Cholera is one of the most severe diseases of the intestines, which affects the lower part of the small bowels especially during the monsoons, since it is water borne disease. The disease strikes suddenly and fills the intestinal canal with bacilli, which die rapidly and leave the person quickly either alive or dead, thus the mortality rate of this disease is much higher.
Symptoms of Cholera:
The symptoms of cholera are clearly visible in his three stages. Let us understand all the three of them.
The First Stage:
The patient suffers from mild diarrhoea and vomiting, which worsens rapidly.
The motions become watery, containing no faecal matter. The patient experiences severe cramps in the abdominal muscles and limbs, resulting due to lack of salts. The intake of water to quench thirst dilutes the body salts still further, and makes the cramps worse.
The temperature of the body rises but the skin is generally cold and blue and the pulse gets weak.
The Second Stage:
Here, the body becomes colder, the skin dry, wrinkled and purple.
Voice becomes weak and husky.
The urine looks dark and formation is less, or altogether absent.
It is in this `algid` stage that the patient may die, as early as 24 hours after the onset of the symptoms.
The Third Stage:
In this stage a gradual recovery follows in favourable cases. All the changes seem to reverse themselves.
The fluid loss decreases and there is improvement in the general condition.
Even at this stage, a relapse may occur or the patient may sink into a condition resembling typhoid fever.
The condition may deteriorate over a period of two or three weeks. During this stage of reaction, the temperature may rise, and the patient may be in danger of pneumonia.
Causes of Cholera:
Cholera is caused by a short, curved, rod-shaped germ known as vibrio cholerae. This germ produces a powerful poison or endotoxin, which is spread by flies and water contaminated by the germs. The real cause of the disease, however, is the toxic and devitalized condition of the system brought about by incorrect feeding habits and faulty style of living. This condition facilitates the breeding of the cholera germs.
Treatment of Cholera by Natural therapy:
The treatment should begin with the aim of combating the loss of fluids and salts from the body.
To allay thirst, water, soda water or tender coconut water should be given for sipping although these may be thrown out by vomiting. Therefore, only small quantities of water should be given repeatedly.
Ice may be given for sucking. This will reduce internal temperature and restrict the tendency to vomit.
Intravenous infusions of saline solution, maybe five liters or more, should be given as a compensation for the loss of fluids and salts from the body. Care should, however, be taken to avoid water logging the patient. Potassium may be added to the infused fluid.
Rectal saline normally, half a litre of saline, with 30 grams of glucose, should be given per rectum every four hours until urine is passed freely. This treatment may sometimes prove useful for adults.
After the acute stage of cholera is over, the patient may be given tender coconut water and barley water in very thin form. When the stools begin to form, he should be given buttermilk.
As he progresses towards recovery, rice softened to semi-solid form mixed with curd, may be given.
However, the patient should not be given solid food till he has fully recovered. Liquid and bland foods are the ones, which the patient can ingest without endangering a reoccurrence of the disease.
Lemon, onion, green chillies, vinegar and mint should be included in the daily diet during an epidemic of cholera.
Home Remedies for Cholera :
Certain home remedies have been found beneficial in the treatment of cholera.
The foremost among these is the use of lemon juice, taken in the form of sweetened or salted beverages, can kill cholera bacilli within a very short time. Daily intake of lemon with food can also prevent cholera.
The root bark of guava is another valuable remedy, since it is rich in tannins and it can arrest vomiting and other symptoms of diarrhoea.
The leaves and flowers of peach should be taken in the form of syrup or conserve.
The leaves of drumstick tree are also useful in the treatment of this disease. A teaspoon of fresh leaf-juice, mixed with honey and a glass of tender coconut water, can be given two or three times as herbal medicine in the treatment of cholera.
Onion is very useful in cholera. About 30 grams of this vegetable and seven black peppers should be finely pounded in a paste and given to the patient, since it allays thirst and restlessness making the patient feel better.
The fresh juice of bitter gourd is another effective medicine in the early stages of cholera. Two teaspoons of this juice, mixed with an equal quantity of white onion juice and a teaspoon of limejuice should be given.
Prevention for Cholera:
Though cholera can be treated, it should be prevented first in order to escape the pain of this horrible disease. The prevention methods are as follows:
Cholera can be controlled only by rigid purification of water supply and proper disposal of human wastes.
In case of slightest doubt about the contamination of water, it must be boiled before use, for drinking and cooking purposes.
Foodstuffs must be kept covered and vegetables and fruits washed with a solution of potassium permanganate before consumption.
Other precautions against this disease include avoiding all uncooked vegetables, thorough washing of hands by all those who handle food, and elimination of all contacts with the disease.
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