{"id":8997,"date":"2019-08-16T08:58:09","date_gmt":"2019-08-16T08:58:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/?p=8997"},"modified":"2021-06-18T19:42:07","modified_gmt":"2021-06-18T19:42:07","slug":"15-most-common-symptoms-of-kissing-bug","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/15-most-common-symptoms-of-kissing-bug\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Most Common Symptoms of Kissing Bug"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The kissing bug is an infectious disease that affects more than 200,000 Americans each year. It is rare in the United States, but it can still occur. When a person is bitten, it gets into the blood, which can affect the heart and digestive tract. It is a condition that can be cured, but if left untreated it causes serious digestive and heart problems. When it comes to symptoms, there is an acute and chronic phase. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the acute phase, the symptoms last for a few weeks or months, but it goes away eventually. Chronic symptoms may not happen right away. They may appear 10 to 20 years later, but when they occur, they are serious. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The kissing bug can be caught soon if you get a yearly physical examination because blood is usually drawn. Your doctor can tell you what diseases you may or may not have. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are the eight most common symptoms of the kissing bug.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Swelling at the site of infection is a common symptom. 
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Since the kissing bug can occur anywhere on the body, it can even occur on the eyelid. Some people are prone to have swollen eyelids, especially if they sleep on a certain side for a long period of time. When this happens, the swelling goes away in a day. With the kissing bug, the swelling <\/a>will go away, but not in a day. In order to help the swelling, place an icepack over the area a few times a day for 15 to 20 minutes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For women, if the infection site is on the eyelid, don\u2019t put makeup on it until it heals. You could make the swelling even worse by doing so. With any swelling, it is a good idea to place a bandage over the site because this will allow the swelling to go down quicker.
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2. Headache is common with the kissing bug. 
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With a headache, you\u2019ll need to rest and take over-the-counter medication, such as Tylenol<\/a>. Take the prescribed dosage and no more. Take more than what is prescribed can cause vomiting and nausea. Applying ice to your forehead is another way to heal a headache. Make sure you place a towel over your forehead first before applying the ice. This can be done a few times a day for 10 to 15 minutes. Make sure you are lying down when you do this. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The headache will go away on its own, but you can seek medical treatment and the doctor will more than likely take blood tests and give you a prescription medication to help with the headaches. This is good to do because the headache could last for a few weeks or months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019ll be difficult for you to do your daily activities because you will always have a headache.
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3. Body aches are another symptom that could occur. 
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The bug gets into your blood and can cause your body to ache. You may not pay attention to the body aches if you are physical active, but if you notice that the aches don\u2019t go away, you\u2019ll need to seek medical attention. With body aches, you may get some relief by consuming Tylenol and applying a topical analgesic <\/a>to the affected area. An Epsom salt bath will relieve the symptom as well. Make sure the water is warm and soak for 20 minutes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the body aches become unbearable, you\u2019ll need to have someone take you to the doctor. It may prevent you from driving yourself because the pain may be intense. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The doctor may prescribe some pain medication to relieve your body aches. Pain medications can cause drowsiness, so only take it when you are at home and don\u2019t have to leave the house.
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4. Loss of appetite occurs when you have the kissing bug. 
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The sight of food will make you nauseated. If you do eat something, you may throw it back up. Since you won\u2019t have an appetite, you will lose weight as well. When you go to see your doctor, he or she may prescribe a medicine to help increase your appetite<\/a>. Even if you don\u2019t have an appetite, you\u2019ll need to get plenty of fluids in your body. You don\u2019t want to become dehydrated, which can cause dizziness and fainting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try to eat a few crackers slowly. It is not a good idea to try to force yourself to eat because you\u2019ll just vomit. Just eat when your appetite comes back and drink plenty of water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t do any strenuous activities because it could cause you to become dizzy since you\u2019re not eating any food. When the symptoms go away, your appetite will come back even stronger.
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5. Sudden cardiac arrest occurs when you have the kissing bug. 
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Since it is sudden cardiac arrest<\/a>, it can happen at any time and anywhere. It is good is someone is around when this happens because they seek medical attention for you right away. You will have to go to the hospital in order to get your heart pumping again. The sooner you get to the hospital, the sooner you can get better. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The kissing bug affects the heart, which is one of the reasons for having a sudden cardiac arrest. When this happens, you will need to stay in the hospital for treatment for a few days until the doctors feel comfortable releasing you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have to monitor your heart to make sure it is pumping blood to it properly. The doctor will tell you what things you can and cannot do for a few months, such as lifting on heavy objects.
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6. Constipation or abdominal pain occurs with the kissing bug because the colon is enlarged. 
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A specialist can look at the colon while the person is sedated to determine the cause of the enlarged colon. Blood tests need to be taken as well. The specialist may prescribe medications to help you to make a bowel movement. It may cause pain when you make a bowel movement. Pain medication may need to be taken also. Stool softeners can help with constipation<\/a>, but you\u2019ll need to take the maximum dosage every so often. Your bowels will move in a few hours. You will know then it\u2019s time to make a bowel movement because you will have abdominal pain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, if you\u2019re just having abdominal pain, you can take Tylenol or Ibuprofen after few hours or any prescription medication that the doctor prescribed. In a few weeks or months, the symptom may go away.
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7. Difficulty swallowing due to an enlarged esophagus. 
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When you have a difficult time swallowing, it is best to eat foods that have a soft texture, such as oatmeal and yogurt<\/a>. You\u2019ll need to take your time eating so that you don\u2019t vomit. It is a good idea to let your doctor know that you\u2019re having a difficult time swallowing. He will take some imaging and blood tests to determine what disease you may have. The tests will show that you have an enlarged esophagus and the kissing bug. It may not occur until years later, but you will still need to seek medical attention. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In order to survive, you have to eat and drink. Even if you have to drink broth every day, you are still getting something into your body. During this time also, you\u2019ll lose a good amount of weight because you are not consuming any food.
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8. Congestive heart failure is a sign that you have the kissing bug. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Congestive heart failure<\/a> occurs because the heart isn\u2019t pumping blood the way that it should be. When you have the kissing bug, it affects your heart. If the kissing bug is left untreated and you obtain congestive heart failure you could die. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are things you can do when you have congestive heart failure, such as exercising and not smoking. When you exercise, it is a good idea to do low-impact exercises, such as walking. Your doctor will prescribe different prescription medications to help with the disease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is important to see your doctor on a regular basis, so he or she can keep an eye on your heart. In severe cases, you may need to have surgery, which will allow blood to pump to the heart easier. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both conditions will need to be treated, so that your heart can work properly.
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