What in heavens is “Mono” may be a question asked by many even though most of us may have been infected by it at some time or the other. “Mono” is a short for Mononucleosis – a viral infection contracted through saliva in the mouth. More often it is found amongst the Teens and Young Adults and commonly called the “Kissing Disease”. Found commonly on College Campuses, Hostels and Residential Colleges or Institutes. Many of us may have been infected by it but never known it by its obnoxious name.

Ironically when children get it may go un-noticed as it may be mild, and Adults don’t contract it quickly because the immunity system in them is much higher than in childhood, and sometimes the adults may overlook it as common cold or flu. Children often contract it through their Mothers shockingly though, possible through cuddling and kissing or even using the same glass or crockery.

Two major symptoms of Mononucleosis are

1. A Severe Sore throat which is painful, with swollen glands. Sore throat is common amongst Adolescents and college going students many times due to eating of junk food, or oily snacks. So it is best advised to have a medical check up to ascertain the exact cause.

2. A high fever with weakness or fatigue: It is always advisable to take medical advice as a fever can be caused by so many other illnesses. It is characteristics of the fever in that the timing, its repetitiveness, and the degree of fever that the doctor can ascertain it is Mono. Fatigue or tiredness can be mistaken for normal tiredness after a hard day at college, so best advised to take doctors advice.

As the symptoms occur weeks after a person has been exposed to Mono, it will stay with you until the symptoms go away for good, but the virus remains in your body for life. Though it may not affect you visibly. Medically it has been an interesting phenomenon that this virus cannot be cleaned from your body and remains inside you for life. As mentioned above the symptoms will pass away for good, and you would never again get mono, but the virus remains within your body for life. The only options or a precaution rather to avoid spreading Mono is by not kissing anyone, or sharing glasses, or crockery or toothbrushes with others.

You seemed fine then all of a sudden you’re sick, but not just any sickness. You have a skin rash, loss of appetite, sore throat, fever, and even chills. Could it be the flu or could it be something worse such as infectious mononucleosis, the kissing disease.

Although Mono is known as the kissing disease, it can be spread in other ways, such as sharing a glass or food utensil with someone who has mono. Another way that mono is spread is through coughing and sneezing as it travels through saliva. One of the warning signs of mono is lack of energy. This lack of energy is more than just being tired. It is often described as a vague feeling of discomfort and having no energy. Some patients are unable to explain the feeling and have described it as a feeling of something just not right. If you experience this lack of energy for more than a couple of days, even after rest, it is possible that you have mono. Being tired is not the only warning sign of mono and should not be taking as such on fatigue only.

If you think that you have mono, you should also look out for another warning sign. Those who have mono often have a sore throat, like that of strep. Even after treatment, the sore throat has reacted to treatment for strep throat is a likely sign that you have mono. After comparing your symptoms with those that are linked to mono, you feel you have it, now what should you do? Mono in most cases will clear up on it’s own, usually within a week or two.

To aid in recover you should get plenty of rest, a healthy diet, and fluids. If after a week or two the symptoms are not gone or they have gone and have come back then it is best o see a doctor. The doctor can run tests and provide medical treatment to alleviate the symptoms speed in recovery. Even though mono is rarely fatal in healthy people seeking a doctor for treatment is best to avoid any complications that could result.

Mono is a disease that can attack anyone and most people contract at sometime during their life. In order to treat mono you first have to recognize the mono symptoms. These are often flu like symptoms and people tend to put off going to the Doctors. The major difference is it doesn’t go away in a few days like the flu does. Once you’ve been diagnosed which is done through a simple blood test you are ready to seek out some possible treatments. These is no treatment on the market that will absolutely take it away, but there are lots of treatments you can apply that will have lessen the overall discomfort it can create.

First you may be suffering from a sore throat or what feels like a lump in your throat. Stay on a liquid to soft diet for a few days until its not so painful. Cold foods such as ice-cream and Popsicles are quite comforting. Avoid getting into long conversations as this can aggravate the pain. You may want to try some mild over the counter pain medication.

The next thing on the list is to control any fever that is present. Usually the fever associated with mono is low grade or just a slightly elevated one. In any event it is important that you consume lots of liquids such as water and juices. This will prevent any risk of dehydration. Some people experience nausea with mono. Once again this will pass eventually.

Don’t eat spicy foods or foods that seem to aggravate your stomach. You can use anti nausea medication if its too uncomfortable. It is very important that you avoid any contact with people who are sick with flues and viruses. Mono weakens your immune system for awhile and you become for susceptible to other illnesses. It might be wise to take vitamins during this time. Next is rest. This won’t be hard for you to do, because one of the major symptoms of mono is extreme tiredness. You just can’t get enough sleep. So don’t fight it take as much rest as your body is telling you to.

Mono takes a long time to recover from. Some people don’t fully recover for up to a year. So the best treatment you can give yourself is patience. More important than anything though is to keep in constant touch with your family physician and consult about any self remedies you are going to use first. Be sure to follow his complete instruction.

Mononucleosis, commonly referred to as Mono, has several symptoms you can look out for. If you have the following symptoms for over a few weeks or they do not decrease in severity you might have mono and should visit your doctor for further analysis.

One symptom of mono is fatigue. Fatigue basically means that you are very tired when you have not done anything that would normally warrant being tired. This can be physical fatigue and can also refer to mental fatigue. Another symptom, that is somewhat tied into fatigue, is weakness. This is when your body just feels weak and you generally don’t feel up to physically handling tasks that normally would not be a problem for you. This can lead to dizziness and exhaustion.

A sore throat can be a symptom of mono. It can be a strep throat situation that does not get better with antibiotics. That is why it’s important if you have a sore throat that persists for longer than 3 days you should have it checked out. It’s possible you have come down with mono. A fever in combination with swollen lymph nodes in your neck and/or armpit can be a sign of mono. Of course it is also possible you simply have a fever. It is important to keep tabs on your temperature and take note of a stubborn fever that does not lower on itself or respond to typical fever reducing medications.

A persistent headache can be a clue that you might have mono. This is a headache that is either steady for days at a time or ebbs and flows but never really goes away. This is especially concerning if it is coupled with a lack of a normal appetite or the inability to eat as you normally would be able to eat. If you wake up at night in the middle of a night sweat when it is not otherwise warm you should note this and keep an eye on it. Of course this can be the result of a fever you might have as well. It is important to let your doctor know and any and all of these mono symptoms that you might have.