Overview of the various possible symptoms
As with all childhood diseases with rashes, rubella can also cause itching. The skin rash is the trigger for the possible itching. The Ringel rubella does not have to itch in every case.
Even after the rubella has healed, the skin can continue to itch because the skin is dry and flaky. The itching can be soothed with caring creams. In the case of itchy skin rash, a pediatrician should be consulted if possible to confirm the condition and distinguish it from an allergic reaction or other infectious diseases.
Fever is a natural defensive reaction of our body and a sign that the body is fighting an infection. Children in particular react quickly to infectious diseases with fever. This also applies to rubella infections.
The body temperature rises significantly in a relatively short time and can be lowered with paracetamol. The increased body temperature is often accompanied by chills and fatigue. Babies with fever should consult a pediatrician at an early stage.
A lack of an increase in body temperature does not rule out rubella infection. On the one hand, the increase can be completely absent and on the other hand, those affected can only develop a fever later. In the absence of fever, a rubella infection is often not recognized as such because no doctor is consulted and the children also make a less sick overall impression.
If there is a known outbreak of rubella in the day care center, a doctor should nevertheless be consulted if other applicable symptoms occur. In children, many infectious diseases lead to general malaise, which in some cases can include nausea and vomiting. Although the virus itself does not usually cause gastrointestinal problems, those affected can still vomit.
If the gastrointestinal symptoms are more severe, the diagnosis should be reconsidered, as the pathogen may be different. Some drugs can also cause nausea and vomiting. These include, for example, the antipyretic ibuprofen.Like vomiting, diarrhea is not one of the typical symptoms of a rubella infection.
However, digestive problems can occur as part of a general feeling of illness. Since other pathogens may also be involved, the diagnosis Ringel rubella should be reconsidered and should not be accepted only because of an accumulation in kindergarten. A doctor should be consulted if the symptoms persist.
In case of diarrhea, sufficient drinking quantities must be ensured, especially for small children. In some cases a rubella infection can lead to involvement of the small joints. This particularly affects women and girls.
Adults in particular often do not show the typical rash but pain in the joints. The joint pain is an inflammatory reaction of the body, which is initiated as a defensive measure against the virus. The joint inflammation leads to severe pain and requires rest and protection.
The symptoms can last between a few days and two months. Normally, the joint inflammation heals on its own. Heat and commercially available painkillers, such as ibuprofen or paracetamol, can relieve the symptoms.
The joint inflammations are counted among the complications of a rubella infection and are not among the most common symptoms. Patients with a weakened immune system suffer more frequently from complicated courses of the disease and thus also more frequently from joint inflammation. A rubella infection is often a typical cold.
This also includes sore throat with possible involvement of the tonsils and upper respiratory tract. The sore throat can lead to difficulty swallowing and trigger a general feeling of illness. Improvement can often be achieved with lozenges and tea.
With purulent almonds, an additional bacterial infection and thus needing treatment should be considered, since especially children often develop a purulent tonsillitis later on due to a viral disease, such as ringworm. The cough stimulus is a protective reflex of the body and is intended to remove foreign bodies from the respiratory tract. The irritated, inflamed throat can lead to an erroneously triggered coughing stimulus and a dry cough.
In the case of purulent sputum during coughing, an additional, bacterial infection must be considered again. In severe cases, pneumonia can also be the cause of the cough. Lozenges and tea can soothe the irritation in the throat and thus also lead to an improvement of the cough.
Abdominal pain is a common and unspecific symptom. In case of general indisposition, many diseases, including rubella, are accompanied by abdominal pain. Especially children very often state their feeling of illness as stomach ache.
The virus itself rarely causes digestive problems, which is why abdominal pains are often considered psychosomatic. Here it should not be forgotten however that the concerning can have also further or other diseases, which are not considered beside the ringlets. A body that fights against pathogens needs all its energy for healing.
People affected by Ringel rubella can therefore complain of exhaustion and tiredness. This is a natural reaction of the body. Those affected need more rest and sleep and have less energy for other activities.
Fatigue is particularly pronounced in fever phases, as the body increases its energy requirements with every additional degree of temperature. Some affected persons with rubella complain of headaches. These can have different causes.
Some people tend to suffer from frequent headaches and therefore suffer more from headaches in infectious diseases. Too little drinking, especially when the need is increased by fever, can also lead to headaches. For infants with fever, headaches must always be considered in the context of a possible meningitis, which is why they should always be referred to a pediatrician.
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