“Mono” is short for infectious mononucleosis, an illness caused by the Epstein-Barr virus. It is characterized initially by mild headache, tiredness and decreased appetite followed by sore throat, fatigue, swollen glands, fever, muscle aches and sometimes a swollen liver or spleen. Not all people with mono have all of the symptoms and the severity can vary. The symptoms usually last one to four weeks but some people may have lingering fatigue. Mono is a self-limited illness, which means that it resolves itself. There is no medicine that will cure the infection. Patients should rest, drink lots of fluids, use throat lozenges and take acetaminophen (Tylenol) 650 milligrams every four to six hours as needed. Rarely, steroid medications are used to shrink severely swollen tonsils. There are no specific restrictions on non-athletic activities but patients should rest as much as necessary. Do not drink alcohol. After the symptoms are gone, normal activities may be resumed. More information: What is Mono?