Shigellosis Treatment – Everything You Need To Know

Have you been feeling a sharp and shooting pain by the side of your stomach accompanied by constant trips to the washroom? Chances are that it could be a type of food poisoning that you contracted unknowingly. Shigellosis treatment is necessary to ensure that the infection doesn’t spread further.

Owing to the fact that it does have the possibility of negatively affecting one’s health, it goes without saying that maintaining a healthy hygiene plays a very key role when it comes to this condition.

By the end of this article, you will have a better perspective into the ways in which you can eliminate shigellosis infection effectively.

What is Shigellosis?

Shigellosis is a predominantly affecting diarrheal infection which is caused by the infestation of a group of bacteria known as Shigella.

It is more common than people even realize it to be which is why it is important to ensure that you do the needful with this to avoid any drastic impacts on your health because of the infection altogether.

The bacterial species is of four different types:

• Shigella sonnei
• And Shigella flexneri
• The Shigella boydi
• Shigella dysenteriae

The condition is predominant among the children and over 500,000 reported cases of this condition have been witnessed in the United States itself.

While the condition isn’t necessarily life threatening and can go away with proper rest and water, if the infection has spread to an unprecedented amount, which is when you do need to visit a hospital to get the same checked out.

Signs and Symptoms of Shigellosis

As we did mention before, the condition of shigellosis is transmitted by bacterial infestation. It is important to ensure that you do the needful if the condition persists.

Identifying the symptoms is one of the best ways to combat the condition and if you are wondering what signs and symptoms that you do need to look out for.

• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Fever
• Constant abdominal pain
• Tenesmus

How is Shigellosis transmitted?

When it comes to explaining the process of transmission of the shigellosis infection, the process is predominantly dependent on a few contamination factors that you have no idea about.

It is important to ensure that you do take notes of the process that could result in the transmission and prevent from doing it altogether.

Direct touch

Given that the shigella infection is most likely to affect a kid, the same can pass onto you if you don’t wash your hands properly after changing the infected diaper.

Direct person to person contact is one of the most common modes of transmission that one definitely needs to look out for without fail.

Consume contaminated food

Yet another one of the prospects of this condition that is likely to affect you and cause the shigellosis food poisoning is if you end up consuming contaminated food.

Open foods on the street or even something that has been kept open for a long time in your home can be a contributing factor to the transmission.

Drinking contaminated water

One of the common sources of the shigellosis infection is through contaminated water which is definitely something that you do need to look out for without fail.

It is important that you always drink filtered water or boil the water thoroughly before drinking, especially when it comes to the children.

Home Remedies And Treatment For Shigellosis

When it comes to the shigellosis treatment, there are a number of factors that you do need to keep in mind to ensure that the condition doesn’t get worse. Although the infection can easily be treated by resting and by replenishing the lost fluids, it is very important to ensure that you do keep an eye out on the condition. If it gets worse instead of recovering, it is best suggested to ensure that you consult a doctor who would help you with the condition.

1.Drink ample water

One of the most common problems with the shigellosis food poisoning is the fact that it hampers one’s overall levels of water and fluids in the body because of the multiple runs to the washroom because of the diarrhea.

It is important to ensure that you do take the time out to keep an eye out on your water consumption throughout the day.

Make sure that you are replenishing your water levels by drinking water and electrolytes.

When the body starts losing the water, chances are that it might end up affecting the organs in the body, slowing down their function, thus making harder for the body to fight the infection back.

This is the reason why drinking water in small intervals is the most important factor when it comes to treating the Shigellosis symptoms.

Read: 12 Health Benefits Of Sparkling Water – Sizzling Benefits

2.Be careful with the medications

When it comes to the medication, it is very important that you are careful with what you are consuming because there are some medicines for diarrhea treatment that does have the possibility of making the condition of the infection even worse.

Some of the drugs like diphenoxylate with atropine or loperamide does have the tendency to make the condition worse.

3.Maintain hygiene

One of the best ways to eliminate shigellosis treatment is to ensure that you do look out for the hygiene. Given that the direct contact is one of the most common modes of transmission, it is important that you do maintain proper hygiene.

