unfortunately very deadly if not treated.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]5. Nausea
Nausea can happen after eating something that does not agree with your digestive system and makes you feel like you could throw up at any moment. Nausea is very common for patients with mosquito-inflicted diseases as it makes you feel sick all over your body. Nausea is a queasy feeling that starts in your stomach and works its way up to the back of your throat or into your mouth. If not handled or treated, it can result in you throwing up. If you have a mosquito bite and just spent the day on the beach in Puerto Rico, chances are your lunch isn’t the thing not agreeing with you, it might be a disease you contracted through your bite location.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]6. Vomiting
When nausea does not go away, it often results in vomiting, as mentioned before. Vomiting is a very strong sign that you might have a severe disease if you were in a tropical location and got bit by a mosquito. If you start to throw up, you need to be on your way to the hospital closest to you as soon as possible to help prevent any other symptoms from happening and to have medical professionals try to help you feel better. The vomiting itself is usually not harmful, as long as you keep your body hydrated, but it can be a sign of a bigger issue at hand.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]7. Skin Rash
People with sensitive skin might break out in a rash after visiting the beach and being in the sand all day or from too much sun exposure, but if you have red patches on your skin around the mosquito bite location, it very well could be a symptom of something much more severe. Apply a scent-free lotion to the inflamed area and if it does not go away, you should get medical help. Visiting tropical locations is a fun and exciting adventure, but it is imperative that you protect your body from dangerous diseases and get a doctor’s opinion if anything suspicious happens, especially, in this case, after getting bit by a mosquito.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]8. Mild Bleeding
Mild bleeding might not seem to be a big deal to the average person, but if it happens in combination with any of the above symptoms, it is smart to not waste time and get to the hospital as soon as possible. Mild bleeding on your skin could be a sign of a much more severe bleed happening inside your body – internal bleeding. If your skin is bruising easily and you see mild amounts of blood on the mosquito bite or in other locations on your body, take the proper precautions to make sure you are safe from harm.
In most cases if you have the high fever and two of the other symptoms, you need to get to the emergency room fast in order to save your life. This disease is very serious and needs to be handled by a medical professional as soon as possible.
