Monsoon is the season in which an increasing number of people feel under the weather. In an interaction with HT Lifestyle, internal medicine expert Dr RR Dutta shared that the hospitals see a familiar pattern at this time.
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“A high, continuous fever that does not respond to standard antipyretics within 48 hours needs a blood test, not another day of observation,” stated the physician. “Platelet counts often only begin to drop after the third day of fever, which means waiting for a rash or a dramatic symptom to appear before testing means losing the very window when treatment is simplest.”
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Patients often seek medical care only after two or three days of persistent fever, having relied on paracetamol and home remedies in the hope that it would subside on its own. While many viral fevers do resolve without complications, delaying medical evaluation can carry great risks.
It is the season in which diseases such as dengue, malaria and water-borne infections are on the rise. The first 72 hours after symptoms appear are not a waiting period. As per Dr Dutta, “They are a diagnostic window, and how they are used often decides whether an illness stays manageable at home or turns into a hospital admission.”
Dengue, malaria, typhoid and leptospirosis all begin the same way: fever, body ache, headache, fatigue. Dr Dutta noted that this is precisely what makes the early phase dangerous to ignore.
“These symptoms should never be observed at home overnight in the hope that they will improve. In dengue, the most critical period often begins after the fever subsides, not while it is at its peak. This is when complications such as plasma leakage and shock are most likely to occur, making close medical monitoring essential even if the patient appears to be recovering,” shared Dr Dutta.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
Dr RR Dutta, MD (Medicine), MBBS, serves as the Head of the Department of Internal Medicine at Paras Health in Gurgaon. With over two decades of experience, Dr Dutta is an expert in his field, particularly in the areas of bone marrow and stem cell transplantation.
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According to Dr Dutta, the following steps should be followed within the first 72 hours of consistently feeling under the weather in the monsoon.
The physician advised avoiding the following things during the same period.
Certain warning signs require immediate medical attention, regardless of how many days the fever has lasted. These include:
