Q: My wife had dengue four months back. She was administered four units of plasma. After 14 days she was totally cured and discharged from the hospital. She was feeling very weak and had body pain after that. But slowly the pain reduced, and now she has pain only in her elbows and fingers. She has a lot of pain when she does some heavy work like lifting a bucket or chopping vegetables. How can she get rid of this pain?

A:These symptoms can persist in some patients who have had dengue, but usually not for so many months. Was your wife checked for Chikungunya because that is what it sounds like? The symptoms can persist for anywhere between 3-6 months. It would be advisable to have her checked thoroughly by an experienced physician who could also advise the pertinent tests.