Typhoid fever, also known as enteric fever or simply typhoid, is a contagious ailment attributed to the bacterium Salmonella typhi. Typhoid fever transmits very easily via polluted water supplies and food as well as when any individual comes in close contact with an infected person.
This infectious disease is distinguished by high body temperature, gastroenteritis, perspiration as well as diarrhea. While typhoid seldom occurs in the developed countries now, this ailment is still a grave threat to our health in the developing nations. Typhoid can be treated using antibiotics.
People suffering from acute form of typhoid fever may pollute the water supply in their area through feces, which enclose an elevated intensity of the bacterium. In effect, the contaminated water may, sequentially, pollute the food supply in the area.
Approximately three to five per cent of typhoid patients, who endure the acute form of the disease, actually turn out to be carriers of Salmonella typhi. In many cases, patients endure a very mild type of the disease that usually goes unnoticed. However, these patients are likely to turn out to be chronic carriers of the bacterium.
The bacterium Salmonella typhi. has the aptitude to stay alive in water or dried out sewage for several weeks. Such long-term carriers of the bacterium will possibly be without any symptoms of the disease and be capable of being the cause of fresh outbreaks of typhoid fever for numerous years.
When an individual consumes polluted food or water, the bacterium Salmonella typhi. attacks the small intestine and enters the bloodstream for a brief period. The bacterium is transported by the white blood cells in the bone marrow, liver and spleen. Subsequently, Salmonella typhi. reproduces within the cells of these organs and enters the bloodstream again.
At this stage, the patients show symptoms of the disease, such as fever, when the microorganism enters the bloodstream again. This bacterium also plagues the lymphatic tissue of the bowel, gallbladder and the biliary system. In these places, Salmonella typhi. reproduces in great number and then enters the intestinal tract.
It is possible to identify the microorganism during diagnosis in cultures from the feces examined in the laboratory. In effect, during the early and late stages of typhoid fever, stool cultures are very insightful, but they need to be regularly accompanied by blood cultures with a view to help make a precise diagnosis.
The incubation period of Salmonella typhi., the bacterium that causes typhoid fever, continues for anything between 10 to 20 days and, among other things, relies to a great extent on the amount of bacteria that have been ingested.
Classic typhoid fever may be categorized into two phases - first phase and second phase. They are discussed in brief below.
First Phase: During the first phase of typhoid fever, the temperature of the patient steadily goes up to 40°C, and, in general, the condition of the patient becomes extremely poor. During this time, the patient experiences bouts of perspiration, headache, coughing and lack of appetite. Moreover, the most obvious symptoms of the disease at this stage include constipation as well as skin complaints.
Children suffering from typhoid fever usually vomit and endure diarrhea at this stage of the disease. It may be noted that the first phase of typhoid fever continues for a week and at the end of this phase, the patient exhibits growing lethargy as well as complication of perception.
Second Phase: During the second phase of typhoid fever, this is the period between the second and third week of being infected by Salmonella typhi., the patient exhibits the symptoms of intestinal infection, while the fever continues to be extremely high.
During this time, the pulse rate of the patient becomes feeble and very fast. In the third week of having the infection, instead of constipation, the patient endures acute diarrhea, which is something like a pea soup. In addition, the stool of the patient may contain blood. And, the fever decreases, while the overall condition of the typhoid patient begins to improve slowly, only after the fourth or fifth week of being infected by Salmonella typhi.
A number of herbs and natural supplements have been found to be useful in treating typhoid fever. For instance, clove water is beneficial for patients suffering from typhoid fever.
To prepare this herbal medication, boil five cloves in two litres of water and when the water has been reduced to half its original amount, filter the solution. Give this solution to the patient at frequent intervals daily for a period of time. In addition to taking clove water, typhoid patients should even take plain water after it is boiled and cooled to avoid contamination.
In addition, boil a teaspoonful of salt in a full glass of water and give the patient to drink this saline solution once daily for three consecutive days. In case the patient feels dehydrated, do not give him/ her saline solution for about an hour.
After a lapse of an hour, give the patients just small sips of plain boiled water. Typhoid patients should not drink water in excess, as it will slow down the treatment or curing the fever. This natural home remedy helps people suffering from typhoid fever to recuperate much before time.
Drinking milk mixed with orange juice or consuming an orange after drinking milk is very beneficial for typhoid patients. In effect, those infected by Salmonella typhi. may consume oranges several times every day. This fruit cools the body and eases the restiveness endured owing to typhoid fever.
When a person is suffering from typhoid fever, the most important thing to do is to take proper care of the patient. Since the patient is ailing, initially, a fluid diet high in energy and protein should be recommended to help him/ her to recuperate fast.
