Epstein Barr Cures Blog

Glandular fever symptoms are not usually dangerous, and they typically resolve within a few weeks. However there are four symptoms you need to be aware of that can be serious and may need medical intervention.

Let’s go through each one in more detail:

1) A ruptured spleen
A ruptured spleen is rare - occurring in 1 - 2 of every 1000 glandular fever cases.
If the spleen ruptures it can cause serious internal bleeding which requires emergency surgery and possible blood transfusions.

If your spleen is sore or swollen, it is important that you avoid contact sports, heavy lifting, constipation or anything which puts undue pressure on your spleen.

Indications of a ruptured spleen are pain in the left upper abdomen, feeling lightheaded, palpitations, breathing problems and easy bleeding. If you have these symptoms please see your doctor or hospital immediately.

2) Compromised breathing and swallowing
In some cases swollen glands in the neck and an inflamed sore throat, can make breathing and swallowing difficult. If you find you are having problems breathing or if you can’t swallow your saliva and start to drool, then get to a doctor straight away.

I had one of my overseas patients experience this on a recent holiday. She could not sit or lie down without her breathing closing down. Fortunately her husband rushed her to the nearest hospital where they treated her successfully. She said it was one of the most terrifying episodes in her life.

3) Extreme fever

Fevers caused by Epstein Barr infection will seldom go over 41°C (105°F). However if you are overdressed, or trapped in a hot place (like a hot car), fever can escalate and become dangerous.

Extreme fever can cause febrile convulsions in some children. Always watch children carefully and make sure they are not dressed too warmly or rugged up in blankets.

If your temperature exceeds 40°C (104°F) have a luke warm bath or sponge the body with luke warm water. Panadol may need to be taken if the fever is not coming down.

Aspirin should never be used to control fever or pain in mononucleosis sufferers because of the rare association of aspirin with Reye’s syndrome, a potentially fatal disorder characterized by inflammation of the brain and liver failure.
4) Strep throat
A bacterial strep throat, can be a secondary infection that the body picks up when battling glandular fever. It is most commonly caused by streptococci and may warrant the use of an antibiotic. 

Symptoms of a strep throat can be;
Severe redness and swelling in throat
Pain in the throat
A yellow discharge on the tonsils.
Coated tongue

Since symptoms of glandular fever and strep throat can overlap, a swab is recommended before antibiotics are taken.

Untreated strep throat can lead to complications like rheumatic fever, kidney disorders, arthritis or systemic infection throughout the body.

So if you have any of these symptoms please get yourself to a doctor or hopsital for further investigation.

Many patients ask me “What are the typical symptoms of glandular fever?”

Well let’s have a look at the most common symptoms of glandular fever.

Symptoms typically include:

• Swollen glands in the neck, armpits or groin
• Fever 
• Fatigue
• Sore throat

Some patients will also suffer from:

• Headache
• Aching muscles
• Poor appetite
• Nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea
• Skin rash (especially in children)
• Abdominal pain
• Puffy eyelids
• Sensitivity to light
• Cough or runny nose
• Liver inflammation
• Enlarged spleen

Some people, particularly children, may exhibit none of these classical symptoms. When my young son picked up glandular fever we just passed it off as a mild cold. It was only a few months later when he had a blood test done, that we realised it was glandular fever.

Most glandular fever symptoms are mild and will disappear within a couple of weeks when adequate rest, fluids, an immune-boosting diet and the right supplements and herbs are taken (see my e-book for further ideas).

In some cases, glandular fever symptoms can be severe, and in fact may be life-threatening.
In the next post we’ll have a look at the four symptoms of glandular fever that you should never ignore.

When treating glandular fever, diet is vital to a good recovery.

In the initial acute stage of glandular fever it is best to eat lightly. Glandular fever symptoms like fever, sore throat, swollen glands, mucous production and malaise are common, and will often result in a poor appetite.

I recommend my patients initially do a liquid-only diet of vegetable juices, broths, soups, herb teas, lemon drinks and pure water for a few days. This provides the body with adequate nutrition whilst resting the gastrointestinal tract so energy can be diverted into healing the body.