If you are changing diapers of an infected kid, it is best suggested to ensure that you wash your hands properly and dispose the diaper off in a safe place, out of reach.

Use disinfectant soaps and sanitizers at all times to keep the infection at bay. This is what helps in keeping the problems associated with the spreading in control.

Read: 8 Ways To Stop Shaking Hands – Stop The Tremors

4.Get optimal amount of rest

Yet another factor that you do need to keep an eye out on while treating the shigellosis infection is to get the much needed rest.

Given that your body is trying to fight through an infection, it is very important to ensure that you do keep an eye out on the amount of rest you are getting. Not many realize this but it does play a very crucial role in the recovery process.

Resting helps the body get the energy it needs to fight the infection back which is necessary to promote better recovery through the process.

5.Peppermint

A few herbs have been found to be effective when it comes down to the shigellosis treatment. If you have been suffering from this condition through and through, it is best suggested to ensure that you do opt for peppermint which has been found to help replenish the fluids in the body and even get rid of the discomfort and pain.

The main reason why it is touted as one of the most effective herbs is because of the fact that it has effective anti-inflammatory (R) as well as analgesic (R) properties which helps in the recovery process and fights off the infection as well.

Read: Peppermint As A Potent Treatment For Oesophageal Disorders, Study Suggests

6.Bananas

Yet another one of the effective remedies that does work wonders is the consumption of bananas.

Not only are bananas loaded with fibre, it also contains a good portion of nutrients in them which has been found to have beneficial impacts relieving the signs and symptoms associated with the shigellosis.

The presence of good amount of potassium in it has been found fruitful in regaining the electrolyte balance in the body and even imbibe better fluid balance that you wouldn’t get otherwise.

Make sure to be careful with the amount you are consuming because excess can further cause problems as well.

7.Ginger

Ginger and is efficacy in treating the gastrointestinal issues doesn’t necessarily require an introduction altogether. If you have been consistently suffering from the pain and the discomfort brought along with the shigellosis food poisoning, it is best suggested to opt for ginger tea because it helps in alleviating the symptoms.

Apart from helping with the condition of the excess pain and discomfort, it also boosts the gut health and even the immune system to fight back the infection and get rid of it for good.

8.Consult a doctor

The last resort if the condition doesn’t get better in a week is to see out doctor’s advice. This is mandatory to ensure that your infection isn’t spreading out in an unprecedented rate.

It is important to ensure that you do prevent the unnecessary consumption of antibiotics if the doctor doesn’t suggest it. There are a few types of shigellosis infection which is immune to the antibiotics and does need immediate medical help to cure the problem before it gets out of control.

If the doctor suggests getting admitted to the hospital, ensure to do so as well.

How Long Does Shigellosis Last?

Coming on to the next, how long will the symptoms last?

In general, for a person with a healthy immune system, the condition does last for 5-7 days which is pretty standard if you keep replenishing the fluids in the body and even get the necessary rest needed for the same.

Often times, there are a few strains of shigella bacteria which are resistant to antibiotics and often tend to take more time to recover and heal completely.

Even though the symptoms might recover within a month, chances are that it might take the bowel movements a month or more to get back to normal again.

How to prevent Shigellosis?

When it comes to the preventive measures to eliminate shigellosis infection, the options for that are quite extensive.

It is important that you do the needful to prevent it altogether because at the end of the day, that is what that matters for the condition.

Some of the best preventing measures for this condition include:

• Wash your hands thoroughly all throughout the day, especially before eating food or even when you are bringing it in direct contact with the face and such. Do the same with your children as well
• Make sure that you are disposing off the diaper very carefully and properly to prevent further contamination
• If you are infected, avoid cooking for the others in the house for a few days till your symptoms are better
• Filter the water every time you are going to drink it. For kids, boil their water and then give it to them for drinking
• Abstain any form of sexual activity with the people affected

Shigellosis treatment is important if you don’t want it to affect your quality of life drastically. It goes without saying that you should keep these points in mind as mentioned above because they do make a lot of impacts altogether. It is necessary that you don’t let the same get the best of you and you drink enough water and get enough rest to recover effectively.