Echinacea, feverfew, and ginseng teas are good examples of home remedies that can complement chikungunya's medical treatment as they help to strengthen the immune system and relieve some typical symptoms of infection such as headache, tiredness, or muscle aches .
The home treatment of chikungunya fever can alleviate symptoms and decrease the frequency of use of analgesics, fighting naturally, without damaging the liver, but should be used with medical knowledge.
Thus, it is important to remember that these remedies should not replace the treatment indicated by the doctor, serving only as a supplement to accelerate recovery and relieve symptoms faster. See which remedies your doctor advises.
1. Strengthen the immune system
Echinacea purpurea tea is excellent for strengthening the person's defense system and can be made by adding 1 tablespoon to 150 ml of boiling water. Let stand for 3 to 5 minutes, strain and take warm, 3 times a day.
2. Lower fever
Taking warm tea prepared with willow leaves (Salix alba) helps to reduce fever because this medicinal plant promotes sweating, which naturally lowers body temperature.
To prepare this tea properly one should use 1 teaspoon of the dried leaves in 150 ml of boiling water, let stand for 5 minutes, strain and take every 6 hours.
3. Tackle muscle and joint pain
An excellent natural strategy to combat the pains caused by chikungunya is to use the compresses of cayenne or camphor ( Cinnamomum camphor), or rub St. John's wort essential oil in the most painful parts.
For the compresses a strong tea must be prepared and allowed to cool. When it is cold, wet a clean gauze and apply in the sore area letting act for 15 minutes.
4. Relieve headache
Rubbing 2 drops of mint essential oil on the forehead or the nape of the neck can relieve the headache, but one can also buy the dried willow extract and take it as the pack indicates.
The feverfew tea (Tanacetum vulgare) is also very suitable and just prepare with 1 teaspoon for each 150 ml of hot water. Allow to rinse, strain and take 2 times a day. Another possibility is to take 1 tannin capsule per day.
5. Tackling tiredness and exhaustion
Excellent natural options to improve mood, fight fatigue and reduce the typical exhaustion of the disease, is to use ginseng, guarana powder or mate.
You can buy guarana in pharmacies and health food stores and drink by mixing 1 tablespoon in half a glass of cold water. Ginseng and mate can be prepared by adding 1 teaspoon of each plant to 150 ml of boiling water. Take warm 3 times a day.
6. Relieve nausea and vomiting
Ginger tea with chamomile combats nausea and vomiting with prolonged effect. To prepare just boil 150 ml of water with 1 cm of ginger root and then add 1 teaspoon of chamomile flowers. Take 3 times a day.
7. Stop the diarrhea
In addition to taking the rice water, one can take cinnamon stick tea because it holds the intestine. Just boil for 10 minutes 1 stick of cinnamon in 200 ml of water and take still warm 2 times a day.
Also see how should be feeding in cases of diarrhea:
How To Use Home Remedies Correctly
To combat more than one symptom it is possible to mix the teas, using the indicated proportions and take the following. However, if there is worsening of fever or other symptoms that do not exist such as tingling, chest pain or frequent vomiting should be referred to the doctor because these symptoms may indicate the worsening of Chikungunya, and hospital admission may be necessary.
Pregnant women and children should only use these home remedies with medical knowledge.