West nile symptoms

West Nile Symptoms

The West Nile virus can make a person extremely ill and it can even cause death. Getting immediate medical attention is one of the most important steps in taking action against it. Those that get the help they need early on have the most chance of being able to recover from it. Even with medical care though it can take months for a person to fully recover from the West Nile virus. It can also greatly weaken their immune system which makes them susceptible to other forms of illnesses.

The symptoms of West Nile may be very serve or very mild for the individual. Initially many people believe they just have the flu. They may feel very tired and they may be achy in areas all over their body. Sometimes this is accompanied by a headache or a fever as well. Some individuals will notice they have a rash on parts of their body, generally where they have been bitten by mosquitoes. One of the most common symptoms though is swollen glands.

In more severe cases of West Nile the person will have vomiting and diarrhea to deal with. This can lead to the person becoming dehydrated and even lethargic. Many individuals do seek assistance though with this because they are worried they may have food poisoning. A person can end up being out of energy and tired for months after they have initially been diagnosed with West Nile virus.

There are a couple of advanced symptoms of West Nile that are life threatening. It if it is left untreated it can spread into the brain. Should this happen death is almost certain. The tissues that are around the brain will become inflamed and swollen. This is known as Encephalitis. Sometimes the spinal cord tissues will also become inflamed which is known as meningitis.

Should you or someone you know have symptoms that could be related to West Nile, you should seek medical treatment. They can run tests to find out for sure. It may turn out to be just the flu or something but you should find out. West Nile is too brutal of a virus for you to have and not get treated.

 

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