Early symptoms are similar to those of…. Similarly, there’s no specific treatment for mono. Adolescents and young adults are most likely to have noticeable symptoms, and mono is common among college students. Most people will not have it a second time. Mono refers to the symptoms of infection, and EBV is the most common cause. If kissing is a factor in spreading mono, it may be that the higher levels of saliva exchange lead to more severe symptoms. There is no specific treatment for mono, but rather this virus requires time to help you to get back on your feet. A person whose immune system is compromised has a higher risk of: Mono is most common between the age of 15 and 35 years. Also if you have been under a lot of stress recently, a previous attack of mono can be reactivated. Why symptoms affect teens and young adults more severely remains unclear. Mono is usually associated with teenagers and college students, but if you didn't catch it then and have teenagers in the house you may catch it from them, even if they are asymptomatic! The major symptoms will usually last for two to four weeks, but a full recovery for an adult may take months. Some people may be surprised to learn that they have mono. Another theory is that younger children gradually build up an immunity to the virus if they are exposed from a lower age, as often happens in developing countries. A blow to the abdomen near the spleen may cause a swollen spleen to rupture. While EBV is the most common cause of mono, other infections can cause mono symptoms. "How long does mononucleosis fatigue last for adults over 20? Symptoms can vary between age groups. When older people get mono, they usually have slightly different symptoms than if they were much younger, which can be confusing for the health care provider trying to make a diagnosis. What is mono and should I worry about it? If present, additional medical attention may be necessary until the condition improves or resolves.

Are there any ways to ease the symptoms?" Once a person has experienced symptoms of mono, they are unlikely to have them again. Cloudflare Ray ID: 5e65b4d59f151624 COVID-19 live updates: Total number of cases passes 41.2 million, COVID-19: Experts address 10 recent myths, Diabetes: Coffee and green tea might reduce death risk, Virtual reality nature boosts positive mood, Spiraling healthcare costs of wildfire smoke in California. You may need to download version 2.0 now from the Chrome Web Store. The whites of the eyes or the skin appear yellow.

Up to 90 percent of American adults will have developed antibodies to the virus by the time they are 40. One possiblity is that parents, as carriers, pass the virus on to their children when it reactivates and sheds. There are many alternative treatments that some people recommend, and these can be explored if they interest you. If you have even mildly swollen armpits, a sore throat or tonsillitis and feel tired all the time with something you just can't shake off, it's worth getting a mono test. In these individuals, further evaluation may be necessary. A fever with liver inflammation can make mono harder to spot in this age group. Many people are infected with EBV but never experience symptoms of mono, or the symptoms are very mild, and similar to those of another common illness, such as a cold or flu. The consquences are not usually serious, but the symptoms can be debilitating while they last, and it can take a long time to recover, especially from the fatigue.

Otherwise there isn't really any treatment apart from bed rest and making sure you keep well hydrated. Adults may not experience the classic symptoms of … Once the virus enters the body, it stays there forever, and it can occasionally reactivate at a later time. Your doctor will do a number of blood tests to determine whether or not you have mono, and will treat you accordingly. It is important to protect the spleen from rupturing. Diagnosis by a doctor can help to rule out other diseases and problems. Mono symptoms usually show up within 4 to 6 weeks after exposure to the mono … Symptoms often last 2 to 4 weeks, but they can persist for longer. Like the common cold, a virus causes mono. A study published in Age and Ageing states that mono is less common in adults aged over 40 years.

If you experience any of the following symptoms, you should consult a doctor immediately: difficulty breathing or swallowing, abdominal pain which could indicate a ruptured spleen, bleeding from the gums, seizures, severe headaches, chest pains, an inability to drink fluids or a severe weakness in the arms or legs. You may want to take pain relievers for the symptoms, but avoid aspirin. Last medically reviewed on December 20, 2017, Strep throat can be a nasty illness, often with pus at the back of the throat and a fever, but not usually a cough, runny nose, or watery eyes, as…, Infectious mononucleosis, also called glandular fever or mono, is a viral disease that spreads through kissing. One of the problems of getting mono when you are an adult is that it's probably one of the last things that the doctor will think of testing for! So if you are over 40 and have an unexplained fever lasting more than a week, you should ask your doctor if you may have mono. However, the symptoms vary widely between different age groups, and viral shedding can persist for a median of 6 months. Many do not develop symptoms of mono, but they become carriers. An adult with mono will experience the same symptoms that a child or teenager will experience, including fever, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes and tonsils, headaches, lack of energy and loss of appetite. Adults may not experience the classic symptoms of red throat and swollen glands. If a child has mild mono symptoms, a parent may think this is a cold or flu, especially if fever and a sore throat are the main symptoms. Mono usually affects teenagers and young adults, but anyone can get it. Blood tests can identify whether or not a person has had a recent or past infection with EBV. The amount of virus spread from a parent’s past infection may be lower, causing fewer, milder symptoms in a child. One of the more serious symptoms to watch out for is hepatitis, or jaundice, as people with mono often have elevated liver enzymes. All rights reserved. Get lots of rest and if you feel up to it you might enjoy a little light reading, listening to the radio or watching T.V. In …

