Measles is a disease that strikes the respiratory system. A doctor can easily diagnose measles based on the characteristic symptoms of the infection. Patients will exhibit most, if not all, of the following signs:

- Coryza, which is another term for nasal discharge, a runny nose
- Cough. Measles causes patients to have a dry, hacking cough
- Conjunctivitis - red, swollen eyelids and inflamed eyes. Viral conjunctivitis is also known as "pink eye".
- Watery eyes
- Pronounced sensitivity to light
- Sneezing
- Fever, ranging from mild to a dangerously high 105 degrees Fahrenheit, for several days
- Koplik's spots - small whitish spots with bluish dots in the center, occurring in the mouth and throat
- Body aches and pains
- Erythematous rash. The tell-tale measles rash will begin 3-4 days after the rest of the symptoms. It usually begins behind the ears and spreads at first to the head and neck before continuing on over the rest of the body

A doctor can easily diagnose measles if the symptoms have manifested. A test can be used to prove the presence of the Rubeola virus in the blood.

As measles is a viral infection, there is no treatment for the disease itself. Any treatment is aimed at relieving the symptoms until the disease runs its course. Patients should get plenty of rest, take pain medication to relieve fever pain and drink plenty of fluid. Measles symptoms usually clear up in 7 - 10 days.

The following steps can be taken to aid recovery from measles:

- For fever - Keep the patient cool, but not cold. Administer acetaminophen or Ibuprofen to control both fever and body aches. Do not give aspirin to children under 16 years of age as it has been linked to Reyes Syndrome when used to treat viral infections.
- No one should smoke around a measles patient
- Measles patients should be kept in a darkened room to ease their light sensitivity. Sunglasses may also help.
- For conjunctivitis, wipe eye discharge away with a clean damp cloth
- To ease coughing, use a humidifier or place a bowl of water in the room.
- Make sure the patient has plenty to drink to avoid dehydration
- Patients need to be isolated until the contagious period of measles passes, when symptoms first appear until up to 5 days after the rash appears
- Vitamin A supplements may help prevent measles complications. Included among these is measles encephalitis, a dangerous, potentially fatal swelling of the brain.