Good diet choices for glandular fever include miso soup, chicken broth, potassium broth and herb teas like fenugreek, ginger, boneset and coltsfoot.

Freshly squeezed vegetable juices based around lots of green vegetables like celery, cucumber and spinach are very cleansing. You can add a small amount of carrot, parsnip or beet root to sweeten your juice, or add some ginger or garlic to give it a warming effect.

Garlic, ginger, cayenne pepper, turmeric, chilli peppers, and onions should be consumed in your teas, broths and juices due to their powerful health benefits for the throat and respiratory system.

You will also need to eliminate your intake of all dairy products and grains, as they contribute to mucus in the body. In addition, avoid coffee, sugar, alcohol, soft drinks and artificial colors and flavorings.

For more information on the glandular fever diet plus some tasty recipes and juices to help heal your body please refer to my e-book. Nature’s Amazing Mononucleosis Cures.

It is uncertain how people will react when they are diagnosed with glandular fever. Some people get depressed whilst others remain positive, optimistic and hopeful. In fact some people find that glandular fever helps them grow as individuals, endowing them with more courage, patience, tolerance and empathy.

So what makes one person sink into despair whilst another with the same condition and symptoms adapts and remains positive and proactive?

Well a team of psychologists from the Netherlands set out to find out. These are the areas they found that make a difference when dealing with illness:

The first thing is expressing your emotions
It’s important to talk openly and acknowledge your condition, rather than pretend it doesn’t exist. People who communicate their feelings tend to need less treatment, report fewer symptoms and retain more independence and physical function.

The next thing to do is to take control
The more actively people manage their illness themselves, the better they do. Setting goals like what you’ll eat, how you’ll keep fit, how you’ll manage your stress, what supplements to take etc is far better than passively accepting whatever treatment is doled out to you ( you can get all these helpful strategies in my e-book Nature’s Amazing Mononucleosis Cures).

The next step is to think positively
Changing the way you think about your life can also help you adapt. Developing an improved appreciation of life - stopping to smell the roses can help keep your spirits up and help you cope.

Another key finding was the importance of keeping active
The researchers found that physical activity makes a big difference in lifting your mood and helping you cope.  In chronic cases of glandular fever it is important to tailor a gentle exercise program to your individual ability.

Finding laughter, joy and fun
Some of the simplest, but most powerful secrets that I have found lift your mood and help you cope with illness, is laughter, joy and fun. You need to find ways to bring them into your life.

When I was ill with glandular fever, my list included having a hot bath every night, getting an afternoon nap and making sure I had plenty of funny videos and good books to read.

There should be many things in your life that you truly love and enjoy. Please make sure you are doing them!

I hope this information gives you some insights into how you can cope with glandular fever. If you feel you need extra guidance, then have a look at my e-book which gives you some fantastic strategies and resources to help you cope.

For athletes who have had Epstein Barr, over exertion can cause a re-activation of the symptoms of landular fever or mononucleosis, or suppress immunity to the point where infections are easily picked up.

Australia’s Olympic swimmer Grant Hackett, a former Epstein Barr sufferer, was beaten today by less than a second in the Mens 1500m Final at the Olympic Games in Beijing, China. This dashed his hopes of claiming a third consecutive Olympic title.

Hackett had been confined to his bed for a day prior to the competition with a chest complaint that affected his breathing. It is well established that physical performance can be reduced during infection.

Hackett originally suffered from glandular fever, caused by Epstein Barr, when he raced in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. Four years later he climbed from his sick bed again to win in Athens. Only later was it revealed that he had swum with a partially collapsed lung which reduced his lung capacity by a quarter.

For the 2008 Olympics, Hackett had taken extraordinary precautions to avoid infection. These included wearing face masks on the plane, avoiding handrails and other public surfaces, and even refraining from kissing his wife in the lead up to his events. He also decided not to march in the opening ceremony.

Hackett is not alone in suffering the long term effects of Epstein Barr. Another Australian swimming champion Ian Thorpe resigned from his elite swimming career in 2006, citing health complications due to having glandular fever.