People who've been infected carry the virus for life, even after symptoms stop and even if they had no symptoms. The virus is then "dormant," or inactive. Sometimes the dormant virus "wakes up" and finds its way into a person's saliva.
This means that they can be contagious from time to time over the course of their life, even when they have no symptoms. To diagnose mono, doctors do an exam to check for things like swollen tonsils and an enlarged liver or spleen, common signs of the infection. Sometimes the doctor will do a blood test.
The best treatment for mono is plenty of rest and fluids, especially early in the illness when symptoms are most severe. For fever and aching muscles, try taking acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Don't take aspirin unless your doctor tells you to. Aspirin has been linked to a serious disease in kids and teens called Reye syndrome, which can lead to liver failure and death. Mono symptoms usually go away within 2 to 4 weeks. In some teens, though, the tiredness and weakness can last for months.
When you start feeling better, take it slow and don't overdo it. Although you can return to school after your fever is gone, you may still feel tired. Your body will tell you when it's time to rest — listen to it. By taking good care of yourself and resting as much as you need to, you will soon be back to normal, usually within a few weeks. So sharing straws, toothbrushes, or food from the same plate can spread mono. At first, people don't feel sick after getting infected with the EBV virus.
The symptoms come a month or two later. And some people don't get any symptoms at all. So they can spread the virus and not even know it. That's why it's important not to share things like forks, straws, water bottles, or lip gloss at school.
Mono can cause you to feel really, really tired, but you may have other symptoms, too. These include:. It may seem like you have the flu or strep throat because the symptoms are so much alike. The only way to tell for sure if you have mono is to go to a doctor, who will do an exam to see if you have mono.
Sometimes the doctor will do a blood test to be sure. If you have mono, you probably will need plenty of rest. This might mean no school for a while, no sports, and no running outside playing with friends or even wrestling with your little brother.
In rare cases, some people may develop the following complications:. You should wait at least 1 month before doing any vigorous activities, lifting heavy objects, or playing contact sports to avoid rupturing your spleen, which may be swollen from the infection. A ruptured spleen in people who have mono is rare, but it is a life-threatening emergency.
Call your doctor immediately if you have mono and experience a sharp, sudden pain in the upper left part of your abdomen. Hepatitis liver inflammation or jaundice yellowing of the skin and eyes may occasionally occur in people who have mono. Mono symptoms like fatigue, fever, and a sore throat usually last for a few weeks.
In rare cases, the symptoms can flare up months or even years later. EBV, which usually is what causes a mono infection, remains in your body for the rest of your life. It occurs less commonly in adults over the age of Older adults with mono will usually have a fever but may not have other symptoms such as a sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, or an enlarged spleen.
Children can become infected with mono by sharing eating utensils or drinking glasses, or by being near an infected person who coughs or sneezes. Because children may only have mild symptoms, such as a sore throat, a mono infection may go undiagnosed. Children who are diagnosed with mono can usually continue to attend school or day care.
They may need to avoid some physical activities while they recover. Children with mono should wash their hands frequently, especially after sneezing or coughing. Learn more about the mono symptoms in children. Most people are infected with EBV early in life. As with older children, toddlers can become infected with mono by sharing eating utensils or drinking glasses.
They can also become infected by putting toys in their mouths that have been in the mouths of other children with mono. Toddlers with mono rarely have any symptoms. If they do have a fever and sore throat, it may be mistaken for a cold or the flu.
If your doctor suspects your toddler has mono, they will probably recommend that you make sure your child gets rest and plenty of fluids. Get a better understanding of the risk of mono relapse. Most people have mono only once. In rare cases, the symptoms can recur due to a reactivation of EBV. This is a serious condition in which the mono symptoms persist longer than 6 months. Mono is almost impossible to prevent.
This is because healthy people who have been infected with EBV in the past can carry and spread the infection periodically for the rest of their lives. Almost all adults have been infected with EBV and have built up antibodies to fight the infection. People normally get mono only once in their lives.
The symptoms of mono rarely last for more than 4 months. The majority of people who have mono recover within 2 to 4 weeks. EBV appears to play a role in the development of these cancers.
However, EBV is probably not the only cause. A mononucleosis spot test will determine if you have the Epstein-Barr virus. Find out what to expect and what the results mean. If you have diabetes, you'll likely experience fatigue at some point.
We'll tell you what you need to know. White spots on the tonsils have several possible causes. Learn more about causes and treatments.
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