Mononucleosis is a contagious infection caused by Epstein barr Virus. This Virus comes from the herpes causing family of viruses. This infection spreads via saliva and mucous of an infected person and therefore also known as the kissing disease.
Though kissing is the most common and easy way by which this virus spreads, using common utensils especially for drinking, sharing water and food can also cause the infection to spread. The symptoms of this infection actually appear almost four weeks after the virus permeates the body. The common symptoms of this infection are Weakness, yellow tinge on the skin, skin rash, difficult and heavy breathing, fever and sore throat.
The symptoms are not very unique and distinct in this infection and therefore it can take a little time to diagnose. However, luckily for us it’s not a fatal condition and cures on its own. But the discomfort caused needs attention particularly amongst the little ones who can feel major irritability. Do not worry, instead of using strong over the counter medicines, turn to wonderful home remedies for alleviating the symptoms!
Various Home Remedies For Mononucleosis
Honey And Ginger
Honey and ginger have been used for sore throats since ancient times. Both of them are anti-microbial and therefore not only soothe but discourage the viral infection as well.Crush a medium piece of garlic with some water. Extract this water and add a spoon of honey to it. Consume 4-5 times in a day for relief.
Cold Water Compress
This infection can cause mild to high fever. High fever brings with it a lot of weakness and discomfort. Instead of going through it, fight it with cold compresses. Take a soft towel and fold it lengthwise. Immerse it in ice cold water, squeeze tightly and apply it on the forehead. Do this for at least half an hour and you will find the temperature dropping.
Go Green With Tea
Green tea is a wonderful anti-oxidant and therefore, very helpful when body is inflicted by infections. It will also flush the toxins out of your body while soothing the sore throat and lowering your body temperature. Have it warm about 2-3 times in a day.
Team Up Vinegar And Salt
Apple Cider Vinegar is known to clear the air passageway. On the other hand salt gargles have been recommended from the times immemorial. Mix these two and you have a potent solution to fight the virus infected sore throat. Take a glass of warm water, to it add a spoon of salt and 2-3 teaspoons of Apple cider Vinegar. Gargle with this solution. You can also gulp down diluted vinegar with equal part of water. Taking bath in lukewarm water which has a spoonful of vinegar also makes the fever come down.
Water
Regular intake of water is necessary in this condition to keep yourself well hydrated. A dry throat can cause the infection and inflammation much faster than a moist one.Also, the incessant sweating cause you to lose a lot of water from the body. Well hydrated body will keep diarrhoea in check as well.
Basil Tea
Basil is a great herb for cough and cold, and fever. Boil a bunch of partially crushed basil leaves in a bowl of water until the water is half of the original quantity. Strain it and have warm 3-4 times in a day. To increase its potency against the cold, add some ginger and a pinch of black pepper.
Zingy Mint Tea
Peppermint is one of the herbs that is considered an elixir for reducing the bouts of fever. Mint causes the body to sweat profusely. We all know sweating discourages fever.Boil a bunch of crushed mint in the water for five minutes. Consume it 4-5 times in a day for relief from fever.
Potato Vinegar Compress
Cut a potato in thin slices and soak them in diluted vinegar. Vinegar should be diluted in equal parts of water. Soak the potato slices in this solution. Place them on the forehead with a cold compress of a soft thin hand towel. The fever will begin to dip in half an hour. This remedy is especially helpful in cases of high fever.
Cranberry Juice
Cranberry juice is rich in Vitamin C and therefore beneficial in cases of cough and cold. However, just make sure that you consume it during the day time when the sun shines.The cooling properties of cranberry juice can aggravate cold if taken before sleeping or cooler times of the day. Consume a glass of this juice ones in a day and you will find the cough receding much faster.
Menthol Oil
Menthol oil clears the air passage. It also has anti-inflammatory properties which makes it ideal for relieving the sore throat. Sore throat brings a lot of discomfort and pain to the throat. Apply a 2-3 drops of menthol oil on the neck and cover it with a scarf to avoid exposure to the cool air.This will warm the throat and alleviate the pain while curing the inflammation. You can also rub a few drops on the flat of your feet and wrap it with a socks. This will help in bringing the fever down.
Turmeric
Turmeric is a known anti-microbial and anti-viral herb. You can use it in two ways. The first one is to prepare a gargling solution by adding half a spoon of turmeric in warm salt solution. Alternatively, add a spoonful in warm milk and consume it. Having the milk in the night right before going to sleep will give you a good night’s sleep as well.
Mononucleosis is a common and harmless condition, but can cause great discomfort especially amongst toddlers. Though the symptoms amongst small children are mild but a simple cough can cause them a lot of agony. In adults, high fever can really bring you down.Taking adequate rest is extremely important while trying the home and herbal remedies. Try not to get yourself on course of antibiotics ; This condition requires home remedies more than the allopathic medicines as it runs down its course on its own!
