Malaria Treatment in Panchkula

Symptoms of Malaria

• Fever that comes with shivering and chills, then sweating
• Fever that may come and go every day or every alternate day
• Headache, body ache and tiredness
• Nausea or vomiting

Some people have only fever, without the classic chills. That is why testing matters more than guessing from the pattern.

Getting Tested

A rapid malaria antigen test gives a result in minutes. A blood smear confirms the type of malaria and how many parasites are present. Both are simple blood tests. Dengue and typhoid are often tested at the same time; see dengue treatment in Panchkula and typhoid doctor in Panchkula.

In this region, Plasmodium vivax is the most common type. Plasmodium falciparum is less common but can become serious quickly, so the type of malaria changes the treatment.

Treatment

• Vivax malaria is treated with tablets to clear the fever, followed by a second medicine to stop it coming back from the liver weeks later.
• Falciparum malaria is treated with artemisinin-based combination tablets.
• Paracetamol for fever, fluids and rest.
• Severe malaria, with confusion, jaundice, very low BP or breathlessness, needs admission. This is handled at Paras Health Panchkula.

Don't take leftover malaria tablets without a test. It can hide the diagnosis and leave the infection half-treated.

Why You Shouldn't Self-Treat

Many people in the region have taken malaria tablets before and keep a strip at home. Taking them without a test is risky for three reasons. It can hide the real cause of the fever, such as dengue or typhoid. A half-treated infection can come back. And some anti-malaria medicines are not safe for people with certain blood conditions, which is why a doctor checks before prescribing the second-stage medicine for vivax malaria. For other common fevers, see viral fever treatment in Panchkula.

If you have recently travelled to a high-malaria area such as parts of Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh or the North-East, mention it at your visit.

Preventing Malaria

• Remove standing water around the house, coolers and flower pots every week
• Use mosquito nets and repellents, especially at dusk
• Wear full sleeves in the evening during the monsoon months

Malaria in Pregnancy, Children and Older Adults

Malaria can be more serious in pregnant women, young children and older adults. In pregnancy it can cause anaemia and affect the baby, and some anti-malaria medicines are not safe in the first three months, so treatment is chosen carefully. Children can become drowsy or have fits with high fever. Older adults and people with diabetes or kidney disease can become dehydrated quickly.

In all of these groups, a fever with chills during the monsoon should be tested the same day.

The G6PD Test Before the Second Medicine

The medicine used to stop vivax malaria from coming back, primaquine, can break down red blood cells in people with an inherited condition called G6PD deficiency. A simple blood test checks for it before the medicine is started. If the test shows a deficiency, the dose or schedule is changed.

This is one of the main reasons malaria should always be treated by a doctor rather than with leftover tablets from home.

After Treatment: What to Expect

Fever usually settles within two to three days of starting treatment. Weakness, poor appetite and mild anaemia can last a couple of weeks. If the fever returns after treatment, or comes back weeks later, get tested again rather than assuming it is something new.

Eat well, drink enough fluids and include iron-rich foods such as green leafy vegetables, dal, chana and eggs if you eat them. Finish the full course of medicine even if you feel better on the second day.

Travel and Malaria

If you travel to forest areas or parts of central and eastern India during the monsoon, take mosquito precautions seriously: repellent, full sleeves and nets at night. For some trips, a doctor may suggest preventive tablets, so it is worth asking before you go.

Remember that symptoms can appear weeks or even months after you return. Any fever after travel should be mentioned to your doctor along with where you went and when. This simple detail often makes the diagnosis much quicker.

How Malaria Differs From Dengue

Both cause high fever in the monsoon, but there are clues. Malaria fever often comes with shaking chills and then heavy sweating, sometimes in a pattern. Dengue tends to bring severe body ache, pain behind the eyes and a rash. Still, the two can look very similar, which is why a blood test, not the fever pattern, settles the question.

Frequently Asked Questions

Medically reviewed by Dr. Ranjana Bhatt, MBBS, DNB (General Medicine), Associate Director, Internal Medicine, Paras Health Panchkula.