Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus and usually causes a rash all over the body and respiratory inflammation. There is no cure for measles. However, since the invention of the vaccine in the 1960s, measles has been relatively easy to prevent. If you have measles, the best treatment plan is to get plenty of rest and see a doctor. In addition, it's a good idea to treat the symptoms of measles, which may include a high fever, rash, and persistent cough, to make healing easier.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Relieve Symptoms
Step 1. Immediately see a doctor
As soon as you suspect that you or someone you know may have measles (read this article on how to diagnose measles), see a doctor to confirm the diagnosis. Describe the symptoms you are experiencing, and see a doctor as soon as possible. Follow all instructions from the doctor.
- Since measles can be very similar to chickenpox, it's a good idea to see your doctor for a diagnosis and proper treatment.
- Doctors almost always recommend resting at home and not coming into contact with other people. Measles is highly contagious so isolation is key to preventing the spread of the disease. Read the Prevent Contagion section for various quarantine strategies.
- Be aware that your doctor may ask you to take precautions, such as wearing a mask or entering through the back door, when you come to the practice, to prevent transmission of measles.
- The guidelines in this article are not intended to replace instructions from a doctor. When in doubt, always prioritize the advice of a doctor.
Step 2. Relieve fever by taking over-the-counter medications
Measles is often accompanied by a fever that can reach 40°C. Take over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen (paracetamol), to lower body temperature. Follow the directions on the package regarding the correct dosage and time of use.
- As an added bonus, these pain relievers can also relieve aches and pains caused by the measles virus.
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Notes:
do not give aspirin to children because of the risk of deadly Reyes syndrome, a rare condition that can cause serious damage to the liver and brain.
Step 3. Rest
Almost everyone who gets measles needs plenty of rest to recover. Measles is a serious viral infection so the body needs a lot of energy and resources to heal itself. In addition, the symptoms of measles can cause the body to feel more tired and exhausted than usual. Make sure to get plenty of rest and do not do any physical activity while you have measles.
People with measles can transmit the disease 1-2 days before showing symptoms to about 4 days after symptoms appear. Even so, the incubation period of this disease is 14 days. So you may be able to transmit the disease during this time. Since the disease is spread through sneezing and coughing, you should stay home while you are sick. Rest at home for about a week. Although the measles rash can take a while to go away, you usually won't be able to transmit the disease 4 days after your symptoms appear
Step 4. Dim the lights
The facial rash caused by measles can lead to conjunctivitis, which is an inflamed and watery eye condition. This condition makes measles patients sensitive to light. Use thick window blinds and dim the ceiling lights when you have conjunctivitis, to relieve irritated eyes.
While you generally won't want to go outside when you have measles, if, for some reason, you must go outside, try wearing sunglasses to protect your eyes
Step 5. Clean the eyes with a soft cotton bud
As described above, conjunctivitis often accompanies measles. One of the most obvious symptoms of conjunctivitis is an increase in eye discharge. The discharge can cause the eyes to "move" or even not be opened (especially when you just woke up from sleep). Remove crusts on the eyes by wiping a cotton bud, which has been soaked in warm clean water, from the corner of the eye outwards. Use a different cotton bud for each eye.
- This conjunctivitis can be very serious. So, do your best to prevent this from happening. Keep clean so that the germs that cause measles do not get into the eyes. If you care for children with measles, wash their hands and then put on gloves to reduce the risk of them scratching the rash and then rubbing their eyes.
- Press very gently when cleaning the eye-because they are already inflamed, the eye is very sensitive to pain and damage.
Step 6. Use a humidifier
Humidifiers increase the humidity of the air by evaporating water. Using a humidifier in your room when you're sick can keep the air moist, which can help relieve the sore throat and cough that accompanies measles.
- If you don't have a humidifier, just put a bowl of water in the room, to increase the humidity of the air.
- Be aware that some humidifiers allow inhaled medications to be added to moisture. If your humidifier can, add a cough suppressant, such as Vick's.
Step 7. Hydrate the body
Like many other diseases, measles depletes the body of moisture more quickly than normal, which simply reduces humidity, especially if accompanied by a fever. Therefore, hydrating the body properly is very important to make the body strong enough to fight infection until you feel better. In general, clear fluids, especially clear, clean water, are the best drinks when you are sick.
Method 2 of 2: Preventing Contagion
Step 1. Vaccinate yourself if you haven't already
By far, the fastest and easiest way to prevent the spread of measles is to vaccinate everyone who can safely receive the MMR vaccine (Measle [measles], Mump [mumps], Rubella [Rubella]). The MMR vaccine is 95-99% effective in preventing infection and almost always provides lifelong immunity. Healthy people can usually safely receive the vaccine after about 15 months of age, so the MMR vaccine is mandatory for most families.
