Measles has no known cure, so treatments focus on keeping the patient comfortable and supporting their health. Rest, fever medications, pain relievers, IV fluids, and antibiotics for secondary infections are common treatments. Immunization within three days of exposure can prevent or reduce symptoms.
Measles treatments are generally focused on keeping the patient comfortable and supporting their health; this is because there are no treatments known to kill the virus responsible for this disease. Instead, patients usually have to wait for it to run its course. Rest, fever medications, and pain relievers are often used for this purpose. In some cases, a patient may also need intravenous (IV) fluids to prevent dehydration or treat it if it has already developed. Also, a person may need antibiotics to treat any secondary infections that develop as a result of the measles infection.
Rest is the first among the most common treatments for measles. A person with this condition is usually advised to get as much rest as possible and participate in quiet activities that don’t require much physical effort. In some cases, a person with measles develops sensitivity to light. When this happens, keeping the room where he sleeps dimly lit can also prove helpful.
Medications can be used when a person has measles, but their purpose isn’t really to cure the disease or virus that’s causing it. Instead, medications can be used to treat a fever that a person develops as a symptom of measles. It can also be used for the purpose of reducing the pain that the patient may experience related to the disease. For example, it can help relieve a headache a person develops along with a fever. In most cases, over-the-counter medicines are suitable for this purpose.
An individual may also do well to drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration. In the event that the patient does not drink enough fluids or develops dehydration, a doctor may give IV fluids as one of the measles treatments. Also, using a humidifier may prove helpful in reducing the patient’s cough.
Interestingly, immunization can be used as one of the treatments for measles. A person who has been exposed to measles can receive a vaccine against the virus within the first three days of exposure. In some cases, this can prevent the patient from developing the disease. In others, it can reduce the severity and duration of symptoms.
Developing secondary infections is a risk when a person has measles. For example, a person may develop an ear infection or pneumonia as a complication of a case of measles. If so, a doctor may prescribe antibiotics to treat the secondary infection.
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