The patient should only be given foods that he/ she can digest easily, such as fruits - oranges, limes and sweet lime. In addition, they must be kept in clean and well-ventilated rooms. You may smash a ripened banana and consume it with one tablespoon of honey at least two times daily for a few days at a stretch.
Consuming the pulp of banana combined with buttermilk will bring down the fever in people enduring typhoid. You may also drink hot water blended with honey or consume apple juice, as both are extremely beneficial for typhoid patients. When the fever has subsided to some degrees, the patient may be given semi-solids foods, such as rice with curd, khichiri, kheer and custard.
Drinking sparkling cider (carbonated and non-alcoholic cider) is extremely energizing and, at the same time, remedial for individuals suffering from typhoid fever. Another substance that will greatly aid in recuperating from typhoid fever is buttermilk. In addition, you may add one to two teaspoon of freshly prepared juice of coriander leaves to one cup of buttermilk and take this natural home made remedy twice to thrice every day to cure the disease.
If you find the pupils of typhoid patients becoming dilated, the pulse rate slow and the extremities, such as the fingers and toes, inclined to be cold, they should be administered a mixture of 10 drops of particular belladonna with half a glass of water. The patient ought to be given this mixture in measures of one teaspoonful at intervals of an hour.
On account of their experimentations, scientists have observed that it is possible to get rid of the bacterium responsible for causing typhoid by burning any dry fruits, raisins or large raisins. On the other hand, if you are using Echinacea to treat typhoid fever, it is advisable that you replace this herb with wild indigo. And for utmost results, you may also combine Echinacea and wild indigo herb.
Typhoid patients may also use herbs like black pepper and basil leaves to cure their condition. You may pulverize four basil leaves, seven grains of black pepper and seven shreds of saffron together to prepare a paste. For best results, the patient needs to ingest this paste twice or thrice daily along with lukewarm milk.
As mentioned earlier, orange has been found to be a very useful fruit that has a cooling effect and also eases the uneasiness caused by typhoid fever. The patient may take orange as he/ she might choose to - in the fruit's natural form, in the form of orange juice or add it in milk shakes. In effect, oranges have proved to be a highly effective natural home remedy for typhoid fever.
Aromatherapy is known to be effective in treating typhoid fever. For instance, people have been traditionally using eucalyptus essential oil to cure infections with fever, counting typhoid, malaria and cholera.
On the other hand, physicians in France have employed lemon oil to cure health conditions, such as diabetes, malaria, tuberculosis, typhoid, gonorrhoea and syphilis. The essential oil obtained from lemon grass also has the ability to fight against ailments like malaria and typhoid.
In addition to taking conventional allopathic medications, herbs and supplements as well as trying aromatherapy, you may do several other things to prevent and cure typhoid fever. For instance, you may avoid having typhoid fever by ensuring adequate hygiene and sanitation.
As typhoid fever spreads in areas where food and water supplies come in contact with human stool, it is essential that prevention of this contagious disease depends a lot on careful preparation of food as well as frequently washing hands meticulously.
In order to avoid being infected by Salmonella typhi., the bacterium responsible for typhoid fever, people living in prevalent areas ought to stay away from drinking water that is not treated properly, avoid consuming raw vegetables and fruits and opt to eat food supplied from places where the bacterium does not or cannot continue to exist.
In addition, it is also essential to clean the household items properly and keep away from handling food provided the risk of spreading this infectious disease exists.
It may be noted that adopting nutritive actions are alone enough to assist you in treating typhoid fever. It is advisable that you drink boiled and appropriately filtered water when you are enduring typhoid fever. In addition, it is important to wash your hands and feet meticulously, particularly after remaining outdoors.
The food should also be kept in airtight containers to avoid contamination. People suffering from typhoid fever should strictly have boiled or steamed food. An excellent remedy for typhoid fever is taking one spoon of honey in a full glass of hot water with half a lime every day in the morning. Most importantly, patients suffering from typhoid fever should strictly keep away from spicy food and beverages like tea, coffee, soft drinks and alcohol.
You may also do a few other things with a view to ease the symptoms of the disease. Apply cold compress to your head in case the body temperature goes up to 103°F. Alternately, you may cover your body as well the legs two times with a sheet compressed in cold water and, subsequently, wrap it with any warm substance.
This pack ought to be allowed to remain for an hour's time and renewed at intervals of three hours. In addition, you may apply hot water bottles to the feet as well as the sides of the body. Most importantly, the patient should be kept in a hygienic and an adequately airy room.
