Given the fact that there are so many medical complications that we can be affected by, it helps to have a basic understanding of the various symptoms, causes as well as treatment options of some of them to help us detect the conditions faster – thereby allowing us to seek treatment during the initial phases of the conditions development. The kissing disease, also known as mononucleosis, is one of the most common conditions faced all over the world and is a highly contagious condition that could cause some significant amount of pain during the part where it is most highly developed. Before we go into the details of the various kissing disease symptoms and causes, it is important to understand the question ‘what is mononucleosis?
’ Regularly abbreviated to ‘mono’, this disease is highly infectious and caused by the Epstein – Barr virus.
The term mononucleosis comes from the fact that there is an increase in one type of white blood cells in the bloodstream that in relation to the other blood components – as a direct result of the presence of the condition. The name ‘the kissing disease’ is derived from the fact that the virus is very regularly transferred through the saliva, but in truth any sort of personal contact such as sharing clothing items or eating utensils can cause the virus to pass from one person to another.
The primary causing virus – the Epstein Barr virus was previously once thought to be the primary cause of chronic fatigue syndrome, however, it turned out that any chronic infection combined with this condition is what causes the occurrence. Some of the most common mono kissing disease symptoms include the development of a fever, malaise, fatigue and a sore throat. The most common group of people that are affected by the condition happen to be youth and young adults. Studies have shown that by the time most people have reached adulthood, the antibody against the Epstein Barr Virus can be detected in their blood.
Case studies in the United States of America alone show that about 95% of all individuals between the age of 35 and 40 have antibodies against the Epstein Barr virus. However, one aspect of the condition that is worth pointing out is that not all victims that have been affected will experience the development of the symptoms. It is not uncommon for some people to be affected by mono and never realize because no symptoms have ever become noticeable. The peak incidence of the condition happens to be around individuals that are between the 15 –17 year old bracket and the fact that its most common symptoms are also very similar to a number of other common illnesses means that the condition may be misdiagnosed very often making treatment for mononucleosis difficult.
Another factor to consider is that since most people are exposed to the virus that is primarily responsible for the mono kissing disease right from the time they are children, there is a good chance that they have already developed immunity to it by the time they grow up. Individuals that are exposed to the virus will almost never be affected by the condition. The incubation period for the condition, which is the amount of time in between when the virus actually gains access to the system and the time when the symptoms start to become prominent, is roughly four to six weeks. However, it is also important to remember that simply because the condition appears to have been treated effectively; it does not mean that the individual is incapable of spreading the virus to another individual.
When affected by the mono kissing disease, the affected individual will carry a strain of the virus that can be transmitted to another individual for another few weeks after the condition appears to have been successfully treated. As a result, if anyone were to ask the question of ‘how long is mono contagious after the symptoms are gone?’ the right answer would be that it is contagious for a few weeks. This answer would be the same if asked questions like how long is mono contagious in children or how long is mono contagious in adults. Apart from the direct exchange of saliva, some of the other common methods through which the condition may be passed from one individual to another include sneezing, coughing or even sharing food or beverages from the same container or glass.
Identifying the most basic symptoms of the condition helps you identify its presence earlier and in addition to the very high fever that is likely to develop at around 102F to 104F, the patient will also develop reddened tonsils as well as swollen lymph glands around the neck region. Any diagnosis will depend heavily on being able to decipher the symptoms mentioned, although the doctor or medic may also require to run a few medical blood tests in order to rule out the possibility of the symptoms being the result of some other condition – given the fact that the symptoms offered do not exclusively point in the direction of mono.
Some of the blood tests that will be ordered include the monospot and heterophile antibody test. However, one of the biggest problems faced with this condition is the fact that the tests will only provide a definitive result after the second or third week of the illness, after the antibodies have become detectable. Because of the fact that the mono kissing disease is such a common occurrence all over the world, there are a number of mononucleosis remedies that have been developed at home to treat the condition. First and foremost, it is essential that you make it a point to provide your body with as much rest as possible.
Garlic should be taken in large quantities because of its natural healing effect and one should also adopt a healthy diet plan in order to enhance the strength of the immune system in the body. Make sure that you drink plenty of fluids in order to flush out the toxins that may have built up within the body. Besides these treatments for mononucleosis it is necessary that one keeps their doctor well informed about their condition and the treatment one is using. Mono kissing disease treatment is not based on the use of home remedies alone and therefore medical assistance could be a requirement.