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Like other types of vaccines, the MMR vaccine can cause some side effects, although serious side effects are very rare. The measles virus itself is much more dangerous than the side effects of the MMR vaccine which can include:
- Mild fever
- Rash
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Joint pain or stiffness
- Allergic reactions or seizures (very rare)
- MMR Vaccine no never been proven to cause autism-research in the 1980s that showed this possibility has been proven incorrect.
Step 2. Quarantine the measles patient
Because measles is highly contagious, patients should be kept away from other people, with very few exceptions. Measles patient can't go outside, unless a medical emergency occurs. Patients are not allowed to go to school or work at all – one person with measles, if the virus spreads, could cause all office activities to be suspended for more than a week. Because transmission can occur about 4 days after the rash appears, it's best to plan for a sick leave for a week or more.
- Be aware that people who have not been vaccinated are at high risk of contracting it, even just by being in an area that a measles patient has recently visited. The measles virus can remain in tiny droplets of water in the air until two hours after the measles patient leaves the area.
- If your child catches measles, inform their school immediately, especially if any of their teachers are pregnant. Keep in mind that your child can be infectious for up to 14 days before showing symptoms. So, there is a possibility that they have infected other people.
- Your local health center may contact you to find out where you've been. That way, they can contact other people who may be exposed. They may also tell you how long you need to be quarantined.
Step 3. Keep people at risk away from measles patients
Effective quarantine is very important to keep certain people who are very vulnerable to the measles virus safe. Although usually only a long-lasting disorder for healthy people, measles can pose a serious health threat to populations at risk, namely:
- Children who are too young to get vaccines safely
- Babies and young children
- Pregnant mother
- seniors
- People with compromised immune systems (eg due to HIV, etc.)
- Chronic disease sufferers
- Malnutrition (especially vitamin A deficiency)
Step 4. Wear a mask when you have to interact with other people
As noted above, measles patients should avoid contact with other people as much as possible-ideally, with no one at all. However, if contact with other people is unavoidable (for example if the patient requires a caregiver or emergency medical treatment), wearing a surgical mask (surgical mask) can reduce the risk of infection. The mask can be worn by the patient, persons in contact with the patient, or both.
- Masks can be somewhat effective at preventing the transmission of measles because the measles virus is spread through tiny droplets of water that are splashed into the air when a patient coughs or sneezes. Therefore, placing a physical shield between the lungs of a measles patient and the lungs of a healthy person can help prevent transmission. However, masks can not replace good quarantine.
- Wear a mask while in the presence of other people for at least 4 days after symptoms appear. If in doubt, call your doctor. Your doctor can tell you how long you should wear the mask.
Step 5. Wash your hands frequently
This disease is easily spread, both from person to person and to other parts of the body such as the eyes. The best way to prevent it from spreading is to wash your hands for a few minutes with warm water and soap. Use soap and running water, then wash your hands for at least 20 seconds to kill germs.
If you care for children with measles, trim their fingernails and help them wash their hands frequently. At night, put them on soft gloves
Step 6. See a doctor immediately if serious symptoms occur
As explained above, measles is usually not a serious health threat to healthy people. However, in rare cases (and in cases where an immunocompromised person has measles), measles can become much more serious-sometimes even deadly:
in 2013, more than 140,000 people worldwide (mostly unvaccinated children) died from measles. In rare cases when a measles patient begins to show symptoms beyond the usual symptoms described above, prompt medical action is necessary. Symptoms that go beyond the usual measles symptoms include:
- Severe diarrhea
- Severe ear infection
- Inflammation of the lungs (pneumonia)
- Impaired vision/blindness
- Encephalitis (seizures, confusion, headache, paralysis, hallucinations)
- In general, a rapid decline in overall health condition with no signs of improving.
Tips
- Wear long sleeves so you don't get scratched.
- The MMR vaccine causes several side effects. For example, about 1 in 6 children has a fever 7-12 days after immunization, and about 1 in 3,000 has a febrile seizure. Some parents think that the MMR vaccine is not safe because it causes health problems. However, that is not true. The side effects of the MMR vaccine, most of which are neither severe nor dangerous, are recognized by medical professionals. However, the benefits of the MMR vaccine far outweigh the risks of these known side effects. The MMR vaccine has a good safety history of use. Millions of children around the world have safely received the vaccine.
- Calamine lotion can be used to relieve itching from a measles rash.
- It is important to give the MMR vaccine to children. Without having the large amount of measles component obtained from the vaccine, the chances of getting measles also increase. Because 1 in 1,000 cases of measles is associated with encephalitis, the risk of this potentially deadly disease in children also increases.
Warning
- If symptoms worsen or do not improve within 5 days, go to the hospital immediately or see a doctor.
- Do not give cough medicine to children under 6 years of age. Do not give aspirin to children under 16 years of age. Consult a doctor if you do not know which drugs are effective and safe to give to measles patients.
