QUESTION

I am suffering from pf malaria with enlarged liver and spleen under the treatment from last one week and the abdominal pain has subsided. But I am experiencing hiccups. How long it will take for complete recovery?

ANSWER

It is a good sign that you are already feeling better following your treatment for malaria. Interestingly, hiccups have been linked to infections with parasites, including malaria; in one case, it was discovered that the treatment the patient was taking (doxycycline) had actually caused some secondary problems of the esophagus which was causing the hiccups. The patient was given medicine which treated these secondary problems and cured the hiccups. So if you continue to experience hiccups after you have completed the treatment for malaria, you should ask your doctor if it is possible to arrange for an endoscopy, to check for any secondary problems caused by the medication.

As for recovery time otherwise, you will probably feel much better as soon as the course of medication is completed. However, many malaria patients still feel fatigued for weeks or even months after they have had the disease, so full recovery can take some time.

It is important, however, to visit your doctor again if you have any recurring symptoms of malaria after you have finished the medication (such as fever or nausea) since this could indicate that the infection was not completely cured the first time; another blood test may then be required, with another course of treatment if you test positive again for malaria.