General Health

camStudent health

The box below contains links for general health advice. Click on the conditions for further information 

General advice is available from:

www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

www.patient.co.uk

www.medicines.org.uk

www.bbc.co.uk/health

www.bad.org.uk   Good website about skin problems from the British Assocaition of Dermatologists

www.hpa.org.uk   Health Protection Agency

 

 

 

 

Glandular Fever

Once you have Glandular Fever you build up immunity to it and it is unlikely that you will get it again.

Once infected, the symptoms can take 4-7 weeks to appear.

The Classic symptoms are
•    Fever
•    Sore throat
•    Swollen glands in the neck
•    Swollen tonsils

Other symptoms can include
•    abdominal pain
•    Aching muscles
•    Headache
•    Loss of appetite
•    Jaundice
•    Depression
•    Skin rash
•    Dizziness
•    Shivers or chills
•    Dry cough
•    Tiredness

Complications
•    Enlarged spleen
•    Mild hepatitis (inflammation of the liver)
•    Inflammation of the lungs
•    Inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis)
•    Meningitis

How is it diagnosed?

It can be diagnosed by a blood test, A throat swab may also be taken to rule out infections caused by bacteria.

Treatment
There is no treatment specifically for the virus.

Sometimes antibiotics are used in the early stages when it is difficult to differentiate from a bacterial infection.


Things you can do
•    Rest
•    Drink plenty of fluids
•    Take pain killers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen
•    AVOID CONTACT SPORTS FOR 6-8 WEEKS to avoid damaging your spleen
•    AVOID ALCOHOL for 4 weeks from the onset of the illness, as the liver has difficulty metabolising alcohol whilst it is inflamed.
•    Most people make a full recovery in a month.
•    Some people are more susceptible to tiredness or other infections for awhile




Source: Wikipedia
        Bupa health Information