As noted, in a minority of people, the fatigue may still be present 6 months after the initial infection.

Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional. Sharing drinks, toothbrushes, or a plate of food can spread it. The major problem with mono is that it can cause problems with the spleen. Children often do not have classic symptoms, or they have mild symptoms that are confused with a common cold or the flu. If you combine that with vitamin C and other immune boosters it should help you feel better faster. Serious complications are rare, but 0.5 percent of patients may experience a ruptured spleen.

This can be fatal. The mono symptoms are too mild to be noticed in children and older adults are immune to the mono virus. Chicken soup is a good remedy whenever someone is feeling run down as it is full of protein and other nutrients and is easy to digest. The consequences of mono are rarely serious. In developed countries, a person is less likely to be exposed to EBV during infancy and young childhood.

They appear healthy, but they can spread mono to others.When symptoms emerge, they may be severe for a few days, then gradually get milder. Re: How long can mono last in adults I have had a case of chronic recurring mono now for 2 1/2 yrs. In most cases, the liver inflammation will improve on its own as the body clears the infection. However, the tiredness can last for weeks or months after other symptoms have gone. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most people are infected with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) at some point in their lives. In many cases mono can seem like another bad case of the flu that just drags on too long. They are more likely in a person with a weakened immune system, due, for example, to HIV or AIDS, some kinds of cancer treatment, or having had an organ transplant. It can take as long as months for your energy to come back completely. © 2004-2020 Healthline Media UK Ltd, Brighton, UK, a Red Ventures Company. When it is active, symptoms may or may not appear, and the virus can be passed on to another person. Your IP: 46.248.162.104 Answered by a verified doctor: Mononucleosis: It may last months. People need to understand that this virus can be quite debilitating and that they need to give themselves quite a bit of time to recover and to get back to their old selves.

This is by far the longest bout I have had, but my Titer test is still high after 2 1/2 yrs. The most important thing, if you are diagnosed with mono, is to slow down and give your body the time that it needs to heal. The incubation period for mono is 4 to 8 weeks.During this period, from the time of infection until symptoms appear, a person is contagious.

Mononucleosis, infectious mononucleosis, or “mono,” refers to a group of symptoms that affect some people, most commonly after infection with the Epstein-Barr virus. In most cases of mono you can be back on your feet again in under a month, and if you look after yourself properly you can be up and about again within a couple of weeks. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advise parents to call a doctor if a child: Those with symptoms of a ruptured spleen should seek emergency care immediately. If you are at an office or shared network, you can ask the network administrator to run a scan across the network looking for misconfigured or infected devices.

Many illnesses cause fever and sore throat, particularly colds, flu, and common viruses. It can also be passed on through breast milk, other bodily floods such as blood or semen, or through blood transfusions. Managing symptoms with self-care and rest is often the best way to deal with mono. Doctors recommend mono patients avoid heavy lifting and contact sports for three to four weeks after becoming ill with mono. The spleen can swell to two or three times its normal size. We include products we think are useful for our readers. The reactivated virus can spread to others through saliva, so a person can catch mono from someone who has no signs of illness. • Mono is easily confused with other illnesses, so people are advised to contact a doctor if they notice any unknown or worrisome symptoms. Many people contract the virus during childhood and never notice any symptoms. In young children, any symptoms that appear tend to be mild. An adolescent with no previous exposure to the virus may be more vulnerable, as their immune system is less able to repel the attack. This is especially true if you also have enlarged lymph glands, as another name for mono is glandular fever. Mono is often called the “kissing disease,” but it is not only spread by kissing. This person may develop symptoms of mono. Here’s our process. MNT is the registered trade mark of Healthline Media.