Typhoid fever is a very common infectious disease in South America, Africa and South Asia. The infection is mainly due to poor environmental and personal hygiene conditions. In fact, an individual who ingests food or water contaminated with infected feces runs the risk of contracting it. If you have been diagnosed, read this article to find out how to fight it in the most effective way, but of course you should consult your doctor to get a prescription for the most suitable treatment for you.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Use Natural Remedies to Heal
Natural treatments should be used in conjunction with medications prescribed by the doctor. While they won't cure the disease, they can alleviate the symptoms it causes, such as fever or nausea.
Step 1. Stay hydrated
It is important to ingest plenty of fluids to defeat this disease. Drink at least eight glasses of water a day, but also add fruit juices, coconut water, and other hydrating sodas. Dehydration is usually caused by diarrhea and high fever, two of the most common symptoms.
In severe cases, intravenous administration of fluids is recommended
Step 2. Follow a healthy diet and consume soft foods
This disease could cause nutrient deficiencies. For this, you need to pay attention to what you eat and offer foods rich in calories and nutrients to the body. Consuming enough carbohydrates will undoubtedly be beneficial. Do you have gastrointestinal problems? It is essential to get plenty of fluids and eat foods that are easy to assimilate: soup, crackers, toast, pudding and jelly.
- Drink lots of fruit juices, barley, coconut water, and rice milk.
- Fish and eggs will be useful if you don't have gastrointestinal complications, as they allow you to fill up on protein.
- Eat lots of fruits and vegetables to get all the vitamins you need.
Step 3. Mix water and honey
It is a simple but effective remedy. Add some honey to a glass of warm water and you will be able to relieve digestive problems due to the disease. Honey will calm intestinal irritation and protect the tissues of the digestive tract.
Also mix water and honey to get an all-natural energy drink
Step 4. Drink clove tea
This remedy allows to relieve the symptoms of this disease. Add cloves to a saucepan filled with boiling water. Let it continue boiling until half of the original liquid has evaporated. Filter the cloves and consume this drink daily, for several days.
Step 5. Combine several ground spices
Combine saffron, a couple of basil leaves and black pepper. Grind them and add water. Turn everything until you get a mixture. Pour it into a pillbox to make several tablet-sized servings. Take one or two a day with a glass of water. It is an excellent antioxidant and antimicrobial remedy, which will help you deal with the digestive problems caused by typhoid fever.
Step 6. Use echinacea
This fuchsia flower is ideal for strengthening the immune system and fighting bacterial infections. It is also great for strengthening body tissues. Buy a powder made from dried flowers or a couple of echinacea roots. Mix a teaspoon with a glass of water and leave the mixture on the stove for 8-10 minutes once it reaches the boiling point. Drink this drink 2 to 3 times a day.
Step 7. Drink some carrot and black pepper water
To combat diarrhea, you can boil 6-8 pieces of carrot for 8-10 minutes. Strain the liquid and add two or three pinches of ground black pepper.
Step 8. Drink some ginger and apple juice
Mix a tablespoon of ginger juice with a glass of apple juice. This combination restores the minerals lost due to dehydration to the body. It is also useful for treating any liver problems by eliminating all toxins and waste from the body.
Step 9. Drink lemongrass and pineapple juice
Boil some lemongrass mixed with half a glass of water for about 3-4 minutes. Next, let the liquid cool to room temperature. Add a glass of pineapple juice and stir well. Drink this drink every day to regain lost energy.
Method 2 of 3: Using Drugs to Heal
Step 1. Take antibiotics
If the disease is diagnosed early, the most common treatment is antibiotics, which will last for a week or two. Some strains of the bacteria that cause it have become very resistant to certain antibiotics. Therefore, meticulous laboratory tests must be carried out to find the cure that's right for you.
- The antibiotics that are usually prescribed include the following: ciprofloxacin (15 mg / kilo, to be taken daily), ampicillin or amoxicillin (100 mg / kilo, to be taken daily).
- They may also prescribe cefotaxime (80 mg / kilo, every day) or ceftriaxone (60 mg / kilo, every day). In this case, the treatment will last 10-14 days.
Step 2. Go to the hospital
In severe cases, the symptoms may be significantly stronger, for example you swell your stomach, suffer from acute diarrhea or the vomiting is persistent. Such a situation requires immediate hospitalization. You will be given the same antibiotics, through injections though.
The necessary fluids and nutrients will also be administered intravenously
Step 3. Take your medications following the prescription to the letter
While symptoms may subside within a few days, it is vital to complete antibiotic treatment. By not taking your prescribed medications for as long as you should, you seriously run the risk of getting sick again. Once your treatment is over, make another appointment with your doctor to get tested and make sure the infection has been eradicated.
Step 4. In more complicated cases it is possible to end up in the operating room
If the patient suffers from a particularly aggressive form of typhoid fever, for example he has severe internal bleeding, he will need to be operated on.
Method 3 of 3: Preventing Typhoid Fever in the Future
Step 1. Be careful of the water you drink
Let it boil, especially if you are unsure of the safety of its source or provenance (such as tap water or water that comes out of a pump). Put some chlorine tablets in the water of questionable origin. Do not drink from springs, rivers and other bodies of water. If the house you live in or your community does not have running water, it is best to install a suitable system. Use separate, clean, covered containers to store it. Don't use ice.
Step 2. Be careful about the food you eat
Let the vegetables, fish, or meat cook well. Wash them before you start cooking. If you are going to eat raw foods, wash them well or immerse them in hot water. Store food in special containers. Do not forget cooked food left in the refrigerator for extended periods. Eat them as soon as possible, otherwise, throw them away two or more days after you put them in the fridge. Containers with food should be kept away from areas where contamination can occur, such as the bathroom, garbage or drain pipes.
- Remove the spoiled parts of the uncooked vegetables and cook only the fresh ones.
- Do not eat street food if you go to countries where typhoid fever is particularly common.
Step 3. Practice good hygiene rules where you live
Clean your house and garden properly. Remove spoiled food from the refrigerator and throw it in the trash can (which must be kept clean). Repairs damaged plumbing pipes, drain pipes and other pipes in order to avoid spills of contaminated water into the environment.
Separate areas where you store water and food from areas where there are sewage pipes, toilets, or septic tanks. In this way, you will prevent food and water from becoming contaminated by these systems. Repair damaged septic tanks or toilets. This is to prevent contaminated water from leaking into areas where food or water is stored
Step 4. Practice good personal hygiene
Wash your hands with soap and water (use sanitizer gel when you can't) before and after picking up or cooking food. Do this even after using the toilet or after coming into contact with a dirty object. Do not touch the water you drink with dirty hands. Your appearance must be clean and tidy in general. Handle food and water carefully, keeping them in clean containers and in separate areas, such as the refrigerator. Washing yourself every day is essential. Dry your hands with clean towels, not the clothes you are wearing.
Step 5. Get vaccinated for typhoid fever
There are two types of vaccines in this regard, namely:
- The Injectable Polysaccharide Typhoid Vaccine Vi. A single dose of 0.5 ml is injected into the muscle of the upper arm and the upper surface of the thigh. It is administered to children aged two and over and to adults. It must be repeated every three years.
- Ty21a oral typhoid vaccine. One capsule is taken orally on an empty stomach. This action must be repeated three times; after taking the first dose, you have to wait two days to take the second and then another two days to swallow the third. It is necessary to wait 24-72 hours after ingestion of the antibiotics, so that the vaccine is not destroyed by these drugs. It is administered to children aged six and over and to adults.
